Improved Putting Starts with the Putter



Posted: Tuesday, July 21, 2009

by Anthony Bowlin
http://www.arcgolftech.com

At least 35% of the game of golf is with only one club, the putter. Hours are spent in driver and iron selection and little time is devoted to the putter selection. Why so little time in putter selection? It is the most important club in the bag. Many missed putts are blamed on the player's form the truth is the putter probably compromised the stroke. Needless strokes are lost.

Most putters will fail one or both of the simple check tests. The first is the spin test. With the grip pointing down, hold the putter just below the head between the palms. Spin the club. The more waggle it has the more unbalanced it is. The second test is the push test. Place the end of the grip on the floor and hold the club with one hand just below the head. With a finger of the free hand, push where the "sweet spot" is marked. If the head moves there is no real "sweet spot." If the putter fails one or even both, how is the putt going to be accurate?

Having a balanced putter with a true sweet spot has a major impact on the quality of the putting stroke. Striking the ball on the putter's sweet spot ensures complete energy is transferred and on the desired line. The putter should be a foundation to build a sound putting game and not a variable. Concentration should lie on the speed, slope of the breaks, greens condition, and length. Confidence will be gained by having a reliable club at set-up.

Many putters at address will torque away from the ball. The stroke will be unnatural and will be hit off-line. A putter should be balanced to allow for a smooth stroke through the ball. Making one less in a few holes saves those strokes and improves the score. In the extreme case, making one less putt on each hole saves eighteen strokes. In most cases, a player having a balanced putter will see an eight percent decrease in score in the first round.

For more information about putter design visit ARC Golf Tech at www.arcgolftech.com .

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