Putting News

Updated Monday, July 4, 2005 8:02 AM

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2005 2nd Quarter - April thru June

Page 1: May 15 - Jun 30, 2005
A cut above -- Tiger Woods' marvelous streak of 142 events without a missed cut ends on Friday the 13th -- 3 missed putts inside 12 feet, a 3-putt from 20 feet, and it all came down to a 15-footer on the last hole -- wide right to miss the cut by one, Monterey County Herald, CA, 14 May 2005

Tiger Woods: Missed Cut Interview, EDS Byron Nelson -- "I just had a tough day. The wind blowing this hard, just didn't quite have the swing where I needed to put it. I made some silly mistakes out there, too. I three-putted a hole from 20 feet, missed a couple short ones out there for birdie; things I don't normally do I did today, and unfortunately it's just one of those days.", iseekgolf, Australia, 14 May 2005

Wayward drives, missed putts: for Tiger Woods, stagger replaces swagger as cuts-made streak ends at 142, San Jose Mercury News, CA, 13 May 2005

Impossible Is Underestimated: Woods Is Out -- The 15-foot par-save putt on his final hole to make his 143rd cut on the number -- "Outside right edge," caddie Steve Williams said above the silence, and Tiger Woods was soon standing over his ball for a 15-foot putt for par to extend one of the records he cherishes most. Woods struck the ball and awaited its verdict. It rolled on a line but strayed to the right of the hole, ending his streak of consecutive cuts made on the PGA Tour at 142.", New York Times, NY, 13 May 2005

Brian Davis leads by one at the British Masters -- Thomas Bjorn in freezing weather posts the best round so far to advance to second place -- 68 includes a 60-foot birdie, Fort Worth Star Telegram, TX, 14 May 2005

Newly confident Lorie Kane climbs Chick-fil-A leaderboard -- "I've been playing very good golf [this season], but I just haven't been scoring all that great," Kane said yesterday. "I'm hitting lots of fairways, I'm hitting lots of greens, but haven't been making the putts. I've hit probably every part of the hole but the bottom." But the putts started dropping early yesterday at the Eagle's Landing Country Club. Kane made birdies on the opening two holes and then on No. 6 and No. 17. She had only two dropped shots on the day. "I could have gone a lot lower. . . . I felt like I did leave a few out there, but overall, I'm quite pleased," she said. Kane said she became increasingly confident about her game last weekend at the Michelob Ultra Open, where she finished in a tie for 19th place in difficult conditions. "It's momentum," she said. "When you make putts, you're going to carry the momentum.", Globe and Mail, Canada, 14 May 2005

Owners build putting greens to improve game, entertain, Cincinnati Enquirer, OH, 14 May 2005

Michelle Wie has poor putting round and misses Open qualifier spot but snags alternate with tie for sixth place -- 3-putt bogeys at 2nd and 3rd holes, missed 4-footer at 5th, missed 2-footer for par on par-5 9th leave her with 5-over 41 on the front, Durant Daily Democrat, OK, 14 May 2005

Phil Mickelson interview at EDS Byron Nelson: not getting the putts to fall -- "I like that I haven't had any bogeys. That's been a big achievement for me, but unfortunately I haven't followed it with enough birdies, and a lot of the short irons that have been a strong point this year, I haven't been getting as close to the hole as I have in the past and I haven't made the putts. I just didn't quite execute and get the putts on the green to roll in. And then the greens are just immaculate. I have no excuses. They're rolling as good a surface as I've seen. They're very true, very subtle breaks, I just haven't seen them.", noticias.info (press release), Spain, 14 May 2005

Sean O'Hair interview at EDS Byron Nelson: "I'm hitting the ball really well. I hit the driver well yesterday, and I didn't really take advantage of that. I think I only hit like 60 something percent of my greens yesterday. But today I think I hit 16 or 17 greens and gave myself a lot of opportunities, and it's just -- I'm rolling the ball well on the greens and my lag putting is good. the putter feels really good. I changed putters, and I feel very confident with it. I changed it in Shell Houston, and I didn't have a really good week in Shell Houston, but ever since then I've been playing pretty good and putting pretty good.", noticias.info (press release), Spain, 14 May 2005

Billy Mayfair interview at EDS Byron Nelson: The switch to the belly putter and the end of the cut stroke -- Not getting his problems worked out with Bob Rotella, and starts working with Rick Smith -- earlier disgusted with putting at Greensboro and bought a belly putter out of a barrell for $15 and used it that Sunday -- no longer thinking mechanics, just setting up and stroking the ball, noticias.info (press release), Spain, 14 May 2005

A trio of 63s -- Morris Hatalsky, Vincente Fernandez, Jim Thorpe share lead at Blue Angels -- "There's no advantage to the big hitters," Lietzke said. "It will be a close tournament with the hot putters grouping together at the top." -- Fernandez took a recommendation from his coach, Alfredo Nachmann, and opened his putting stance for better balance. The result was birdie putts of 16 and 22 feet. However, he missed a 6-foot birdie putt at No. 18 that would have given him the outright lead. "He didn't like the way I was standing," Fernandez said. "I haven't been putting this way for a long, long time.", Grand Forks Herald, ND, 14 May 2005

Annika Sorenstam goes low with bogey-free two rounds -- latest 8-under 64 extends 36-hole lead to six strokes over field -- Her driver is overwhelming the dried-out course with booming shots off the tee. Her irons are struck with the precision of a radar honing in on its target. Her putts are firm and true., Long beach Post-Telegram, CA, 13 May 2005

Iowa Western CC freshman golfer in program's first year qualifies for National Junior College Athletic Association Div I championship -- could have won regional if he had putted better -- "The key to that tournament was my putting," said Salzman. "I had seven putts within 15 feet for birdie and none of them would fall." But if close counted . . . "he had birdie putts lipping the cup," said Bennett, "or rolling right up to the edge of the cup and dying." -- Right now, Salzman sees his strength as his driver and long irons and his weakness as "that putting because the game always comes down to putting.", Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil, IA, 13 May 2005

Stuart Appleby does what a Tour player is supposed to do -- shoot 63 -- John Daly nearly does the same but 3-putts last hole and settles for a ho-hum 64 -- Tiger Woods nowhere to be seen with poor putting: "I just couldn't make any putts," said Woods, who missed only four greens but took 32 putts. "My lines are just a little off. If I felt yippy or twitchy out there, it would be a different story, but I felt good." -- Phil Mickelson hitting ball well but just can't get it into the hole, In-Forum, ND, 13 May 2005

Stuart Appleby gets his putter aimed well this week: "I played okay last week, didn't really seem to get much out of my golf and I didn't putt very well. I putted quite poorly, but today I managed to aim the putter in a better direction than what I was aiming it all askew last week.", European Tour, UK, 13 May 2005

Rheem Classic Report: Co-leader Kevin Durkin of Dunwoody GA tunes up his driver but needs to tune up his putting -- "The cup is either a thimble or a garbage can for me right now. It was a thimble today, smaller than a thimble.", Arkansas Democrat Gazette, AR, 13 May 2005

