| Copyright (c) 2008 Stephen Lau | | | | accurate judgment may help you strike a |
| "The man who can putt can play anybody." Tom | | | | "specialized" stroke. |
| Sayers | | | | Third, a good putter must be able to control the |
| This shows the importance of putting to the | | | | stroke and the placement of the ball. A good |
| game of golf. | | | | putter must putt the ball consistently and |
| Golfing success demands the composite of a | | | | confidently, such that the ball is put within an inch |
| great player and a great putter. | | | | or two of the targeted spot. Such confidence is |
| Putting on the green is an art in itself. Putting is an | | | | often reflected in the positive attitude, the |
| art to be cultivated and acquired through your | | | | targeted concentration, and relaxed mentality of |
| own individuality or personality. These personal | | | | the putter. |
| traits may include the power of your imagination, | | | | A good artist relies on his or her tools, and this is |
| the finesse of your touch, and the accuracy of | | | | also true of a good putter, who needs to |
| your judgment. Of course, all these qualities may | | | | experiment different equipment before "feeling |
| seem too abstract to most golfers, but, after all, | | | | good" on one that will inspire confidence in |
| golf is an intellectual and mental game, isn't it? | | | | delivering the perfect putt. |
| A good putter requires excellence in accuracy and | | | | Fourth, a good putter must know how to choose |
| strength, and, above all, an abounding confidence | | | | his or her equipment. The art of choosing the |
| to pull it through during the last few moments of | | | | right size of the equipment depends on the |
| the game. | | | | physique, height, and arm length of the individual; |
| The art of putting requires four basic elements in | | | | while the choice of the weight of the equipment is |
| a putter. | | | | contingent on the individual's preference for power |
| First of all, a good putter must have the capability | | | | deliverance or delicacy of touch. A heavier |
| to assess the green. A good putter must have | | | | equipment may give you more power at the |
| the vivid imagination and sharp eyesight requisite | | | | expense of being more difficult to exercise |
| in a good survey of the green to predetermine | | | | control on a slick green. You must learn the art of |
| the amount of break on side-hill putts, thereby | | | | arriving at a compromise between power and |
| instrumental in determining the "line" of the putt. A | | | | touch in your choice of your equipment, such that |
| good putter must be able to analyze the unique | | | | your equipment may become an asset, not a |
| characteristics of a green, such as the speed of | | | | liability, in your putting. |
| the green - fast, hard, slow or soft, and to | | | | Putting green is an art because there are no hard |
| determine the contour of the green - sloping one | | | | and fast rules regarding how one should deliver |
| way or the other. An acute awareness of the | | | | the perfect putt. Putting is an art because it is a |
| particular characteristics of the green may help | | | | reflection of the philosophy of the putter. As |
| you decide on the strategy before you even step | | | | such, most golfers have come to believe that |
| on the first tee. | | | | "putters are born, not made." No matter what, |
| Second, a good putter must be able to gauge the | | | | putting is an art that can be improved on simply |
| distance consistently, especially on long putts. Your | | | | by changing the way you think about putting. |