BEN CRENSHAW, for decades revered as one of golf’s best putters, has shared some simple putting tips with an emphasis on keeping it loose and natural.
As a simple fix, Crenshaw says nine out of 10 golfers hold the putter too tightly.
“Putting is fingers and hands and eyes and imagination,” he says in the video below. “Knowing what your backstroke and follow through will do and how to get it up there in the right way.
“But nine times out of 10 I think most people just grab the club too tightly,” the 57 year old says.
“If they will just back off their grip pressure just a little bit, what it does is make the club head feel heavier and therefore it swings more.
“The tighter you hold the club the less apt that putter head will swing.
“So it should be held as a delicate instrument because you are doing delicate work.”
“You have to be yourself to putt”
“Anything works in putting. You have to be yourself to putt. I think Harvey Penick made the best statement I ever heard he said never look like anyone else when you are putting.
“I always thought that was interesting because you’ll see a successful technique and then you’ll want to try that.
There’s fine putters in the world and they always seem like the ball is just going around the cup. You know, they are not going way past.
“But what that is is a trust in their own ability. They’re not worried about style or technique.
“There is no substitute for hitting the ball solidly and staying down through it”
“The thing is there is no substitute for hitting the ball solidly and staying down through it. But you know most people can get over it. It’s just stand over the ball naturally.
“So, be natural be yourself but the pace of the putt is most often more important that the line. Try for pace, pace is vital.”