Laura Davies running up front at Chick-fil-A -- Annika Sorenstam back on song with putting: After struggling with her putter last week, Sorenstam was able to attack a course that was primed for low scores. Her tremendous distance off the tee allowed her to take aim at the flag with short irons, setting up plenty of birdie changes. Only one of her five birdie putts was longer than 10 feet, and she actually missed a couple of chances to take her score even lower down the stretch. "I'm happy to come out and be able to read some greens,'' said Sorenstam, who won this tournament in 2001. "Last week, I couldn't see a single thing. I would tell my caddie, `I think it's left edge,' and he would say, `No, I think it's on the right.' I really didn't know what to do. Here, I have a good feel, and it's nice to be back on the right track again.'', Access North Georgia, GA, 12 May 2005

British Masters: Delays getting under the skin for Colin Montgomerie: Three-putts final hole from arm's length at end of 5 and 1/2 hour round for a triple bogey seven and expresses his disgust, Belfast Telegraph, UK, 13 May 2005

Phil Mickelson opens with 31 putts for 69, Pioneer Press, MN, 13 May 2005

Coastal Federal Bank Carolinas Open at Surf Club: Scott medlin defeats Davidson coach Tim Straub on last hole -- Straub misses a 10-footer and Medlin sinks from 3 feet for the voctory, Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, 13 May 2005

63 reverses Stuart Appleby's slide that followed win in season opener -- cruises around with 22 putts for second-lowest opening round in his career, Houston Chronicle, TX, 13 May 2005

US Open local qualifier: Vucinich, 3 others advance at Quicksilver -- Putting is always an issue at Quicksilver, former site of the Pittsburgh Senior Classic on the Senior PGA Tour. The greens tilt and pitch like a loose garbage-can lid, and the surfaces are usually slicker than black ice. -- Jim Chichra misses two putts from 2 feet but then sinks a two-footer to earn one of 4 spots in playoff, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, PA, 13 May 2005

Tiger Wood in comfort zone during Nelson week but his game is elsewhere -- hits 14 GIRs but takes 32 putts, San Jose Mercury News, CA, 13 May 2005

Laura Davies owns about 200 putters and is using the fourth different one in 5 weeks -- but not facing any putts outside 12 feet anyway, Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA, 12 May 2005

Hamilton County Championship: Long-range putt crowns new champ -- Dramatic end to three-man playoff -- Peter O'Neill cans a 40-footer from the fringe for victory, Noblesville Daily Times, IN, 12 May 2005

DJ Trahan finds some money with his putting at Wachovia: Just two weeks ago, the PGA Tour rookie was 161st on the money list but vaulted to 76th with the first two top-10 finishes of his tour career. Trahan tied for ninth May 1 in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and seems to have found his groove on the greens. After tinkering with a belly putter this season -- he used one when he missed the cut at April's MCI Classic at Harbour Town Golf Links, where his father Don was the former director of instruction-- Trahan used a regular putter last week (although it's shaft was slightly longer than the 33- to 34-inch versions on typical putters.) Trahan, who ranks 156th on the PGA Tour in putting average, used just 26 putts in his second-round 67 and ranked 26th in the field with 29.3 putts per round over the entire event., Hilton Head Island Packet, SC, 12 May 2005

Sergio Garcia thinks he's seeing light at the end of his putting woes despite blowing 6-shot lead at Wachovia: Garcia managed to make more than the occasional putt for a change. Ranked 165th on the tour in putts per round this season (29.9), Garcia shaved his average to 27.3 at Wachovia. "I've been struggling with my putting," said Garcia, who is third on the tour in ball-striking and 29th on the money list. "Everybody knows about it. Unfortunately, I know about it, too. I feel like I'm starting to see the end of the tunnel.", Houston Chronicle, TX, 11 May 2005

Bettinardi Golf Records First Nationwide Tour Victory with Eric Axley and his BB-8 -- left hander Axley led the field in putting for the tournament with impressive putting averaging only 26.8 putts per round., Golf-Gear-Review.com, PA, 11 May 2005

Daito Group Among Leaders When It Comes To Putters, Milwaukee Channel.com, WI, 11 May 2005

Ultimate gut-check: a putt for $3 million, San Diego Union Tribune, CA, 10 May 2005

Paul Azinger wishing he could putt now that his swing is coming around: "What I'm finding is that I found my golf swing,'' Azinger said after a tie for 56th in the Wachovia Championship. "I've just got to figure out how to score. I three-putted nine greens this week. It's too bad, because I struck it really well. I just putted like a donkey.'', PGA.com, 11 May 2005

40 years of fun at Putt-Putt, commercialappeal.com, TN, 11 May 2005

Singh is really No. 1 in world -- If he were a better putter, he'd win more, but even so, he's on track to have another monster year, DetNews.com, MI, 11 May 2005

Jason Vargas -- Marlins pitcher in high class A Jupiter -- plays golf every which way -- "If I wasn't doing this, I would probably be trying to play golf. I don't know much it would work out, but I'll shoot in the mid- to high 70s. When I get a chance to practice I can get it down there. I hit lefthanded and play golf righthanded but putt lefthanded. Growing up, I never had a lefthanded set of clubs. I started playing when I was in junior high. All we had was old set of clubs in the garage, and I started hitting them in the front yard righthanded, and never picked up a lefthanded club.", Baseball America, NC, 10 May 2005

Lee Westwood: "I've never," he acknowledged, "been a great putter." Like many another, he puts the Americans' mostly superior putting skills down to playing on more uniform greens. "I'm not saying that their greens are all better than the greens we play on in the European Tour. It's more to do with the fact that they're the same week after week," he said., Telegraph.co.uk, UK, 10 May 2005

New Technology Developed by Rossa Putters Used to Win Zurich Classic, Golf-Gear-Review.com (press release), PA, 9 May 2005

Collapse, meltdown, choke: Sergio Garcia blows 6-shot lead on the front nine by missing birdie putt after birdie putt but says he played "awesome" -- ''I played awesome the first eight holes,'' Garcia said. ''I should have been easily 3 or 4 under, and I was 1 [under]. It was tough. To see that you hit it to 10 feet every time and you can't make a putt É you know, it cost me.'' -- on 1st playoff hole, all three players hit within 6 feet of the hole and Vijay Singh jokes "good, good, good. Let's go to the next tee." but Garcia's attempt never had a chance -- says it was "just one of those things", Allentown Morning Call, PA, 9 May 2005

Two-bar putter could be Guerin Rife's master stroke -- Jim Torpe uses it to win, plus two top-ten finishes on PGA Tour in New Orleans, Orlando Business Journal, 9 May 200 5

Nationwide Tour Rheem Classic qualifier: Ron Whittaker leads field with 65 for one of 7 spots -- cans a 25-foot birdie on last hole -- ud Still maes it on the number (68) despite missing 10 putts inside 12 feet -- "I used my new Scotty Cameron putter, but it may not make the lineup this week," Still said. "I've been playing really good, with a lot of rounds like today, turning a 64 or 65 into a 68 or 70.", Springdale Morning News, AR, 9 May 2005

