The Thesis
Putting is a game within a game. It requires zero athleticism but 100% precision. The debate has always raged: is putting an art (arc and feel) or a science (straight lines and mechanics)?
Tiger Woods bridges this gap perfectly. While he is mechanically meticulous, he admits: "Putting is largely about touch... If I putt like a robot, stiff, locked up and too mechanical, I won't judge distance very well."
Dr. Bob Rotella takes it further, arguing that mechanical obsession is the enemy. "To become a good putter, you must make a commitment to good thinking... You have to believe the putt will go in the hole."
The Conflict
The conflict lies between the Straight-Line Mechanics and the Artistic Arc.
The Straight-Line (Pelz & Woods):
Dave Pelz advocates the Pure In-Line Stroke (Straight-Back-Straight-Through) to keep the face square longer.
Tiger Woods aligns with this geometry. He writes: "The best way to [return the clubface square] is to swing the putter straight back and straight through along the same path." He works to eliminate the "inside" takeaway, which he calls a major fault.
The Artistic Arc (Jones & Crenshaw):
Bobby Jones believed putting was about flow, allowing the putter to swing naturally inside on an arc. He warned against being 'stiff as a poker.'
Ben Crenshaw, quoted by Rotella, rejects the rigid mechanical ideal: "I'm trying to make sure my head and my knees move a little and my stroke feels longer... You can never putt well without feel."
The Mentalist (Rotella):
Rotella argues that the stroke style matters less than the mindset. He quotes Bobby Locke: "You just hit it and listen." To Rotella, "Confidence... is nothing more than thinking about your ball going to the target."
The Conflict: Pelz and Woods want you to perfect a straight line. Jones and Crenshaw want you to feel the flow. Rotella wants you to stop thinking and just hit it.
The Synthesis (Best Practice)
We cannot putt like robots (Pelz), but we must minimize the rotation of the face (Arc) to ensure consistency.
1. The Setup: Eyes Over the Ball
Tiger Woods is adamant: "Ideally, I want my eyes directly over the ball at address... It gives me a view of the hole that is similar to sighting a rifle." This matches Nicklaus's advice and ensures you see the straight line correctly.
[Image: Side view of golfer in putting stance showing left eye directly over the ball]
2. The Stroke: The Straight-ish Flow
We strive for Tiger's straight path but with Rotella's mindset.
- Mechanics: Attempt to take the putter straight back and through. Tiger admits that on long putts, the putter will naturally arc inside slightly, but your intent should be straight to prevent fanning the face.
- Grip Pressure: Tiger holds the putter lightly ("5 out of 10") to maintain feel. Rotella notes that "Tightness leads to slowness," which destroys touch.
3. The Routine: Look and Shoot
Mechanics end before the stroke begins. Once over the ball, use the Rotella/Woods Routine:
- Rotella: "Look at the target. Look at the ball. Let the putt go."
- Woods: Tiger follows this religiously: "I look at the target one last time... Then I pull the trigger." Do not freeze over the ball thinking about your stroke.
The Drill
The Drills
1. The Ruler Roll (The Mechanic)
Goal: To groove a square face at impact, the only thing that truly matters.
The Setup:
Get a 3-foot metal ruler (yardstick). Place one end on the lip of the cup. Place the ball in the small hole at the other end.
[Image: A metal yardstick lying on the putting green leading into a hole with a ball at the far end]
The Action:
Putt the ball so it rolls down the entire length of the ruler and drops in the cup.
- Tiger's Insight: "The important thing is for the putterface to be square to the target line at impact." If your face is open or closed, the ball falls off the ruler immediately.
2. The Right-Hand Only (The Artist)
Goal: To develop the "feel" and release that Tiger and Crenshaw speak of.
The Action: Tiger Woods practices with his right hand only. "I like to hit putts with my right hand only... I allow my right wrist to hinge just a bit... and then release a little through impact."
The Lesson: This teaches you to feel the weight of the putter head and the rhythm of the stroke, bridging the gap between Pelz's science and Rotella's art.