On The Tee with Hank Johnson

Better Putting Segment Three

Direction (line)

Good putting is a matter of controlling line and speed. In this segment we are going to focus on line. In every putt the player chooses a line to start the ball rolling on. To actually start the ball on this line two things are necessary.
1. The ability to aim the face of the putter on this line at address.
2. A stroke that returns the face of the putter to this same square position for impact with the ball.
Virtually ALL tour players now use a line on the ball to help them aim. Some manufactures put this aiming line on the ball for you. The Titleist PRO V 1 is one example. You can use a Sharpie pen to put a line on any ball. Most Golf Shops sell a plastic form that you can use to draw the line to make sure it’s straight.
Once the aim line on the ball is pointed down your intended start line you can use it to make sure your putter face is square to that line. If your putter has a line on it, the job is even easier.
IF YOU ARE NOT USING THIS PRODECURE, START NOW!!!
For stroke practice, find a straight putt of about ten feet on your practice green. It can be slightly up hill but should not have any break in it. Now snap a chalk line that goes along the line of the putt and through the center of the hole. Place the ball on the chalk line about six feet from the cup. Match the line on the ball to the chalk line. Now hit some putts and watch the ball roll down the line.
If the putter face is square to your line at impact, the line on the ball will become a stripe all the way around the ball. It will look like a small, skinny tire rolling to the hole. If the putter face us not square the stripe will wobble as it rolls along and the ball will probably not stay on the chalk line as it rolls toward the cup.
Keep practicing until you can roll putt after putt down the chalk line from ten feet with no wobble in the stripe.
At home practice: Place a yardstick on your carpet at home. Put a ball at one end with the line on the ball matched to the center line of the yardstick. Roll putts down the yardstick without them falling off the side. Try for 100 in a row if you want to be a really good putter.

Hank Johnson, PGA
January 19, 2009

Better Putting --- Segment 2

Great putters use only one speed source! The great putters today use their pivot to create the motion(speed) of their stroke. They avoid using independent arm swing or wrist action in their stroke.

To practice a stroke that uses your upper body rotation (pivot) to swing your arms:

1. Roll up a towel and place it across your chest and under your arms. Hold the towel against your chest while you practice your stroke or hit practice putts. Remember to keep your lower body still because in putting, you want no lower body pivot.
2. You can also put a golf club across your chest and under your arms but this is not as comfortable or correct as a towel.

To practice a stroke that does not involve wrist action as a speed source:

1. Put a golf ball between the top of your putter grip and the inside of your right forearm. Just put your left hand over your right hand in a double fist for this drill.
2. Make sure you are holding your putter more in the palms of your
hands than you do in your regular golf grip. You might even try
one of the special grips for your putter that are oversized to make
this easier to do.

Picturing a pivot driven stroke:

At address, your arms and putter form a large Y. Your
Shoulders close the Y by putting a top on it. In a
Pivot driven putting stroke the turning of the top of the Y
(your shoulders) moves the uprights(your arms) and the leg of
the Y (your putter). The uprights and leg do not move on
their own.


Performing your putting stroke using your pivot as the only speed source may feel awkward at first but if you will stick with it you will be a better putter in the long run.

Hank Johnson
January 14th 2009

Better Putting --- Segment One

Good putting starts with a sound and consistent address position.

A Solid Base:

The lower body must be stable to have consistent ball contact. This basically means keeping your knees and hips still during your stroke. Two ways to get a feel for this are:

1. Practice your stroke while holding a soccer type ball between your knees. Try to use one that lets your knees be the same width apart that they are in your actual putting address position.

2. Practice your putting stroke with your hips backed up against a wall.
That way you can isolate the feel of a stable base which involves no movement below the waist.

Try to maintain good balance with no shifting. To get a feel for this:

1. Set your weight slightly more on your left heel and keep it there. If
Your weight is set in this manner it will be easier to feel any unwanted shifting during your stroke.

Use a consistent eye position. To train yourself to do this:

1. Place a small mirror on the ground and put the ball on it. This will
let you see where your eyes are at address. They should be over the
ball or slightly inside it and even with the back of the ball. Regular
practice in this manner will help you get your eyes in the same place
from day to day and make the picture you see more consistent.

Position the ball at the bottom of your stroke. To find this point:

1. Place a large coin, a quarter or half-dollar where the ball would be.
See if you can hit the edge of the coin with you putter and make it
slide along your target line. If you can, the coin is at the low point
of your arc. Keep adjusting the location of the coin until your putter

Hank Johnson
January 7th, 2009