Sergio Garcia's putting stinks by any standard: There are two statistical ways to measure putting -- either average number of putts per round or average number of putts per green hit in regulation. Sergio stinks by both standards. He is averaging 29.42 putts per round, which is 165th on tour, and 1.821 putts per green when he has a birdie opportunity, which is 163rd on tour. -- Garcia's collapse Sunday in the final round of the Wachovia Championship was of record proportions. No one in the history of the PGA Tour has blown a lead larger than the six-stroke advantage Garcia had going into the final round. And you have to go back to the 1996 Masters and Greg Norman to find the last time anyone on tour squandered an advantage that large. The most disturbing thing for Garcia has to be the fact that his putting is pulling the rest of his game down. The age of 25 is disturbingly young to get yippy. Garcia started his collapse with a 30-inch miss on the very first hole and then missed from inside 10 feet on three of the next four holes. As often happens when the putting goes, it puts added pressure on the rest of the game. Just ask Nick Faldo. When his putter bailed on him in the final round of the 1996 British Open he never regained his touch and it took the rest of his game with it. After opening with that series of missed putts, Garcia's driver, normally his most reliable club, abandoned him on Nos. 9 and 10. After as six-foot miss on the 15th hole Garcia gave up the lead when he pulled his tee shot into the water on the par-3 17th. Fittingly, Garcia was knocked out of the playoff with Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh -- won by Singh -- by a three-putt on the first extra hole, missing a six-footer., GolfDigest.com, 9 May 2005

Cutom fitted putters becoming trendy, Golf for Women, 9 May 2005

52nd Norman Bryant Invitational Matchplay Championship: Short game big as Ricky Sims wins over David Coleman 3 and 2 -- Coleman misses two critical short putts -- Sims: "I putted really good today. And I hit some good chips." -- Coleman: "The 3-putt on No. 11 was probably the worst thing that could've happened. I missed two putts that were right there in the leather, and that's unusual for me, especially out here.", Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, 9 May 2005 Christie Kerr claims Virginia title -- Annika Sorenstam never in contention with 121 total putts, including 32 on Thursday, Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, 9 May 2005 Big Stakes Golf in Mesquite Nevada: Iowa golfers seek $3 million prize -- Ken Schall and Sean McCarty team up for best-ball matches against 63 other teams -- Schall: "In match play, it really comes down to putting,'' Schall said. "You get a match going and you're making your putts - all the short ones - and you throw in a few bombs, that can really be disenchanting for the other team.'', DesMoinesRegister.com, IA, 9 May 2005 Even in defeat, Sergio Garcia's a champ -- Lots of charisma ... if only he weren't such an atrocious putter, Charlotte Observer, NC, 9 May 2005 Arjun Atwal finishes tied 56th at 5 over (75, 73, 75, 70 -- 293) -- Despite slightly better putting, as he needed 28 for the round, Atwal continued to have problems off the tee, as he found only 36 per cent of the fairways., Rediff, India, 9 May 2005 SK Telecom in Seoul: Shiv Kapur manages a respectable tied 12th -- "As always, you feel like you played better than you scored. I was one-under through six holes and three-putted seven and three-putted eight and that derailed me. I got it back with a birdie on nine and played solidly on the back nine, but did not make too many birdies," said Kapur. "I am happy with the way I am playing, but on the greens I could have been two or three better and that would have made a world of difference. I just have to learn how to save more shots out there. "Overall, though, I came back decently from a bad round yesterday, so I will take a lot of positives into next week," he said. "I have not been making those putts from 10 or 15 feet as much I would like. I made a couple of good ones today, but if there is anything to take away this week it is that I am not putting as well as I need to," Kapur said., Zee News, India, 9 May 2005 Sergio Garcia joins the fated five of PGA Tour players who have blown a 6-shot lead in the final round -- atrocious putting missing lots of short putts capped by a 3-putt from 45 feet on the first playoff hole, The State, SC, 9 May 2005 David Glenz on long putters, Newark Star Ledger, NJ, 9 May 2005 Futures Tour: Fear factor in finale -- Lori Atsedes survives as Kyeong KB Bae collapses with shoody putting during round including miss from 4 feet to tie -- Virada Nirapathpomgporn also lips out a 15-footer on 18th hole to tie, Lawrence Journal World, KS, 9 May 2005 2005 Wachovia Championship -- Vijay Singh Interview: "I feel good about my golf game, my driving; my putting is not as good as last year, but I don't feel like I'm putting badly, just they're not going in the holes.", iseekgolf, Australia, 8 May 2005 Shawn Kelly, Approaching the green, Auburn Journal, CA, 8 May 2005 Jaime Gomez wins Canadian Tour's Corona Mazatlan Classic -- Brien Davis misses a 6-inch tap in on 12th and falls off the lead: "You know, I thought I played very well today but the putts just wouldn't fall," admitted Davis, the nephew of seven-time PGA Tour champion Peter Jacobsen. "I left a lot of shots out there this week, but there isn't much you can do. Hand it to Jaime -- every time the heat was on, he made the shots.", MikeWeir.com, Canada, 8 May 2005 Carl Petterson at Wachovia sees better days on the greens than usual -- "I have been putting terribly, but today I made some good putts, which is nice," said Pettersson, who played at N.C. State. "I hit it all right, but I chipped and putted well, which I haven't done the rest of the year. Finally, today I felt comfortable." -- Pettersson credits much of that comfort to a putter he put into play this week. He ranks 22nd in putting this week. He took 31 putts on each of the first two rounds, but dropped that to 24 Saturday. "I thought about going away from the (long putter), but I knew if I just kept going it would be OK," said Pettersson, 27, who lives in Raleigh with wife DeAnna and baby daughter Carlie., Charlotte Observer, NC, 8 May 2005 Seeing Green: Pinehurst No. 2's Challenge Requires "Imagination" -- Players looking forward to challenge of Donald Ross "turtleback" greens in US Open this June, Southern Pines Pilot, NC, 8 May 2005
Peter Murphy, Staff Writer for the Hank Haney Golf Ranch, How to Develop a Feel for Putting [video golf lesson], Scratch Golfer Magazine, TX, 8 May 2005
Wachovia Championship Notebook -- 3rd round: Bill Haas bogeys five of last six holes with three 3-putts in a row, Winston-Salem Journal, NC, 8 May 2005

Green Dreams -- Real Backyard Greens, Pioneer Press, MN, 8 May 2005

Real Backyard Greens

Swede survival -- Annika Sorenstam goes on a birdie binge using caddy Terry McNamara's reads -- sinks a 15-footer on 11th to build momentum then drops a lot of short putts, Daily Press, VA, 8 May 2005

Sergio Gacia's putter working this week for a change -- Garcia's putter has been his downfall in recent tournaments. This week, he ranks fourth in the tournament with 82 total putts, 27 yesterday., New York Post, NY, 8 May 2005

Sinking hearts not putts -- Bill Haste's Akuna putter (US Patent No. 5,362,048) and the ten-year effort to get it on the market, Peoria Journal Star, IL, 8 May 2005

Sergio Garcia playing a different sort of game this week as he leads field by six headed into final round -- His putter was good from 9, 20, 10 and 5 feet as he birdied five of six holes between Nos. 10-15, The State, SC, 8 May 2005

DJ Trahan impresses ex-coach Larry Penley of Clemson -- Penley was especially pleased with Trahan's improved putting. Trahan's father, golf teacher Don Trahan, told the coach that D.J. went to a slightly longer putter (37-38 inches vs. 33-34) this week and is standing more upright to the ball. "D.J. has always been able to overcome average putting with great ball-striking," Penley said. "He'd be the first to tell you, if he could've made 75 percent of his five-footers, he would've won 10 (college) events. "His pace on the greens and the rhythm of his stroke is good. He looks comfortable.", The State, SC, 8 May 2005

Annika Sorenstam survives cut -- no-good putting on front turns around on back with help from caddie and a 15-footer on 11th, Northwest Herald, IL, 8 May 2005

