Putting

“You drive for show but putt for dough,” said Bobby Locke. He certainly knew how to use the straight iron because he won 74 international victories, including four British Open championships. Known as a precision golfer who did not hit the long ball he is a World Hall of Fame member. With a putter in his hand, he was a genius.

He liked to work the ball, by hitting it from right to left or left to right, or without any spin at all in a straight line. The best players manage to make the ball roll on 90 per cent of the total distance of the putt, because they manage to work the putter by making their two arms work together, harmoniously.

To make the ball roll efficiently and use the fewest joints possible during the pendulum swing, it’s important to stabilize the rest of the body as much as possible and use gravity during the movements of transition backwards and forwards.

Here’s an exercise whose goal is to make the arms only swing, like a pendulum, without the help of other parts of the body.

  • Set up two guides side by side on the ground about seven metres from the hole and place a ball on the rails.
  • Take your position with your eyes directly over the rails, favouring a ball position under your front eye and letting your humerus (upper arm) become vertical.
  • Make four putts using the rear arm only, positioning your front hand on your shoulder to stabilize it. Your arm will swing naturally in a linear fashion along the guides.
  • Make four more putts with the front arm only, again stabilizing your shoulder.
  • Finally, make four more putts with your two arms.

You have the advantage of making the ball roll in the way that Bobby Locke did so well. After all, a seven-metre putt is worth more dough than that showy drive.

Happy practicing, and enjoy your golf!

 

By the same author: Why golfers talk to their ball? (Click the image below)

 

Pierre Brisebois60 Posts

Enseignant professionnel, top 25 enseignant au Canada selon National Post et Meilleur enseignant régionale en Amérique selon Golf Magazine / Professional teacher, National Post - Top 25 Teachers in Canada, Golf Magazine - Top Regional Teachers in America

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