Golf Tips

In golf putting is the name of the game. If you want to quickly reduce your golf handicap, improve your putting. How do you do that? Most experts agree that if you're serious about improving your putting, you'll "immerse" yourself in the effort-take golf lessons, read golf tips, and practice as much as you can. They also agree that studying the pros' putting techniques helps.

But while studying professional golfers often produces valuable golf tips, the modern style of putting may not yield the best results for weekend golfers-at least that's the opinion of the PGA's Tom Kite. He thinks weekend golfers shouldn't putt like the pros at all. Instead, he advocates adopting a different technique-one that h believes can lower your golf handicap dramatically.

More Like Jones Than Woods

Here's Kite's theory: Over the years putting has evolved. It's gone from the wristy stroke of Bobby Jones to the arm-and-shoulder stroke of Tiger Woods. The arm-and-shoulder stroke is fine for professionals, who play on fast, smooth greens and under great pressure. The arm-and-shoulder stroke is highly effective here. It provides control over the putt and also eliminates the influence of the wrists' smaller muscles. These can twitch when under pressure, causing mistakes.

But the modern stroke may not be right for weekend golfers, who play on slower, bumpier greens and under less pressure. That's because of two reasons: First, since the modern stroke is longer, it's also slower. The longer and slower the stroke, the easier it is for the putterhead to go off line. You can't sink a putt if your putterhead is off line-even if the putt's speed and roll is perfect.

Second, since the greens weekend players play on aren't as glass-like as those of the pros, making solid contact is imperative. Slower, bumpier greens require a firmer putt to keep the ball on line-one that can be delivered by using the wrists. A wristy stroke down plays the arms and shoulders. Also, since weekend golfers play under less pressure, they don't have to worry about twitching.

Support From Jack Nicklaus

Support for Kite's theory comes from one of the game's greatest players. If you watch old footage of Jack Nicklaus, you'll notice a big difference between his approach to putting and Tiger Woods'. Like Woods, Jack is methodical in his basic approach. He carefully studies each putt. And like Woods, he carefully goes through his pre-shot routine. But when it comes to putting the ball, Jack uses more of his wrists than Woods does.

Watching Jack, it almost seems like he "pops" the ball as opposed to stroking it-a good image to keep in your mind, if you adopt this putting style. Also, Jack makes a much shorter stroke than Woods, picking the putterhead up more abruptly and then placing it down on the ball. In fact, Jack's stroke looks more like a jab than a stroke, with little movement of the arms and shoulders.

Keys To A Wristier Stroke

If you're committed to changing putting styles, adopting Kite's approach is worth considering. But you must hold two keys firmly in mind if use his approach. First, keep the blade square to the ball. In the modern stroke, the blade has a tendency to open and close in the course of the stroke. But with Kite's approach the blade doesn't have time to open much. In fact, keep the idea of squaring the blade to the ball as your primary swing thought.

Second, make the putter head finish on the ground. In the modern stroke the putterhead keeps moving toward the target after the ball is struck. It's known as follow-through. It results in hitting up on the putt, causing topped or cut putts. But Kite's approach eliminates this fault, since there's no follow-through. Since there's no follow-through, try hitting the bottom of the ball, not the upper half.

Kite's idea of using a wristy putting stroke has merit. If you're looking to improve your putting, consider it. Keep in mind that putting is the most individual of all golfing skills. So the wristier stroke may be better for you than the arm-and-shoulder stroke. But whatever you do, don't stop taking golf lessons, reading golf tips, or practicing putting. It's the best way to improve your putting and the quickest way to lower your golf handicap.