That makes more sense to me now than it did 35 years ago ... and the fact that I'm getting outdriven more often now has nothing to do with it.
Acutally, it's good news because, when you think about it, putting is a much easier part of the game to fix than driving.
You don't need to be tall, or strong, or super-flexible to putt well. All it takes is a lesson with a pro, to make sure you've got the fundamentals right, and then practice.
Even the practice is easier. You seldom need to walk further than 40 paces, unless you have a really, really bad case of the yips. The backswing is shorter, so there's less likelihood of 'swinging off plane'. You can even practice in the comfort of your own home.
(If you're a club thrower, you might want to practice in the garage instead of the lounge.)
When watching golf on TV, it seems that the pros sink just about every putt within 10 feet. While they are very accurate on the 3 footers, here are the PGA 2010 putting stats - distance of putt and percentage holed:
You don't need to be tall, or strong, or super-flexible to putt well. All it takes is a lesson with a pro, to make sure you've got the fundamentals right, and then practice.
Even the practice is easier. You seldom need to walk further than 40 paces, unless you have a really, really bad case of the yips. The backswing is shorter, so there's less likelihood of 'swinging off plane'. You can even practice in the comfort of your own home.
(If you're a club thrower, you might want to practice in the garage instead of the lounge.)
When watching golf on TV, it seems that the pros sink just about every putt within 10 feet. While they are very accurate on the 3 footers, here are the PGA 2010 putting stats - distance of putt and percentage holed:
2 ft - 99%; 3 ft - 95%; 4 ft - 86%;
5 ft - 75%; 6 ft - 65%; 7 ft - 56%;
8 ft - 49%; 9 ft - 43%; 10 ft - 38%
Having done a scientific survey on club golfers (I observed the other 3 golfers I played with last week and recorded their putts) I can confidently state that when it comes to amateurs, these are the figures:
2 ft - 80%; 3 ft - 60%; 4 ft - 40%
5 ft - 20% 6 ft - 10%; 7 ft - 5%
8 ft and over were only sunk if the golfer shut their eyes before they putted. Praying made no difference. Nor did swearing.
(A really good exercise to improve your putting, especially rhythm, once you've got the fundamentals mastered is this: Take 3 golf balls on to the practice green. Putt the first one while looking at the hole. Putt the second one with your eyes closed. Putt the third one normally. I bet you're surprised at how well you putt while looking at the hole.)
The PGA stats also show that even the best players in the world only make 38% from 10 ft and 22% from 15 ft.
So, spend more time practicing your putting and you'll shave a considerable number of shots off your game.
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