Conference 7.286::golf

    
    Well Larry you asked for an opinion so here's mine.  I've been known
    to go out on the course and 3 putt 12 greens without a thought.
    (Maybe that's the problem)  Then I'll go out and have 27 or 28 putts
    in a round.  In my opinion it's not the putter or the puttee but
    the player.  There really isn't much need to change putters reguarly.
    My ping is about 12 years old.  I polish it up every spring with a 
    'magic cloth' and it looks like new.  It also works just like last
    year!
    
    
    						KO

    I think it was Tom Watson who said the time to replace your putter
    is when your putting good, not when your putting poorly.
    
    Roger
    

    re .2 and .3
    
    Gentlemen ,
    
       Thanks for the reminder that it's the  stroke not the putter
    that makes the difference... Your correct advice saved me about
    $40.00 to $60.00 which is what I would expect to spend. A friend
    here in the office has told me a quote from Ben Hogan regarding
    the subject of putting
    
    "Selecting a stroke is like selecting a wife.... To each his own"
    
      Personally... I think I'll stick to selecting a stroke !!!
    
    
                                                 Larry
     

    re. 2 "Change putters when you're putting well, not when you're
    putting poorly." Looks like I'll *never* have to change my putter!
    
    Lousy as I am on the greens, I've taken to the radical approach
    of looking at the cup as I stroke, rather than at the ball. This
    has two advantages: 1. I no longer "peak" (since I'm already looking
    at the hole anyway), and 2. I seem to be getting a smoother stroke,
    and am missing them by a lot less. In fact, I saved a couple of
    pars last weekend, one of them from about 20'. It's quite a thrill
    to see the ball suddenly come into view, rolling true to the hole!
    

    My putting is so awful that I've started putting like Sam Snead.
    Seems to be working well so far.  All of the control is in the right
    hand and it feels like rolling the ball underhand...a very natural
    motion.  Hardest part seems to be alignment rather than distance.
    
    I have a Slotline putter that I got before changing styles.  Anyone
    know if there is a special `Snead' style putter available?  Any
    other `Snead-like' putters out there?               
    
    While on the subject, anyone have a systematic way to improve/learn
    the short game (50 yards and in)?  I have Tom Watson's book but
    am not as enthusiastic about it as some people are.

 	Re .4 -

	 Last season  I  felt  that my putting was beginning to spite me - I
	 decided  that  I  would  have to try something new for this season.
	 This  weekend  at  the  putting green (the course isn't open yet) I
	 tried  looking  at  the  cup instead of the ball.  It felt a little
	 strange  initially,  not  looking at the ball, but after a while it
	 worked great! I think I will try this on the course next weekend to
	 see if it helps my score.

	 Thanks for the tip!

	 -- POL

    
    
    I'm not the greatest putter in the world but I consider myself pretty
    good. I average about 1.5 putts per green all the time. Anything
    under 8' and I will make it about 90% of the time. What helped me
    is an organization called Putt-Putt golf. This is a miniture golf
    course designed on using putting skills rather that luck or going
    through windmills. They having Protours, which one can make a good
    second income from. I am currently a member of the PPA (Professional
    Putters Assiciation). This is sponsored by Putt-Putt of America.
    
    When I was active in Putt-Putt I would play about 10 rounds a day.
    Thats 180 holes. With this much practice you just have to improve.
    I believe that putting is 90% feel, and 10% reading the green. Its
    only with a lot of practice can you get that feel. Reading the greens
    takes time also, but not as long. There are 2 Putt-Putts in the
    Boston are. One in Brockton and another in Framingham. I only recomend
    Putt-Putts. They are the only ones that are based on skills and
    not luck that I know of.
    
    Moving to NH from Syracuse NY I miss Putt-Putt. The ones in Mass are
    a little too far to travel to.  

    
    	I'm no expect at the short game as it's the worst part of my
    game but one thing that I have adapted from a Le Trevino putting
    tip and used in my chipping(this year) is to look at the ball at
    what you think is the impact point between ball and club. I used
    to have a problem topping or hitting behind the ball when I chipped
    the ball. Now concentrating at the impact point has eliminated
    this problem. I still have a problem judging the force that is
    required but I figure that with time and with picking the ball
    consistantly the feel for the force will come.
    	A putting exersive that my uncle taught me years ago is to
    take five balls and start putting to the hole from a distance of
    2 feet. For each sunk putt you get two points. For each ball that
    comes to rest one blade length away from the hole you get one point.
    Seven points out of five putts and you increase the distance 1/2
    foot at a time. Don't cheat!!!!!!!! Your only cheating yourself.
    A second exersize is in warm up prior to going out. Take only one
    ball to the practice green. Putt this ball for distance only. Don't
    be worried if you don't sink any putts. Chances are that you will
    spend much less time studying a putt on the practice green then
    you will on the course.  Also a good putt stops after the cup not
    before it. It should stop within one foot of the cup. You can't
    sink'm unless they get there. One final exersize is to pick out
    the best putting player you know and challange him/she to a putting
    game. One of you starts by choosing a hole and putting to it. First
    one in wins that hole and chooses which hole to putt to next.
    A dime or quarter a hole makes it interesting! 
               
    
    						Tom

	Re .8

	 ``Putt-Putt of  America''?  You have to be joking - I thought I had
	 heard everything, but this...

	 What I need right now is the ``Chip-Chip'' organisation...


	 -- POL

     Last year, I got confused when some people would advise me to look at
     the hole when putting, and other people advised me to look at the
     ball.  So I invented an apparatus that I attach to the visor of my
     golf cap while putting: it's a series of mirrors that is directly in
     front of me, at eye level.  With the mirrors, I can look at the ball,
     the cup, and a point directly behind me (used for triangulation of the
     line of the putt), all while looking straight ahead.  With this
     system, not only can I look at all the things I've been advised to
     look at, but I also don't have to worry about lifting my head up,
     since it's already there. 
     
     --Mr Topaz

	 Aha, Mr Topaz is back! Your contraption sounds interesting, however
	 I  see  a  potential  problem: What happens when the sun is in your
	 eyes? (Yeah, I know, you get a nice suntan...)

	 -- Mr Litby

    RE: .11
    
    Now Mr Topaz...  If you could add one more mirror so I could watch
    the joggers at the same time....  I might but one from you!! 
    
    
    						KO

    re:.9
    
    ;	a good put stops after the cup not before it. ????
    ;
    
    	A good put drops in the cup.....
    
    I think it was Bobby Jones that said something like the following:
    
    " of course we will never know if the put which was on line but
    ends up short would have holed out..but we do know that the ball
    that runs passed did not hole out.....therefore play your puts
    to die at the cup...!!!"
    

    As a proud owner of the oversize putter I have to say that the feel
    with the putter is better than my old Bullseye putter. In response
    to the question if you should invest the money for a new putter
    it's up to you and you're game. My problem has always been a feel
    for distance and with the new putter I seem to be sinking more 8'-10'
    putts than ever before as well as leaving the 20' within inches
    rather than feet. I haven't played more than 4 rounds with this
    new putter but so far I have one putted 14 holes. I have also noticed
    that my accuracy has improved with the larger club head because
    you can see how you are contacting the ball.