Putting: golfdigest.com

One Simple Change To Hole More Putts

Set your right hand first for better alignment

By Woody Austin

Photos By J.D. Cuban

July 2008

By now, you've probably seen the clip of me falling into the water at the Presidents Cup. That's one way to get on "SportsCenter," but I like to think I would've gotten on there anyway for how I played that day. I made birdie putts on the last three holes to save a halve with my partner, David Toms, against Rory Sabbatini and Trevor Immelman. I've always had a love-hate relationship with my putter, but a change in my pre-putt routine has me feeling much better over those makable mid-range putts - from six to 15 feet - that are crucial to shooting a low round. Making your share from that range is one good way to get the most out of your ball-striking.

NO

I used to get into my putting stance by locking in my left-hand grip first, checking the line, then placing my right hand on the grip. But my right-elbow position wasn't consistent when I did it this way. When I reached to set my right-hand grip, my tendency was to pull my right elbow away from my body. This caused my shoulders to point left of the target, which led to a lot of pulled putts.

YES

BREAK REMINDER

When I replace my ball, I always line up the logo on my starting line, with the number pointing in the direction of the break. It's really helpful on putts with subtle movement.