'Brutal' wind mars Day Two -- Kyeong (KB) Bae leads after 67 with 7 birdies -- 14 fairways and only 26 putts, Lawrence Journal World, KS, 8 May 2005

Adam Scott on Wachovia's greens: "It's hard to make a lot of putts out there, because the pins are on such slopey areas," Scott said. "Unless you're 3 feet, they're pretty tough to get in the hole.", Covers, Canada, 8 May 2005

Sergio Garcia ready to break through -- "I feel like my game is in good shape. I really feel like my short game is coming along, slowly, but it's starting to. I think it's just a matter of keep working on it and keep believing in it. I think that if you've got the right frame of mind, it's always easier to play this game. "I feel like I'm a much better player than I used to be. I feel like I strike the ball much better. I control my ball flight a lot better than I used to. Unfortunately I've just been struggling a little bit with my putter mainly." -- Tour statistics bear that out. Garcia ranks fourth in greens in regulation, fourth in ball striking, 17th in total driving and 24th in driving distance, averaging 291.1 yards off the tee. But he ranks 185th in putting. "He's playing great, really," said Garcia's caddie, Glenn Murray. "He always hits it well, so the big thing is to get him putting well.", Winston-Salem Journal, NC, 8 May 2005

Big Ten Men's Championship: Badgers drop to 8th -- Badger player Adam DeLawyer offers the simple explanation: "I think our team is as good a ball-striking team as any team in the country," said DeLawyer, adding that he missed six birdie putts inside 10 feet Friday. "We just haven't made the putts this year. If we all could putt a little better, we would be in contention or winning every tournament.", Wisconsin State Journal, WI, 8 May 2005

SK Telecom Open, Seoul: Shiv Kapur slips to 19th with bad putting -- "I just struggled with my putter all day, even though I hit the ball great. I probably hit the ball a lot better than I did on Friday. So I did the hard part right but just could not get anything to fall.", Hindu, India, 8 May 2005

Flood-ravaged En-Joie on course for BC Open in July -- rebuilding on schedule but hoping Mother Nature does her bit on time, Press & Sun-Bulletin, NY, 8 May 2005

Late eagle helps Arjun Atwal claw his way back to just make the cut at Wachovia -- 31 putts first day, 28 in second round, Hindu, India, 8 May 2005

Troy Matteson with 65 closes to within one in the Nationwide's Rex Hospital -- Craig Bowden keeps one-shot lead with 69: "I just didn't make the putts today that I made on Thursday.", PGA.com, 7 May 2005

Colin Montgomerie stymied about his putting: "I hitched a ride on Ernie's [Els] jet in China recently, and he told me that I was just a putt away from my best form he remembers from 1994 to 2000, which is very encouraging, although, in truth, I think I'm a putt-and-a-half away. I have the leading stroke average on the Tour this year, as well as being first on the greens in regulation stats, and that tells you that if I'm putting as well as everyone else, I should be winning every tournament. That's the difference between me now and me in '97. "In those days my ex-wife used to walk to the next tee when I had a four-footer, because I never missed. Now, that wouldn't happen, firstly because she's not there any more and secondly because it's all a bit sweaty over the short ones. "I would love to get back to that feeling of not having to think over those, because if you have 10 thoughts over a putt and one is negative you've as good as missed. But, here's the killer, you only stop thinking when you have the confidence of holing so many times. So how do you get this confidence back? That's the question.", Independent, UK, 7 May 2005

Corona Mazatlan Classic: Brien Davis and Jaime Gomez share lead in Mexico -- Davis (nephew of Peter Jacobsen) starts out smoking with a 45-foot birdie, News-Herald.com, OH, 7 May 2005

SK Telecom Open in Seoul: KJ Choi stays on course for third Asian Tour triumph and ties Andrew Buckle for lead -- But Choi was wary of his fellow leader: "I have honestly never seen a player that putts so well. He is very young, very talented and swings the club really well. I am going to have to play as well as I can to come away with the win.", Malaysia Star, Malaysia, 7 May 2005

Grounding the putter -- Kitchen Creek GC player has putter rounded when lightning bolt out of the blue knocks him out -- luckily, he's recovering well, Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, Canada, 7 May 2005

SK Telecom Open in Seoul: KJ Choi only 2 back after mixed day in 2nd round -- For Choi, a tough day on the greens prevented him from putting further pressure on the field. -- After surging into a share of the lead at eight-under after 12 holes, he struggled with bogeys at 13th, 15th and 16th. However, a birdie at the 17th and a testing par save at 18 were enough for him to finish at six-under. -- "With the change in the weather, I had a tough time with the speed of the greens today. Hitting the ball up the hill was so slow, but down the hill was very fast. It was complicated," he said. "I will be very aggressive over the weekend and go for the pins and leave it all out there. On the back nine, I missed a lot of putts like the one I saved on the last hole. That last putt going in was a confidence booster and meant a lot going into the weekend.", Electric New Paper, Singapore, 7 May 2005

Annika Sorenstam's putter to blame for 1st-round 76 -- "I thought I played pretty good today," said Sorenstam, who is tied for 107th. "It just didn't go my way at all. I felt I had some good shots, I think I drove it well. I could tell you I didn't make any putts, it was just one of those days.", Electric New Paper, Singapore, 7 May 2005

Adam Scott takes a while to find his putting touch -- three-putts from 3 feet but then hits a purple patch for 5 birdies in 7 holes to shoot 69 -- 8 back of Garcia, Age, Australia, 7 May 2005

Italian Open 2nd round: Golf: Bradley Dredge favourite in Italy -- despite 3-putt on 18th hole, Dredge's putting is on: "I didn't hit the ball as well, but the putter was red-hot," he said. "It's nice when the hole feels the size of a bucket." -- trails Richard Finch by 1, ic Wales, UK, 7 May 2005

Musty Putter Company offers personalized putters at Sacramento's Haggin Oaks Golf Expo, Lake County Record-Bee, CA, 7 May 2005

NCAA Women's Central Regional: LSU women's golf team slides to 12th with lackluster putting -- "The putter really let us down," LSU coach Karen Bahnsen said. "We didn't put anything together and let things get the better of us.", 2TheAdvocate, LA, 6 May 2005

Wachovia Championship 2nd round: Blustery winds cause problems -- Vijay Singh 2 behindd Sergio Gacia after 3-putting 16th: "I think putting was the most difficult thing out there," Singh said. "The pins were in pretty difficult spots. They were all over little ridges.", Rock Hill Herald, SC, 6 May 2005

Wachovia Championship 2nd round: Former Clemson Tiger DJ Trahan moves into contention -- tied for 2nd despite 3-putt on 16th -- "Three-putt on 16," he said. "That putt was 80 feet, man. Other than that, the back nine was great. I hit it well and putted it about as good as I could ask.", Rock Hill Herald, SC, 6 May 2005

Salonpas World Ladies Golf Tournament: Reigning Japan LPGA Tour money queen Yuri Fudo was alone in seventh place at 2-under-par 142 after second-round 71. Although Fudo was still near the top of the leaderboard, the 2002 World Ladies champion said if she can't improve her play on the greens here her chances were not good. -- "I misread a number of greens and I am not putting well," she said. "I had birdie chances on a number of holes, but I either misread the green or hit the putt bad." -- Australian Karrie Webb, who was in the featured threesome with Yokomine and Miyazato, also struggled with her putter and fell 11 shots off the pace. Webb had three three-putt greens and came in with a fat 5-over-par 77 that included six bogeys and a birdie., Daily Yomiuri On-Line, Japan, 6 May 2005

