While attending the Waste Management Phoenix Open this year, I spent some time around the putting green observing the PGA Tour Players stroke several putts. I was paying specific attention to their head and when they would turn their head to watch the putt roll out. These guys are some of the best putters in the world. It is like they have some natural ability to make the ball go in the hole from anywhere. You can see it in their eyes.

 Believe it - you can putt like a PGA Tour Player if you practice the following techniques:

• Find a comfortable posture to set up over the golf ball. The most important part of the set up is to make sure that your eyes are over the golf ball. To test this, hold a golf ball at your eye that is (supposedly) over the golf ball and drop the ball. See where the golf ball lands. If it lands on the golf ball you have accomplished a successful set up. If the ball falls to either side of the ball on the ground, then you must adjust your set up accordingly.

• Now that your eyes are directly over the golf ball and your arms are extended so they can freely swing back and through, you must make sure that you can visualize your intended target line. To determine your intended target line, you should take into account the contour of the green, the speed of the green, how damp or dry the green is and if the putt is up or down hill. Remember that the easiest putt in golf is the straight putt. Therefore, once you have determined the line of the putt, imagine moving the hole to the left or right of the actual hole onto the intended target line and stroke the putt like it is a straight putt. You have seen the “Aim Point” graphic on the Golf Channel.

• The difference between bad putters and great putters are two major fundamentals. First: A great putter has the ability to trust their stroke and the line, once they have decided the line of the putt.  Second: Keeping their head still. Both of these are difficult to accomplish individually. It is even more difficult to accomplish both at the same time. The trust comes from a lot of practice and repetition through many different situations on the putting green from many different distances to different amounts of break in the putt. The second part, keeping your head still over the putt will require a lot of practice of knowing where to focus your eyes throughout the putt. Upon stroking the putt and the ball traveling toward the hole, you will keep your eyes focused on the original spot where the ball lay. Do not rotate your head to look at the putt until you see the ball stop moving, (this can be done by using your peripheral vision). Amazingly enough, with a little practice, you will begin to make more putts than ever.

Practice this technique and you will begin telling yourself that you are the best putter in the world.

Have fun and remember, if you need help with this tip or any other, email
greg.ellis@trilogygolfclub.com or call for a lesson at 623.328.5107.

Be sure to tune in to the Bunker to Bunker Golf Show every Saturday morning from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. or on 620KTAR AM or on the internet at sports.ktar.com for more tips and updates on all of the week’s golfing news in the Valley and around the world. Join Greg, Jim Hill, and Marty Monaghan for a comprehensive look at the golf world for the week.