THE LITTLEST AND MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE GAME 

     Golf is really a game of games. There are the long, middle and 
short games, each worthy of intense study and effort, but the ultimate
example is putting; finally getting that little ball into the hole. 

     On the surface putting appears to have nothing in common with 
other golf strokes but this is not true. Putting shares many features
of the full swing: stable stance, secure grip and shoulder turn.

     All competent putters share several set up traits but the most 
important is their sight line. Most consistently good putters set up 
with their eyes directly over the line and slightly behind the ball. 
If the golfers eyes are inside the line the putt will generally finish
to the right of the target and vice versa. People frequently say that 
they "pushed" or "pulled" a putt when, in fact, they stroked it on the 
line they saw but their eyes were not directly over the ball.

     Predictably good putts start with a stable stance. Contrary
to popular opinion the stance should be relatively narrow; about 10 
inches and a bit open. This means that the left foot should be about 
an inch behind the target line. The ball should be placed about 10 
inches in front of and about one inch behind the left big toe. This 
puts the golfer's eyes directly over and behind the target line and 
allows the arms to hang freely and vertically from the shoulders.

     I recommend a reverse overlap grip with the index finger of the 
left hand lying over the right hand fingers. This puts all the right 
hand fingers on the club and gives the most feel for distance. With 
both thumbs directly on top of the grip the back of the left hand and 
the right hand palm both are square to and looking directly at the 
target.
 
     From this position we need only swing the putter back and
through with our shoulders making sure to lead the club head into
the ball with the back of our left hand and wrist. Simple, right?

     The putter swing is really the bottom 12 inches of the full
swing. The putter shaft being the shortest in the bag brings you
closer to the ball and gives a more vertical plane to your swing
than with your driver but every other part of the swing is the
same. The same "one piece" shoulder turn motion that got your
driver going back starts the putter back swing. This uses the
large muscles to drive the putter in a pendulum motion that is
repeatable, consistent and dependable. On putts of 10 to 12 feet
the wrists play almost no part at all. It's nearly all shoulder
turn with the arms being the upper part of the pendulum.

     I say "almost no part..." because on the forward swing, even
with no conscious wrist break, there is a bit of force controlled
by the right hand. The longer the putt, the more this is evident.

	It's that right hand that determines how far the ball will 
roll. In fact, a good way to judge how hard to hit any putt is to
imagine rolling the ball to the hole underhanded. Most of us can
do this with an amazing degree of accuracy. Same force and nearly
the same right hand motion as with the putting stroke. Even the
newest beginner can come really close to putting the ball on line. 
The real trick to eliminating three putt greens is to train your 
right hand to roll the ball an accurate distance. Most putts that 
finish more than three feet from the hole are either too short or 
too long but close to the proper line. Make your target about 6 
inches past the hole and watch them start to drop in.
      
	I could write volumes about putting but with this and the 
two previous articles you now have an overall view of the green, your
putter and how to use it.  

     A little practice on your set up and distance control will 
improve your putting dramatically. Since you are allotted 36 putts 
per par round I would set 30 per round as a goal. That will eliminate 
all three putt greens and help lower your score.