Wachovia Championship 1st round: Tiger Woods runs hot and cold, but happy with finish -- misses par putt from 2'9" on 6th but drains a 37-foot birdie on his last hole, Tallahassee.com, FL, 6 May 2005

LPGA at Kingsmill: For Jan Stephenson, a step back in time -- 53-year-old former "it" girl on Tour has a good day -- now designs courses and has studied Pete Dye's work -- design work helps her in first time on his course at Kingsmill -- admittedly a weak putter even in her prime, Stephenson has a feel for reading Dye's greens and cans a 40-footer on 18th hole, Daily Press, VA, 6 May 2005

Wachovia Championship 1st round: Patrick Sheehan gets around with only 23 putts for 4-under 68, The State, SC, 6 May 2005

Valley Christian senior Dalen Linnerson's short game his strength -- works hard with his father on putting and chipping -- didn't 3-putt once in any major tournament last season -- intimidates long-hitters, Arizona Republic, AZ, 6 May 2005

Wachovia Championship 1st round: Sergio Garcia surges to 2-shot lead -- longest birdie putt 16 feet -- Vijay Singh 3-putts three times, The State, SC, 6 May 2005

Wachovia Championship 1st round: Sergio Garcia opens with 30-36 sides to take 2-shot lead -- second nine marred by three-putt on easy-birdie par 5 and missed short birdie putt, Greensboro News Record, NC, 6 May 2005

Morgan Pressel (73) falters in first round at LPGA event -- "My short game was obviously pretty pathetic today," said Pressel, a 16-year old high school junior from Boca Raton. "My putting didn't help me today. I was tentative on some putts, crazy on others Ñ it was all over the place." -- Pressel hit 11 of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens, but needed 31 putts. -- "Putting and chipping are usually the strongest parts of her game, but it really let her down today," said Herb Krickstein, Pressel's grandfather and coach. "She hit the ball well, but she had (31) putts and you can't do anything like that.", Palm Beach Post, FL, 5 May 2005

Weighty Matters -- Heavy Putters getting the buzz -- weightiness said to help avoid yips, smooth out stroke, Syracuse Post Standard, NY, 5 Mar 2005

LPGA at Kingsmill, 1st round: 3-Putts Put Sorenstam Behind the 8-Ball -- Sorenstam had little trouble finding the fairways with her driver, but her putter disobeyed. Starting her round on No. 10, she three-putted for bogey from the fringe on the par-3 No. 17, and three-putted again on the par-4 No. 18 and the par-3 No. 2. -- The greens, already slick after they were rebuilt before the tournament, were even faster Thursday as wind gusts of up to 20 miles an hour came off the James River., New York Times, NY, 5 May 2005—

Italian Open: No bliss for Calcavecchia -- Goes to Italy to get married and play for first time, but stinks up the joint -- "I have constant back pain, my knees creak, my feet hurt and my brain is shot, but I won't use it as an excuse. I hit the driver sideways and putted worse - my golf just stank. It's terribly disappointing after waiting so long to come and play in Italy.", Guardian Unlimited, UK, 5 May 2005

Silvia Cavalleri, Catrin Nilsmark share lead in Williamsburg with opening 67s -- Nilsmark starts with birdie and later adds birdies with putts of 12, 9, and 25 feet using a new putter -- "Today I hit the ball really well. I have just been back from Sweden for four weeks," said Nilsmark. "I am rusty around the greens and on the greens. I took a new putter this week. I looked at it after the putt on No. 1, it didn't feel wonderful. The grip was all crooked, but I managed to hang in there.", Houston Chronicle, TX, 5 May 2005

Putter a necessary evil -- finishing club conjures up nightmares, Charlotte Observer, NC, 5 May 2005

Billy Andrade's new claw putting gip rejuvenates career at 41, Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, 5 May 2005

TaylorMade goes public with new putter technology, SCOREGolf, Canada, 5 May 2005

Poor putting snags Chris DiMarco, DetNews.com, MI, 4 May 2005

Fore The Record: Darrell Survey -- Callaway Odyssey putters have 41.7 percent of the market, London Free Press, Canada, 4 May 2005

Mike Weir watch: Scotty Cameron Newport putter, London Free Press, Canada, 4 May 2005

Grace Park the best putter last week, Virginian Pilot, VA, 4 May 2005

Haggin Oaks Golf Expo: Golfers not afraid of new Goolie putter, Sebastian Sun, FL, 4 May 2005

Tim Petrovic wins Zurich Classic with Taylormade Rossa putter featuring ASGI face technology -- Anti-Skid Groove Insert System employs 12 copolymer-filled grooves in the face that help to promote forwardspin at impact instead of backspin, resulting in less skid and a smoother, more accurate roll in terms of direction and distance, The Wire, 3 May 2005

Tempe's muni greens turning red -- Ken McDonald and Rolling Hills courses clocking up deficit of $326,000 due to increases in mainetenance personnel costs without commensurate rises in greens fees -- 80,000 rounds yearly at Ken McDonald, 60,000 at Rolling Hills, Arizona Republic, AZ, 3 May 2005

NC Prep 4A Regionals: Providence Panthers handle blustery conditions -- Watagua's Jacob Eggers misses a 2-foot putt on final hole for medal honors and falls into a 4-man playoff for 2nd place -- Cory nagy of Vance won the playoff with a 20-foot birdie on the 1st hole, Charlotte Observer, NC, 3 May 2005

Work with home-course pro helps Tim Petrovic prepare for maiden win -- Petrovic, who lives at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club in Dade City, was left with an uphill 20-foot putt for birdie to force a playoff. His putting stroke had deserted him this season. Trying to find a cure, Petrovic spent last week on the greens at Lake Jovita with head professional Chris Brandt. -- "It wasn't anything serious," Brandt said. "We were pretty much having fun. But Tim was doing well. He was working with a new putter, and it seemed to be paying off. He was draining a lot of shots. "Still, when he was standing there for that long birdie putt, I was a little nervous for him." Petrovic, though, always has had the ability to remain serene in the face of adversity. Instead of rushing his long putt, he walked around the green and methodically studied the break and the speed and then slowly went through his pre-shot routine. Petrovic, 38, drained that putt, then hit a 4-foot par putt on the first hole of a playoff to get his first PGA tour victory., St Petersburg Times, FL, 3 May 2005

European Tour stats review: Asian Open -- Ernie Els blows away the field with 83% GIRs and only 1.56 putts per GIR, BBC Sport, UK, 3 May 2005

Putting mistakes by Driscoll and DiMarco cost them in NO, CNN/SI, 3 May 2005

Bad timing for caddy Richard (Jelly) Hansbury -- misses New Orleans on Tim Petrovic's bag and Tim's brother Stepehen gets the loop -- helps Tim on every green: From the first hole of the tournament, Tim conferred with his brother on every putt. The greens were tricky, and he wanted every bit of help he could get reading them. By the middle of the third round, Stephen had figured out the greens. "The way you're putting, just get us on the green," Stephen recalled telling his brother. "I don't care where on the green. Just get us on the damn green." On the last hole of regulation, after consulting his brother, Tim made a 20-footer to force a playoff with James Driscoll. And on the first playoff hole, after leaving a long putt four feet short, the two conferred again. Perfect -- the read and the putt. When the ball disappeared into the hole, both brothers shot their arms skyward in victory and then met at the center of the green for a long embrace. -- "My brother just kept me in a good frame of mind all week," Tim said. "I feel bad (for Jelly), but my brother kept me nice and relaxed.", Times Picayune, LA, 3 May 2005

