sb944: That’s a tough one. You have ambidexterity, which is the mark of all good athletes. I would say that if you are right-hand dominant in the sense that you do much of your small tasks with the right hand, you should switch to putting right handed.
Al Barkow
NRG: Styles has given you some good advice. I would add that you make sure you’re standing still during the stroke. As I write in my book, that is so often the issue when missing either right or left, especially from in close. Fix yourself to the ground and make the stroke with only your arms. It may feell a bit stiff at first, but you will see/feel a difference.
Another idea: Get a little closer to the ball at address to assure a more straight-back/straight-through stroke. And yes, make sure your clubface is aimed where you want the ball to go.
Al B
AL,
I know it must be obvious, but I cannot find your putting book…is it listed on Amazon?
Thanks/eagle
The page to order from is http://www.finalwordonputting.com/
I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to trying some of Al’s recommendations out.
Cheers, Arnie
Thanks guys…and if it helps me, it can help anyone.
Happy New Year !
eagle
You can get the book now on-line at: finalwordonputting.com or: albarkow.com I think you’ll enjoy it, and get good help from it.
Al B
Al,
I'm very familiar with your writing and work on the Shell's WWOG shows so I felt that your 'Last Word on Putting' book would be a good investment. It turned out that it was better than that! I've been struggling with my putting - particularly under pressure in local tournaments - for the past 2 years or so. It got to the point where I really did not want to compete for fear of embarrassing myself. The simple techniques have really helped. I'm putting a good roll on it and building my confidence back using the simple advice in your book.
1. Weight left
2. stand closer
3. split hand grip using the right hand more
4. "hood'/"tilt"/Tuck" the blade - somewhat similar to the old "Square-to-Square" swing method
5. watch the ball being hit to keep steady
This stuff really works and it works under pressure. After thinking about it, I pretty much used to putt that way 25-30 years ago. I used to watch Casper practice putting at our New Orleans tour stop in the 70’s and liked his technique. I adopted most of it for a while but - for some unknown reason - I decided to change. I guess I thought I found something “better”. This game is lot more fun when you’re making putts. Aside from the instructional parts - the book was a very entertaining read as well. Then again, all of your books are! Thanks again
John M.
Great stuff cypress, I can’t wait to start spending some time working on my putting.
Cypress: It has always been a puzzle to me that golfers will come up a method that works and will somehow go away from it. I guess it’s because we take it for granted and get involved in some other piece of business. But of course, nothing about golf can be taken for granted. Anyway, I’m really happy to hear that the book is helping, and especially under pressure. Onward and upward with the five dollar nassaus. May they always fall your way.
Best, Al Barkow
Hey Al,
Wondered if you could give us a quick rundown on your thoughts about the following:
- Best putter day in and day out week in and week out
- best streaky putter…when they’re hot they’re hot
- best short range putter
- best long range/lag putter
Just wondered if there was any correlation between their styles that helped with their reputation in your eyes
Hope you are doing well mate
TM
Hey Bradley, good to hear from you. I’ve gotten into my Sam Snead pivot and am hitting shots (sometimes, gettin’ old) like I was a kid again. All this stuff about the right leg shouldl not straighten in the backswing is baloney. Sam did it, and Moe did it, and so did Hogan a little. Anyway, to your questions.
The best day-in-day-out putter I ever saw was Nicklaus, who was also the best short-range putter. His technique was good—as I noted in my book on putting he was a Dominant-Hand putter who as he described it kind of pushed the ball to the hole with his right hand — and the length and pace of his stroke were also important factors. Slow back was for me the central. Very deliberate, which meant absolute control of the clubhead and face (no deviation). He got the same value out of the shortish length of the stroke. Slow and short. But there was also his intense concentration. I think I told you once that he said he stood over the ball as long as he did before starting the stroke because he wanted to clear his mind of all thought. He must have had a lot of them, because he stood over it quite awhile. In any case, it came down to pure instinct when it finally happened.
The best “streaky” putter? I think Trevino, although he was a good solid putter most of the time. But he won when it was going particularly well. He was another guy who sort of pushed the ball to the hole. Tom Watson may have been, and still is, the best streak putter. He could be very ordinary to poor for weeks at a time, but then get it rolling and he was unbeatable. I think he was streaky because he never settled on a basic stroke pattern and method. I remember playing a round with him to open Spanish Bay and midway in the round I had a putt for birdie that I knocked in and afterwards said I put my US Amateur stroke on it. It was (is) the hooded blade thing I talk about in my book. He asked me what that was. In other words, here was a guy who had won it all, was a real champion, but was asking some writer for stroke insights.
The best lag putter I’ve seen lately is Tiger Woods. He has a terrific touch for distance, which I think comes from being a Dominant-Hand putter (right hand), which controls the club best, but also because there is so little deviation in his stroke
length. He also has a short, tight stroke, which guys do now that they putt on such perfect greens, but his touch is better than most, which may just be a gift. t Be well. Al B
Hi Al - it was wonderful to hear today you recently shot your age and did it no less than by dunking a 40 footer on the last hole - how sweet. I have adopted many of the principles you set forth in your putting book and look forward to the day I dunk one on the last hole to shoot my age! You are an inspiration on many fronts - keep it up. Cheers, Slide 
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RE history of the tour @1974
history of the PGA tour @1989
dear al barkow,
i have had BOTH these books in my library for some time now, and only recently did i notice YOU authored BOTH of these books
i don’t know if this is the correct location to post questions about these books, however, i’'ll start with ONE basic inquiry;
how in your 1974 book do you know the tour would institute a pension plan by 1983 ?
thanks
frankD
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