[Hennybogan]

We need to find out what makes you miss from short range.
I don't think I ever trust that my line is right. It could be a vision thing. I wear glasses and have a pretty bad stigmatism (sp?). Not sure


Do you change putters? What style of putter?
I used to change putters like I change my drawz . . . every other week. I was into Camerons loved 'em. I'm over it. I've had the same putter now for about 2 years. It's Cameron MidSur (belly putter) but it has been cut down to 34 inches. I like it because it's dope looking and I don't have to put one of them stoopid headcovers on it. Plus I like it because it's heavy and has a thick top line (opposite of my iron preference).

Did you ever putt alot better and changed trying to improve?
Naw. I never practice putting too much. I think it's boring. Waiting to be chastized here . . .

Miss everywhere or left or right, short or long.
Pretty much everywhere. If I start out missing right or left then I usually end up missing long because I start trying to cram it in. But from a distance perspective on on the short ones I'd say I tend to hit them too soft. I like to see it die in.

Mental side. Are you severly damaged? I mean -- is it so bad you can't even picture a putt go in during visualization.
Damaged . . . oh hell yes . . . To be honest I don't really visualize that well period in putting or nowhere . . . well I do pretty good in the bathroom


How many putts a round do you try to wish in?
On a bad day . . . every putt from 6 to 3 feet.


On a six footer that reads just outside left edge, what are you thinking. Do you get really committed.
Depends on where I'm at in the round . . . early on I'm positive . . . around the turn I'm thinking I hope that big fat lady made the hot dawg slaw and if she did I may marry her. . . . by the time I'm around 14 and I've missed a few I'm just trying not to cry.

Are you standing over the putt wondering about your alignment? Or is it after you have missed. Not early on. But if I miss I'm wondering after the shot for awhile. Then I'm tweekin' from the get before the putter goes back.

Describe in detail your preshot.
Well . . . I kinda start looking at the green as I walk to it from the fairway (I like to walk). The after I catch my breath . . . Start looking for the high spot. I walk to it. I kinda verify what my eye see with what I feel under my feet. The I get to the ball look at my high spot and kinda let my instincts take over as far as aiming. I have found when I'm hot I just feel my alignment by just letting my braincell do it's thang. Then I take two practice strokes looking at the hole trying to feel the putter swing and feel my hands. I address the ball. Look at my spot and just try to swing him back schmooove. People have said that my stroke looks good. Hell it feels good and feels like it would look good. It just don't work too good.

Ah . . . but I AM a good putter and I'm due to make the next 'un.

Bucket,

We've got potential. I like the reading and routine. Esp. smooth stroke and letting the braincell do the aiming. I like letting the talent do its part rather than manual override.

Good putters putt with the same putter or style of putter. Once asked a really good tour putter how long he had been putting with his putter (within earshot of my player who was wanting to change). He said, "About five years." Then I asked what he putted with before that. He said, "One just like it."

I'm not a big believer in spending alot of time on the putting green unless you really like putting. I see a tendency to experiment, further confusing the computer. I want results in a short amount of time. I rarely putt for more than ten minutes. Love short game and full game practice.

A drill from a really good putter. Three balls in a line about two feet apart, starting two feet from hole. So a two footer, a four footer, and a six footer all on the same line. The shortest lets you make a bunch (good for brain). The next two give you alot of practice holing the kind of putts you need to make to keep a round going. Putt these three, get them out of the hole, repeat. If you don't make a bunch of putts at first, don't worry, you will improve. Practice some longer putts. Do a little putting around the practice green with one ball for touch. If you want to work on your stroke, do it indoors with some kind of reference tool. I learned to putt watching my stroke over a threshold.

Die putting is for longer putts. You don't have to ram the short ones, but make a nice positive stroke. If you take too high a line, you will put a little steer on it to help it break enough to go in. Practice some breaking putts at three different speeds. Big break, medium break. Minimal break. It helps with touch and seeing putts. Learn to putt with medium break.

Visualize. We have to use our talents as we find them. Some guys go to the movies. Some see a straight line. Sounds like you get a feel for the shot. That's OK.

Confidence depends on where in the round. This is a problem. If you want to putt better, you have to think better. You can control your mental process. From now on, act like you know what you are doing as you walk into the putt. Just try it for the next few rounds. Every putt. Let me know.

HB

I'm a little afraid to ask. Lets hear about your management and mental game.