Zurich Classic: Tim Petrovic wins in playoff over James Driscoll -- "That last putt seemed to take about 12 minutes to fall in," Petrovic said. "I saw every dimple rolling over, and over, and over and then it went in." -- Driscoll misses a 4-footer for the win on 18th -- Chris DiMarco three-putts 18th from the fringe to miss playoff, Waterbury Republican American, CT, 2 May 2005

Zurich Classic: Chris DiMarco's walk of failure familiar -- three-putt from 14 feet knocks him out of playoff -- "You know what the most frustrating thing was?" he said looking off into the distance. "It was that first putt on the last hole. It was the best one I hit all day. I could not believe it did not go in." -- But it did not. The 14-foot birdie try brushed the cup and rolled five feet past. When DiMarco missed coming back, he was out of a sudden-death playoff and suffering the kind of death that can come suddenly on any given Sunday.", Times Picayune, LA, 2 May 2005

Zurich Classic: No-think Tim Petrovich wins first PGA Tour event at age 38 with routine 4-footer in playoff -- "I was proud of myself because I was able to clear my head and step up and just hit it," Petrovic said. "I didn't think about anything. I said, `Just hit it. You've made a million of these on the practice green. This one is a little harder, but it's still a putt, just go out and hit it.'" -- James Driscoll missed 4-footer on 18th to win and then misses again in playoff, Lexington Dispatch, NC, 2 May 2005

Nationwide Tour BMW Charity Classic: Shane Bertsch overcomes 12-shot deficit with 7-under 65 to win by one with 18th-hole birdie putt from 18 feet, Los Angeles Daily News, CA, 2 May 2005

LPGA Franklin American Mortgage Championship: Stacy Prammanasudh wins by three over defender Lorena Ochoa as Ochoa's putter sputters -- "I couldn't make any putts." -- miss-read from 2 1/2 feet on 15th, The Tennessean, TN, 2 May 2005

IOS Futures Golf Classic: Three 3-footers on playoff hole decide outcome in 3-way playoff -- Kyeong Bae sinks, then Tara Bateman misses, then Hye Jung Choi misses -- "Unbelievable," said Bae, who is from Seoul, Korea, and who was the 18-year-old runner-up at this tournament last year. "I didn't expect them to miss those putts. I thought I would be playing the ninth hole (the second sudden-death playoff hole, if needed) and I was already thinking about how to play that hole.", El Paso Times, TX, 2 May 2005

PGA India Tour: Uttam Singh Mundy in a muddle as Sanjay Kumar takes SRF All-India Matchplay Championship -- Mundy struggling on the greens as Kumar strolls to 6 and 5 win, Zee News, India, 2 May 2005

LPGA Franklin American Mortgage Championship: Key sixth hole had highs, lows -- Two-shot swing gives Stacy Prammanasudh momentum to win -- Lorena Ochoa three-putts for bogey while Prammanasudh cans a 15-footer for birdie, The Tennessean, TN, 2 May 2005

Zurich Classic: Arjun Atwal fades a little and finishes fifth at New Orleans -- Daniel Chopra putts his way into top ten, India Abroad, India, 2 May 2005

Greene Hills Invitational: Two-horse race ends on 2nd playoff hole as Starrell Cox drains a 15-footer to defeat Tim Pemberton -- "I didn't really deserve to win," Pemberton said. "Starell played great down the stretch and my putts didn't fall. That was the story of the day.", Charlottesville Daily Progress, VA, 2 May 2005

Champions Tour FedEx Kinko's Classic: Golf: Jim Thorpe notches 10th win by four with 4 birdies over last 5 holes -- overcomes shaky putter at the turn with precise irons and one nice 11-footer on 16th as contenders par in, Malaysia Star, Malaysia, 2 May 2005

BMW Asian Open in Shanghai: Ernie Els completes easy win -- starts day 8 ahead and ends day 13 ahead of field -- final round 7-under 65 to finish at 26 under -- 21st European Tour win, ic NorthWales, UK, 2 May 2005

Great golfing engines ruined by a putt-putt -- yips over the years, Scotsman, UK, 1 May 2005

LPGA Franklin American Mortgage Championship: Creditable third place for Catriona Matthew -- "The difference today was that I didn't hole enough putts.", Scotsman, UK, 1 May 2005

Patriot League Championship: Bucknell golfer Ben Pellicani fires 65 on home track to finish second behind teammate Charles Waddell -- Bucknell Golf Club is a tight course on which accuracy is a must and the junior hit 10 of 13 fairways and 14 of 18 greens in regulation. He needed just 27 putts. -- "It's funny because I have hit the ball better before and I have putted better before," Pellicani said. "I've just never done both on the same day before." -- He drained back-to-back 40-foot putts for birdie early in the round and made several par-saving 4-footers late. "I just tried to stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself," he said., Annapolis Capital, MD, 1 May 2005

Rob Stock, Pivots and Divots: Coin drill helps with distance control, Charlottesville Daily Progress, VA, 1 May 2005

Zurich Classic: Vijay Singh putting poorly: 29 putts Thursday, 33 Friday to rank 128th in field thru 2 rounds -- "I played OK," said Singh, who threw his putter in disgust after letting a birdie opportunity slip away and three-putting No. 13. "I didn't play poorly, I just didn't make enough birdie putts. There are a lot of birdie holes out there, but you got to make putts. Under these wind conditions right now, it's hard to make putts. But everybody has to deal with it.", Times Picayune, LA, 30 Apr 2005

Zurich Classic: JJ Henry's putter starting to catch up to his ballstriking -- one stroke off lead after second round, TheDay, CT, 30 Apr 2005

Asian Open in Shanghai: Colin Montgomerie runs afoul of 16th again -- three-putts for double bogey that sours round of 15 straight pars, Scotsman, UK, 30 Apr 2005

The day 30 years ago when David Smith shot 28 on the front at USM's Van Hook Golf Course and then called it a day -- side could easily have been a 26, as he faced no long putts and missed two short birdie putts, Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, 30 Apr 2005

Zurich Classic: Vijay Singh still having problems putting -- three-putts twice in second round -- has now three-putted five times, Mobile Register, AL, 30 Apr 2005

Mid Atlantic Golf Show at ocean City features putting contest for a car, Delmarva Daily Times, MD, 30 Apr 2005

Ben Davis High School senior golfer Grant Henry keeps improving his already-strong putting game -- wins Marion county event with only 25 putts, Indianapolis Star, IN, 30 Apr 2005

Franklin American Mortgage Championship: Liselotte Neumann resting in clubhouse after 5-under 67 in rain-plagued event -- hitting lots of GIRs (15) and facing birdie putts in 15-18 foot range, The Tennessean, TN, 30 Apr 2005

SRF All-India Matchplay Championship, New Delhi: Rookie Harinder Gupta gets past Mukesh Kumar into semi-finals by out-putting opponent down the stretch -- 25-footer on 10th followed by 15-footers on 12th and 13th en route to 2 and 1 win -- "I played very well today. My putting was never like this before.", Webindia123, India, 30 Apr 2005

