Forty percent of all shots in any one round of golf occur with one club, the putter.  The most important facet to control with this club is distance.  It does not matter if we are standing over a 4 foot putt or a 40 foot putt, distance control is the main area of concern.  An unsuccessful attempt to control distance is due primarily to uneducated or over acative hands.  The hands control the clubface, path, and pace or rhythm of the putting stroke.  Rhythm is always the solution to distance control.  Rhythm is defined as the shaft and left arm traveling at the same pace through impact.

This photo illustrates over-acceleration of the putter through the ball.  This causes us to run the ball well past the hole.  On the flip side, deceleration causes us to leave the ball well short of the hole.  Both are a loss of rhythm in our putting motion or an outright change of pace of the club shaft through the ball.

This photo illustrates rhythm.  Distance control comes through changing the length of the motion based on the length of the putt.  Most golfers change the pace of the motion based on the length of the putt.  This leads to disaster.  The movement of the triangle formed between the shoulders, arms and hands is what should dominate the putting stroke, not the hands.

This is our image station that we use during our schools.  No matter where we play golf, the hole is 4 1/4" in diameter.  We ask our students to stop putting to the small circle and start seeing a larger circle when standing over the ball on longer putts.  In this picture Chuck has a forty foot putt and is putting to a 8 foot circle.  This image relaxes his mind.  This will allow him to put a more rhythmic stroke on the ball.

Ted Frick and Chuck Wike, are Class A PGA members and Master Teaching Professionals (G.O.L.F.) Owners of the Classic Swing Golf School at Deer Track Golf Resort, their expert guidance is sure to improve your golf game. Reach them at 1-800-827-2656; 843/650-2545, or www.classicswing.com.