Golf Australia – August 2019

X

Thesefiveplayershadit,

and areconsideredamong

the bestputtersofall-time

X-FACTOR

BRAD

FAXON

ThemanwhorecentlyadvisedRoryonhis

strokeoncehadthebestputtingseasonever,

averaging1.704puttsperGIRin2000.When

Faxonputtstherearenotechnicalthoughts;

hecreatesapictureinhismindandusesthat

imagetotellhisbodywhatitneedstodoto

turnthatputtintoareality.“It’salmostlike

Istartmystrokebeforemyeyesgetbackto

theball”,hesays.RorysaidFaxonhelpedhim

getbacktoachild’smentalityofputtingwith

instinct,insteadofgettingtootechnical.

Whatmakeshimspecial:Faxonisavery

target-orientedputter,whichisoneof

thereasonsRory,whoputtsinasimilar

point-and-shootstyle,soughthisadvice.

BEN

CRENSHAW

Crenshaw’slifelongteacher,HarveyPenick,

taughttheTexantoputtwithasmooth,

e‡ortlessstroke—theperfectmechanicsto

mastereventhespeediestofgreens,especially

thoseatAugustaNational,whereCrenshaw

wontwice.Inhis 1995 Masterswin,Crenshaw

didn’tthree-puttallweekonsomeoftrickiest

greensintheworld.

Whatmakeshimspecial:Thesecretto

greatputting,Crenshawsaid,washoldingthe

puttersolooselythatitallowedtheputterhead

to“drift”behindthehandsonthebackswing.

ItwasatipgoodenoughforTigerWoods,who

added:“Itloosenedupmyhandsandletthe

weightoftheputterheadhittheball.”

TIGER

WOODS

Inhispeak,Tigernevermissedamust-make

putt...oratleastthat’showitseemed.Here’s

onestatthatsumsitup;from 2004 to2008,

Tiger’saveragedistanceofputtsmade(total

distanceofputtsholedduringatournament)

wassixfeetbetterthantheTour’saverage...

SIXFEET!

Whatmakeshimspecial:Woods’set-upis

fundamentallyperfectwitheverythingsquare,

especiallyhisforearmsandtheshaft–itlooks

likethey’repartofone,extendedline.

LOREN

ROBERTS

Nicknamed ‘The Boss of the Moss’ in his

prime, Roberts’ putting stroke was widely

envied in the 1980s and 1990s. During 14

years on Tour, Roberts took 56,457 putts

in 1,996 career rounds; an average of 28.3.

Putter maker Sean Toulon says Roberts is the

best he’s ever worked with.

What makes him special: Roberts once

o‡ ered a great visual clue if you’re struggling

with your putting. “Your putter’s shaft is

a pencil, and all you’re trying to do is draw

a line on the green to your target.” Sounds

simple enough.

JACK

NICKLAUS

“I’m one of the greatest two-putters,” Nicklaus

once said of his ability to get the ball in the hole.

But when the chips were down, few were better.

He one-putted six of the fi nal nine greens at the

1986 Masters to come from eight shots back to

claim his record-setting 18th Major at 46.

What makes him special: Nicklaus had

a very repeatable stroke, his head very still,

and left arm and shoulder locked; he simply

pushed the ball to the hole with his right palm

and forearm.

PLAYING

CAREER

1973-2018

PLAYING

CAREER

1983-PRESENT

PLAYING

CAREER

1961-2005

PLAYING

CAREER

1996-PRESENT

PLAYING

CAREER

1981-PRESENT

golf australia | AUGUST 2019 69