Zurich Classic: Local favorites David Toms and Kelly Gibson miss the cut -- Tom: "I putted horrible." -- Gibson: "not a very good short game.", Times Picayune, LA, 30 Apr 2005

Zurich Classic: JJ Henry's putting speed control leads to resurgence: "I made a change after Houston," he said after he tied for 69th when he shot 76-76 on the weekend. "I'm now rolling the ball better. Being able to control the speed of these greens is a big plus. Considering the wind we had yesterday and today, and how moundy some of these greens are, the speed of my putts had been tremendous." In Henry's case, the payoff to keeping 300-yard drives in play, and speed control, has been just two bogeys in 36 holes. Because of his fade in Houston, Henry spent five hours on the putting green Wednesday. "I was messing with some different putters and doing some different things," he said. "I went back to the putter I started the year with and I began putting great.", Times Picayune, LA, 30 Apr 2005

Titleist introduces four new putter families to Scotty Cameron line, Golf-Gear-Review.com (press release), PA, 30 Apr 2005

Champions Tour FedEx kinko's Classic, Austin TX: Scramblin' Curtis Strange gets it done the hard way -- 5-under 67 with only 5 of 14 fairways, but only 23 putts, Richmond Times Dispatch, VA, 30 Apr 2005

Mountain West Men's Championship: BYU Cougars move into second behind New Mexico after breakout performance by sophomore Nick Becker -- sank 4 putts over 30 feet to move into second individually with 3-under 69 -- "I'm just putting really well and hitting a lot of greens and fairways," said Becker. "On No. 3 I hit a 35-foot putt over a mound with a six-foot break. That hole gave me a lot of confidence.", BYUCougars.com, UT, 29 Apr 2005

Steve Flesch -- no loyalty to specialty clubs driver and putter -- willing to switch in middle of event --"Drivers and putters are always on waivers. I think your game can be a little temperamental at times with those specialty clubs. Certain things are just going to feel better or look better at certain times. But that's just the way I operate. I've switched putters, and I've switched golf balls within the same tournament. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't, but I like to have the option of trying new stuff.", GolfDigest.com, 29 Apr 2005

Tom Jenkins' winnings top $3.8 million since adopting Balance Certified weighting system in his putter -- since April 2002, he has won 3 times and notched 32 top tens and 59 top-25 finishes, The Wire, 29 Apr 2005

Frank Thomas on belly putters -- used to prevent left-wrist breakdown but reduce feel on long putts -- use long fairway woods and irons with normal putting stance to approximate proper length for putter, GolfDigest.com, 29 Apr 2005

Arjun Atwal concentrates on putting, shoots 65, shares lead -- Vijay Singh suffers three-putts and distance control in windy conditions -- Tom Pernice Jr. has a good putting round for a change, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL, 29 Apr 2005
BMW Asian Open in Shanghai: Ernie Els pulling away -- second round a 10-under 62 with superb putting -- birdies from 12, 30 and 40 feet, icHuddersfield, UK, 29 Apr 2005

Pac-10 Men's Championship: Washington sneaks by Arizona State and wins in playoff -- Walla Walla greens the size of "conference tables" on deceptive layout, VollegeSports.com, NY, 29 Apr 2005

Optimist-Pilot Cup Tournament at Southern Pines Country Club: Pinecrest HS Patriots team wins with two players finishing one-two -- Jack Fields out-putts Robert reisen down the stretch -- critical 20-footer with three feet of break on 11th by Fields and miss from 8 feet on 18th by Riesen key Fields' one-stroke victory, Southern Pines Pilot, NC, 29 Apr 2005

Uneventful round for Heath Slocum -- hoping to see better putting to help make some cuts -- "I haven't been putting well and I haven't been knocking it very close either. That's not a good combination out here.", Mobile Register, AL, 29 Apr 2005

GUI Inter-City at Greencastle Golf Club -- a shortened putter and putting work helps Michael Bonner (16) storm to a 66 nett for second place, Derry Journal, Ireland, 29 Apr 2005

Arjun Atwal shares lead at the Zurich Classic with best putting in field -- only 23 putts, NDTV.com, India, 29 Apr 2005

Franklin American Mortgage Championship: Kris Tschetter takes early lead in Tennessee -- starts with a 50-foot birdie on first hole -- 7 of 13 fairways and 30 putts in 6-birdie, 3-bogey round, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, 29 Apr 2005

Holmen HS chances at Mississippi Valley Conference title slipping away -- dropped 9-hole match with poor putting -- 4-man team used 70 putts for first team score in the 170s in 3 years of conference play, Holmen Courier, WI, 29 Apr 2005

Welshman Graham Craig putts on a show -- beat off the challenge of 20 qualifiers to win the grand final of the London Golf Show's umbrella putting competition and land a five-day stay at the five-star St Andrew's Bay resort in Scotland, including unlimited golf, ic Wales, UK, 29 Apr 2005<Š“>

Jeev Mikvah Singh in contention -- rolling the ball well, The Times of India, 28 Apr 2005

Calm the ego, work on putts, South Bend Tribune, IN, 28 Apr 2005

Jerry Oliver gets the gas grill -- wins Lowe's putting contest -- "Shark" Brenda Beaty wins the women's putting contest and $400 certificate, Kerrville Daily Times, TX, 28 Apr 2005

Martinsville High School graduate Trey Deal finished his Longwood University golfing career with most of the Lancers' records, including low scoring average in a season (74.54) and career (75.31). His career included 15 rounds under par and six rounds in the 60s, and he currently ranks No. 1 in Division I with 26.52 putts per round., Roanoke Times, VA, 28 Apr 2005

Meet the new face of golf -- Yes Putters get the ball rolling, Edmonton Sun, Canada, 28 Apr 2005

Duke's Ryan Blaum aiming for PGA Tour -- "When I putt well, I play well.", Augusta Free Press, GA, 28 Apr 2005

Nickent Pipe putter knocks at least three strokes out of three LPGA players' putting for their best putting rounds of 2005, The Wire, 27 Apr 2005

Colin Montgomerie: 'Putting is the key', Eurosport.com, UK, 27 Apr 2005

U Cal Bears Golf Drops to Seventh in Pac-10s -- senior captain Jeff Hood struggling with putting and posts second "double hockey sticks" 77 -- "Jeff's had better days, and he is really struggling with his putter," coach Steve Desimone said. "You hate to see a great player go through it, but he missed a number of putts from three to six feet.", Daily Cal, CA, 27 Apr 2005

Des Smyth ditches long putter, racks up wins, USA Today -- used long putter last 7 years --Through practice last winter, Smyth learned what some equipment companies already know: "With the long putter," Smyth says, "I could two-putt comfortably, but I couldn't make many long putts. This year I've made more 20-foot putts in five events than I've made in two years." -- Last year he was 59th, averaging 29.97 putts a round. This year he's 20th at 29.43. In scoring he has gone from 33rd at 71.41 strokes a round to sixth at 70.00, 27 Apr 2005

