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Sports

Putting is an Integral Part of the Game

Each Week Old Warson Pro Rick Ewing Offers Advice to Get Your Golf Game in Shape.

Each week Rick Ewing of Old Warson Country Club offers a new and different tip to improve your golf lesson. If you have something you'd like Rick to address, email him at rickewing@pga.com.

Equipment:  Pick a putter that looks and feels good to you.  Most women should use a putter that is 33 or 34 inches long.  Most men should use a putter that is 34 or 35 inches.

Grip:  Pick a grip.  You have three options:

Traditional:  Left hand above your right (opposite for left-handers) with both thumbs pointing down the top of the grip (flat side).  The pointer finger of your top hand overlaps two or three of the fingers on your bottom hand.

Cross-Handed or Left Hand Low:  Right hand is above your left (opposite for left-handers) with both thumbs pointing down the top of the grip (flat side).
The Claw:  This grip should only be used as a last resort.  It may help you control your bottom hand better and keep the ball online.  You should consult a PGA Professional about this method before implementation.

Setup:

Your feet should be roughly shoulder width apart.  You need to feel somewhat athletic when setting up to a putt. Try to keep your feet square to your target line or slightly open.
Your eyes should be directly over the ball with your arms hanging freely and extended. You should place the ball slightly closer to your lead foot.
You should have 70 percent of your weight on your lead foot distributed evenly between your heel and toe.

The Backswing:

The club head should move either straight back or a little to the inside.  Remember to match the path on the backswing with the forward swing.  If you take the putter straight back then you need to take it straight through.  If you take it slightly inside then it needs to be rounded on the opposite side (half-moon).  The backswing for a putt should be done entirely with your lead shoulder while you keep the putter close to the ground. 

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This is a one lever motion which means you should not use your wrists or elbows to move the putter.  The length of the backswing is determined by the length of the putt.  A short putt should have a backswing length of about 3-6 inches while a long putt will be about 7-14 inches.  As you start to acquire a feel for putting you will have a better sense of how far to take it back.  Your tempo for putting should be uniform throughout the stroke and is generally slower than a full swing.

Next week, more putting tips including the forward swing motion. If you have a question, email Rick Ewing at rickewing@pga.com.

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