By Robin All
At 86, I have seen a lot of changes in putting styles, putters, and even the rules governing putting.
Watching today’s top players experiment on the greens in search of the fewest possible strokes reminds us of the old saying: “Drive for show and putt for dough.”
When I started playing, most golfers used a traditional blade-style putter. Then the center-shafted Bullseye putter swept the market, selling for what seemed like a whopping $10. The next innovation was the handmade, hickory-shafted mallet putter by Otey Crisman. After that came the Ping Anser, priced at more than $20—an unheard-of amount at the time—but many golfers felt it was well worth the money.
Today, golfers can spend $500 or more on a putter, yet even the most expensive club cannot guarantee the ball will find the bottom of the cup.
So what are the real putting basics? Despite all the changes in equipment and technique over the years, one fundamental remains true:
A putt that comes up short never goes in.
Good luck on the greens!
Robin All is a PGA Life Member. For more information about golf instruction, contact him at 803-238-1655.
