My putting has been up and down this year and a couple of times it has prevented me from going low during a round when all other parts of my game were firing on all cylinders.  Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is more frustrating than missing short putts for par or (gasp) birdie.

Last week, in my doctor’s office, I came across your standard run-of-the-mill guaranteed to work “best tips ever” article in an older issue of Golf Digest… or was it in Golf Magazine… I get them confused these days.  One of the tips was to keep your head down over a putt until you hear the ball go in the cup.  On a whim and with nothing to lose, I tried it on the practice green the next day.  I started making everything I didn’t look at.  I did the same thing on the course and promptly carded my low round of the year.

Evidently, I’m not alone.  Christina Kim and Sean O’Hair must have read the same article…

Now we amateurs get flooded with tips and most of them do more harm than good.  But I’m here to tell you that this one is a keeper.  It has taken me a long time (and about ten thousand range balls) to come to the realization that this concept is important no matter what club is being used.  I posted last year about keeping a level head to maintain spine angle for the full swing and it’s still one of my key swing thoughts.  I just never thought of applying the same principle to my putting.

One point of emphasis -- Ms. Kim is a great player and I will never play at her level.  But, I do respectfully disagree with her on one thing.  I believe it is necessary to see the putt roll.  Otherwise, you’ll never gauge the break and the speed which is important if you miss and have to make the come back putt.  Then again, CK probably doesn’t miss as often as I do…

Click on the video below for a demonstration by Master PGA Professional Denis Pugh on when to take a peek and his take on why it’s important.

If you have trouble keeping your putter face square through impact then give this tip a try.  Just not when you’re playing me for $2 nassaus.