Bill Pennington: 9 Ways to Putt

ARE YOU AN EXPERIMENTAL player? When you’ve struggled with your putting, have you tried a different technique or switched putters?

I’ve always been a decent-to-good putter who has never made a drastic change in terms of technique or equipment. The only thing I’ve tried on the below list was left hand low at a time when I was twitchy on the short ones. I can’t say it helped much. I only made the change for a round or two before abandoning it.

A friend of mine who was an accomplished collegiate golfer went to the long putter in his mid 30s and never looked back. I’ve tried one on the practice green just for kicks and felt like I was swinging a heavy broom.

I’m always surprised when I see a veteran tour player doing something new. I think, “Wow, what’s that guy doing using the claw grip? He used to be so good.”

Shaky 47-year-old Johnny Miller putted with his eyes closed at times when he won his last PGA Tour event at Pebble Beach in 1994. That sounds odd, but then I read that people with the yips have rapid eye movements, which interferes with brain/muscle control. That would be a good reason to take the eyes out of the equation, especially on knee-knockers.

Here are nine ways to putt shown in the video:

1. Lefty.
2. Belly putter. (Fred Couples)
3. Left hand low. (A lot of players)
4. The claw. (Mark O’Meara)
5. Eyes closed. (Johnny Miller)
6. Listen for it to go in.
7. Side saddle. (K.J. Choi)
8. Long putter. (Rocco Mediate)
9. Look at the hole.

How many have you tried? Was it thought out or an act of desperation? As mentioned in the video, whatever technique you use, it’s all about feel and confidence.

−The Armchair Golfer

On Par with Bill Pennington is a video feature of the New York Times.

Ian Poulter Debuts White Driver

COLORFUL ENGLISHMAN IAN POULTER has put a white driver in his golf bag. The novel stick is a Cobra Limited Edition ZL Driver. There will only be 500 ZL Drivers, each white in color and marked with a production serial number.

The driver has an adjustable hosel, and when Cobra (now owned by PUMA) says white, they mean 100 percent white. The club features an all-white Fujikura’s Motore Speeder shaft and an all-white Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2G grip. It retails for $625.

Poulter tweeted this to his 1,047,970 followers: “Played lovely today game is in great shape for the weekend. I hope you all like my New Cobra Limited Edition White ZL driver. It’s awesome”

Ian is playing in the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, where he’s carded a pair of 70s. He’s tied for ninth at the halfway point along with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Robert Allenby, Nick Watney and a few others.

2010 WGC-HSBC Champions TV schedule

−The Armchair Golfer

2010 WGC-HSBC Champions TV Schedule and Tournament Notes

THE 2010 WGC-HSBC CHAMPIONS is underway at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, China. Francesco Molinari is the first-round leader after shooting a 65. Lee Westwood trails by one after a 66. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson opened with 68 and 69, respectively.

Purse: $7 million
Winner’s share: $1.2 million
Defending champion: Phil Mickelson


The field
Tee times
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Tournament news
Video
Photo gallery



2010 WGC-HSBC Champions Leaderboard


TV SCHEDULE

All TV coverage on Golf Channel.

Thur, 11/4
12am – 4am ET (live)

Fri, 11/5
8am – 12pm ET (replay)
11pm – 4am ET (live)

Sat, 11/6
7am – 12pm ET (replay)
11pm – 4am ET (live)

Sun, 11/7
7am – 12pm ET (replay)

−The Armchair Golfer