Putting means pendulum!

By Mark Wehrman EBS Contributor

In golf, putting allows for the most personal preference regarding your setup. Nowadays we see a lot of different grips: the reverse overlap, the cross-handed or left-hand low, and the normal interlock or overlapping grip.

But no matter which grip you use to hold the putter there is one common denominator: Both thumbs must always be pointed at the ground.

The most important part of setting up to putt is bending from the hips so your eyes are directly over the ball. This allows you to see the intended target line the golf ball should travel, and allows you to read the break of the green correctly.

You should position the golf ball in the front of your stance, off the heel of your forward foot, and distribute your weight placing 60 percent on your forward foot and 40 percent on your back foot.

When making your stroke, swing the putter head straight back and straight through with the blade of the putter staying perpendicular to your target line. The pendulum motion the putter makes creates a smooth rocking of the shoulders, and by accelerating through impact with the putter head, follows through toward the target.

During the stroke, don’t move your head or lower body at all. Think about the tick-tock of the arm on a grandfather clock as it moves back and forth with the same smooth pace.

Your goal is to have two putts or less on each green. If you don’t make the first putt you want the ball to come to rest within an 18-inch radius around the hole, giving you the best opportunity for a “tap in.”

Mark Wehrman is the PGA Head Professional at the Big Sky Resort Golf Course.