Out with the Long putter, in with the cross handed grip

Cross handed vs conventional putting grip

Putting has become the controversy in the golf world especially with Ernie Els’ most recent win at the British Open using a belly putter. I am sure that it would have been worse if Adam Scott secured his first win using the long putter, however that debate can be delayed for one more tournament. Instead I want to look at the differences between cross handed putting and conventional putting. While both offers benefits I am slightly bias towards cross handed. Due to my previous putting woes I made the switch to cross handed putting about 3 years ago. I was encouraged by my instructor because the left hand low enabled my shoulders to be level. Before make the switch I could not make a 3 foot putt to save my life. With the conventional style and my left shoulder being slightly higher, I would block the short putts to the right. The cross handed mentally allowed me to keep the 3 footer online and hold my follow through towards the hole. I think the key to the last statement is MENTAL, that is ultimately what putting comes down to. You should use the grip that feels right in your hands. I am not a pro but recently in the media the debate on inclusion of the long handed and belly putter has sparked considerable controversy, that is why I decided to outline the benefits on cross handed. My last word on the cross handed grip is that Ricki Fowler, Jim  Furyk, Padraig Harrington and Stuart Appleby use it, that is not bad company to be in!

Lazy Sunday Afternoons!

While I am torn that it is the end of the weekend, a small consolation is watching golf on Sunday afternoons. Currently Marc Leishman is the leader in the clubhouse with 2 holes left to play, and I am relaxed on the couch urging on a relatively unknown in Roland Thatcher, and the winless Brian Davis to force a playoff. That is what us hackers hope for every Sunday, just a bit more golf that extends later into the day. Although we want to see guys like Tiger and Bubba coming down the stretch, ultimately it doesn’t matter who it is when there is a potential playoff looming, we just cheer for the chaser. Everyone loves to see the underdog making shots when it counts, it is crazy that the PGA never disappoints on Sunday and as I write this, Thatcher just made a birdie to get within 1 of the lead with one to play. This is what I am talking about, it seems the PGA has some magical touch that always provides excitement down the stretch. It has happened 88% of the time in 2012, which means, 22 out of 25 tournaments have been decided by 1 or 2 shots on Sunday. A golf fanatic like myself could not ask for anything more.

Masters 2012!!!

Easter Dinners Suspended Everywhere…as the Masters courtesy of Bubba Watson served up some serious excitement for golf fans on Sunday. For the first time in my life my family and I sacrificed the dinner table tradition for cushions in front of the television to witness a 2-hole playoff at the Masters between Bubba Watson and Louis Oosthuizen. The excitement overshadowed the fantastic fare as the whole fam was glued to the set, hoping Bubba would take home the green jacket. Although Bubba’s chances were looking bleak after Oosthuizen made a double eagle on 2, he did not give up, birdying 4 in a row at 13, 14, 15, and 16 to continue to a play-off. When Bubba was standing in the trees on the 10^th hole, I said to my family “out of all the golfers on tour who can hit this shot it’s Bubba”. He did not disappoint hooking it around the trees to 10 feet, ultimately tapping in for par.

Although Bubba is known for his ridiculous length of the tee he is also known for his ability as a shot maker. One of my favourite highlights is from the par 5, 18^th hole at Kapalua in 2011 where Bubba began with a 348 yard drive, then followed it up with a 305 driver off the deck. It was only about a 50 yard right angled cut from a downhill lie, where he then made a 10 footer for eagle. I mean c’mon man.  Bubba entertains on and off the golf course, from his golf boys video (if you haven’t seen it yet http://youtu.be/PM2NocuEihw) to the birthday present for Ellen Degeneres where he made a shot through the house, over the patio, over the pool, flying it into a red bucket! I am sure we have not seen the end of impressive shotmaking from Bubba Watson, but the wedge out of the trees will certainly make his career highlight reel, securing him a place in Master’s highlight history as well as a green jacket.