| Which do you prefer - golf swing tips or golf putting | | | | helping it to come under control again. A less |
| tips? If you are like most people, your answer would | | | | extreme version of this technique is to keep your |
| be "golf swing tips". This is the flashiest part of the | | | | eyes fixed on the hole rather than the ball. Colin |
| game of golf. This is what journalists report on TV | | | | Montgomerie has been caught using this technique. |
| and newspaper sports columns. They blare out "Tiger | | | | Obviously, both versions of the technique require a |
| Woods changes his swing!" on their headlines but | | | | lot of private practice before you trot it out in public. |
| never mention anything about how effective and | | | | Did you know that there are three different kinds of |
| efficient his putts are. | | | | putter? The type most often used is called a |
| The simple fact is that perfecting your putt is the | | | | conventional putter. It gives most golfers the best |
| simplest way you can consistently shave off one or | | | | combination of sensitivity and mechanical precision. |
| two strokes from your game. This is by far the | | | | This is what most golf instructors will teach you to |
| easiest way you can practice your golf - without the | | | | use. The problem is that people who cannot control |
| limitation of having to go to the golf course. All you | | | | their nerves or wrist action well usually mess up their |
| really need is your putter, a ball, artificial mats and | | | | shots. |
| cups to simulate the green. Place the mats and cups | | | | To fix this problem, belly putters and long putters |
| in your backyard or wherever you have space and | | | | were invented. Golfers who use the belly putter |
| away you go. Just spend anywhere from 5 minutes | | | | anchor the handle to their abdomen. This reduces |
| to half-an-hour every evening after dinner and you | | | | wrist action but also reduces control over the club |
| will notice the results in your game. | | | | and ball. The long putter, on the other hand, allows |
| Here is another golf putting tip - close your eyes. | | | | you to take a vertical stance and you swing the |
| Apparently some pros have been seen closing their | | | | putter without any wrist action. It is great if you |
| eyes when putting. Basically, they know where the | | | | have a bad back, but it reduces your control even |
| ball is and where the hole is. When they close their | | | | worse than the belly putter. Despite their flaws, you |
| eyes, they just allow their body to take over - | | | | may want to test out the belly putter and long |
| stroking the ball into the hole. Conventional wisdom | | | | putter if you cannot get good results with the |
| has it that some people just cannot co-ordinate all | | | | conventional putters. So what if your golf buddies |
| the signals between their eyes and their arms | | | | laugh at you? The chance to take a few strokes off |
| because they have too much eye movement, | | | | your handicap should be more than adequate |
| especially when under stress. So closing their eyes | | | | compensation for their laughter. |
| changes the state of their whole nervous system, | | | | |