You can't miss

If you strike a putt the proper speed – and it’s aimed at the center of the hole – it's going to go in. Period. It sounds simple, because it is. A firmly hit downhill 3-footer that might go 10 feet past the hole if missed, won’t. Why? Because it hit center cup. Putting is not that complicated. Determine the line and aim accordingly. Then hit the putt with the correct speed, and if it’s aimed properly, it'll go in. Do this often enough and you'll be a great putter.

PUTT ALONG WALLS

If you have a carpeted hallway that stretches along a solid wall, use that as a practice putting area. Place the ball as close to the wall as possible, (about 2 to 3 inches) and try to hit some straight putts that travel parallel to the wall. If your stroke causes pushes or pulls, the wall will tell you where you're going wrong. Practice hitting your putts straight and parallel to the wall and watch how easy it is to transfer that out onto real greens on real golf courses.

PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE

Hopefully, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 have put the importance of golf into the proper perspective. Yeah, you may miss a chip or putt that costs you that chance of breaking 70, 80, 90, or even a 100, but the reality is that, in the great scheme of things, your score is not as important as you once thought it was. YOU are alive and able to play. Other people can never play again. When things get tough, appreciate the fact that you're able to be out there golfing. Enjoy life's good times and rise up to its challenges. You should still care a lot. Still try to do your best. But the fact is -- life is real, golf is JUST a game.

THINK DISTANCE ON LAG PUTTS

For a 40 foot putt that you'll want to get down in two, you need to execute a putting stroke that will make the ball go somewhere between 38 and 42 feet. The key to two-putting is where you leave the first putt, so you have to figure the break, aim, set-up, and while striking the ball, think about DISTANCE, DISTANCE, DISTANCE. The closer you get, the better that second putt looks.

HIT SHORT PUTTS FIRMLY

The cardinal sin of all golf is to leave an easy 5 to 6 putt short of the hole. That 2 inch tap in now counts the same as your 250 yard drive. Do yourself a favor and practice, practice, practice a short putting stroke that will consistently be firm enough to ALWAYS reach the cup.