| Great putting one day, disastrous the next! | | | | and different-sized grip on it. All of these |
| Here are some useful tips that could help you | | | | seemingly insignificant changes can give your |
| putt more consistently. | | | | confidence a needed boost. Don't neglect your |
| | | | putting when you practice. But avoid becoming |
| How can it be that on one day you putt | | | | obsessive about it. If you practice putting |
| beautifully, and the next you're all but | | | | over a long period of time, your back will |
| helpless on the greens? Putting in golf is | | | | begin to ache and your concentration will |
| one of the most inconsistent skills in all of | | | | wander to greener pastures. The majority of |
| sports. Good putters usually putt well, but | | | | golfers ignore two important shots while |
| even the smooth strokers go into short or | | | | practicing their putting: They don't work on |
| prolonged slumps. Pros are fairly equal from | | | | putting from the fringe. And that's a shot |
| tee to green, with a few notable exceptions | | | | that most golfers use frequently on the golf |
| like Tiger. It's the guy or gal who putts | | | | course. Make sure you devote part of your |
| well throughout a tournament that brings home | | | | putting practice to stroking approach putts |
| the bacon. Unlike the basics - golf set up, | | | | from the fringe, both close to the actual |
| grip, and swing - putting is a world unto | | | | putting surface and - depending on the |
| itself. There's no right way or wrong way; | | | | texture of the fringe - as much as eight to |
| it's what works for you that counts. Your | | | | ten feet off the green. A second troublesome |
| putting grip is important, but what feels | | | | putt that should be practiced from time to |
| good and works for you might be a handicap | | | | time is the dilemma that's presented when |
| for a fellow player. Check with some good | | | | your ball comes to rest on the putting |
| putters and see how they place their hands on | | | | surface against the first cut of the fringe. |
| the club. It doesn't hurt to experiment with | | | | That can be a daunting shot if you haven't |
| new methods occasionally. The putter - as a | | | | practiced it. The key is hitting the top half |
| club - is vital to your success or lack | | | | of the ball while stroking the putter |
| thereof. And it doesn't have to cost $100; | | | | smoothly over the top of the fringe. If you |
| some of the prices for golf clubs have become | | | | try and chop down on this putt, it can have |
| ridiculous. Foremost, you need a putter that | | | | disastrous results. However, having said |
| looks good to you; that seems silly, but if | | | | that, sometimes chopping down on the putt is |
| you don't gain confidence from your putter's | | | | the only way you can hit the shot if the |
| appearance, you won't putt well with it. | | | | fringe is fairly high. You have to experiment |
| Clubheads on putters come in so many diverse | | | | to find the method that works best for you. |
| shapes and sizes that just selecting one that | | | | Short and focused putting practice is better |
| seems right for you can be a chore in itself. | | | | than long, tiring sessions that become |
| The weight is important, but only insofar as | | | | boring. You can work on just about every type |
| it feels right to you; almost everyone has a | | | | of putt in a 15-20 minute practice period. |
| different weight preference for their putter. | | | | Another key to good putting is to keep a |
| Don't hesitate to buy an inexpensive or used | | | | journal of thoughts that work well for you |
| putter if you find one you think might fit | | | | when you're going well. And, conversely, |
| your style. If you like everything but the | | | | record what is wrong when you're in a slump. |
| grip, you can get that changed in a golf | | | | It might be something that will recur - both |
| shop. And it's not expensive. If you have and | | | | good and bad - and if you have a journal to |
| old and trusted putter that has served you | | | | refer back to, you might head off potential |
| well and you're slumping, try placing a new | | | | problems at the pass. |