Mini-golf marathon to benefit Jimmy Fund, The Republican, MA, 27 Apr 2005

Big Man on Campus: Alexandria HS's Nelson Lee Jr. at 6' 3" carries his team and wins District 1-4A championship with 68 -- 14 greens in regulation and only 28 putts, Alexandria Town Talk, LA, 26 Apr 2005
Michael Marion, Reduce tension in your putting stroke -- lighten up the thumbs, Salt Lake Tribune, UT, 26 Apr 2005
Upbeat Singh eyes an even brighter future -- "Last year I had great results obviously, but to me I feel this year I'm more together. My whole game is more together. If I just start making a few more putts, I'll probably win a lot more events.", Sify, India, 26 Apr 2005
Big Sky Women's Championship: Northern Arizona's freshman Sophia Choi medals out of the box -- first freshman in Conference history to win -- focus on putting pays off -- Says the biggest aspect in which she has improved is her short game. Before this year, she had relied on her ball-striking ability, which allowed her to hit greens regularly. But this year she hasn't struck the ball as well. -- "It didn't hit me until this year that in order to win you have to be a good putter," she said. "I also learned that your swing doesn't always have to be pretty to play well.", Arizona Republic, AZ, 26 Apr 2005

No mystery to Vijay Singh's winning ways: Top-ten in all the big stats -- He was fifth for the week in driving distance, tied for eighth in driving accuracy, tied for ninth in greens in regulation and tied for eighth in putts per round. -- Top 10s in all four categories; that about covers it., St. Petersburg Times, FL, 26 Apr 2005

Burlington County Open at The Links Country Club: Seneca HS's Andrew Schmehl wins title -- Shawnee HS's Andrew Jacobs second with only 25 putts, Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ, 26 Apr 2005

Ed Anderson -- Figuring it out on the greens: "Gary Chase informed me that he has resorted to carrying four putters and it hasn't helped him, or me either for that matter, so I'm going to get off the carrying-more-than-one-putter concept.", Mercury-Register, CA, 26 Apr 2005

ACC Women's Chamionship: Transfer leads with putting prowess -- Ashley Dean's putting helped Wolfpack to third-place finish, The North Carolina State Technician, NC, 26 Apr 2005

LPGA Rookie of the Year Suzanne Strudwick on the comeback trail after neck surgery in July -- injured her cervical vertebra playing a shot from the rough and had disk fusion surgery -- stiff neck limits pratice on range and green -- can only putt 30 minutes -- will play in LPGA event in Knoxville to test her recovery, Knoxville News Sentinel, TN, 26 Apr 2005

This Day In Sports -- April 26, 1952: "Patty Berg of Minneapolis set a world record for women golfers today as she toured the Richmond Country Club in 30, 34â64. -- broke former record 66 of Babe Zaharias and Opal Hill -- "Miss Berg's key to success was a brand-new hammerhead putter, which she bought yesterday from the host professional, Pat Markovich. She took only eleven putts on the first nine holes for her five-under-par 30. On the return journey she had four birdies and one bogey, the latter coming when she three-putted from thirty feet away. She sank a 31-footer on the sixteenth for a birdie; she had a 25- footer on the sixth, a 15-footer on the ninth, and a 12-footer on the eighteenth. "It was the greatest round of golf I have ever played," Miss Berg said. "I wouldn't sell this putter for $100.", NY Times, NY, 26 Apr 2005

Titleist introduces new Scotty Cameron putters, iseekgolf, Australia, 26 Apr 2005

Even in soft economy, Acushnet manages increased sales -- $342.6M in 1st Quarter -- 1% above 2004 sales, while 2004 sales jumped 20% up over 2003 sales -- new putter line, drivers expected to boost sales in 2nd Quarter, PGA.com, 25 Apr 2005

Corona Morelia Championship: Carin Koch holds on for victory after Wendy Ward's triple-bogey followed by a three-putt, The Desert Sun, CA, 25 Apr 2005 Canadian Tour: Stuart Anderson birdies in to win -- cans bidie putts on 15th, 17th, and 18th holes to secure victory, SCOREGolf, Canada, 25 Apr 2005 Futures Tour: Virada Nirapathpongporn three-putts 17th and opens door for Becky Lucidi, but Lucidi fails to tie with a 12-foot attempt on 18th -- Nirapathpongporn's first pro victory, Monitor, McAllen, TX, 25 Apr 2005
Champion's Tour: Fuzzy Zoeller drove the 14th, a par-4, but four-putted for bogey, Canada East, Canada, 25 Apr 2005

Shell Houton Open: John Daly drops playoff to Vijay Singh -- "Nothing was going too good on the putter on the front nine, I missed a lot of short putts," Daly said. "But the way I finished, I'm proud of myself for coming back like that and hitting some shots when I needed to. I wished I would have done better in the playoff.", Golfing.com, 25 Apr 2005

Big 12 Women's Championship: Oklahoma State edges Texas on last hole with two-putt for one stroke win, TexasSports.com, 24 Apr 2005

Golf appears quite elementary for Bubba Watson at Virginia Beach Open -- reflects on missed 3-footer for par -- "You're never going to perfect the art of putting," Watson said. "But I'd like to get better at it. People say all the time how they'd like to hit it like I do. I wish I could putt. Each week, that's my problem.", Virginian Pilot, VA, 24 Apr 2005

Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Troon: Martina Gillen pips Clare Queen to pick up crown -- ends playoff on 1st hole by sinking a 40-footer, Scotsman, UK, 24 Apr 2005

Big 12 Women's Championship: Annie Thurman-Young's 3-foot putt on final hole wins title for Oklahoma State -- dogfight with Texas ends with last putt, Fort Worth Star Telegram, TX, 24 Apr 2005

Johnnie Walker Classic in Beijing: Adam Scott claims a three-stroke victory -- retief Goosen threatens before Scott birdies out -- Goosen, winner of the Johnnie Walker Classic in 2002, said his putting deserted him. "I suppose I have to be happy. It's better than third but I would have liked to have putted better this week, especially today. The chances were there to catch him but I didn't take it. Just nine pars on the back nine, missed a lot of putts. Good for him, well played.'', Bangkok Post, Thailand, 24 Apr 2005

Wendy Ward, Karin Koch share lead in Corona Morelia Championship -- Koch missing putts -- Lorena Ochoa before home crowd not putting well, also -- shoots disappointing 76, Covers, Canada, 24 Apr 2005

Naomichi "Joe" Ozaki hangs on to win Tsuruya Open -- crucial par putts after bunker shots -- "The key to my round today was those bunker shots and my putting was good all week, making me confident enough to go through this tournament with a positive mindset.", Seven.com.au, Australia, 24 Apr 2005

Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf: Wayne Levi lookin' good with one-stroke lead over Tom Purtzer -- changes putters and uses only 50 putts in 2 rounds -- "This one sets up better and gets the ball rolling quicker," he said. "It's a softer feel.", Hilton Head Island Packet, SC, 24 Apr 2005

David Frost at Hilton Head had 49 one-putt greens in setting Tour record low of 92 putts -- 1-putted the first 11 greens on Thursday. During that 11-hole run, Frost sank putts of 27, 23 and 24 feet, Philadelphia Inquirer, PA, 24 Apr 2005

NHL goalie Grant Fuhr fires 68 for one-shot lead on celebs -- Fuhr rolled in five birdies Ð three from beyond 10 feet. He credited the work he did a month ago at putter-maker Scotty Cameron's studio in San Marcos, where he identified some stroke flaws and was fitted with an extra heavy Futura putter. -- "It does wonders for your confidence," Fuhr said., San Diego Union Tribune, CA, 24 Apr 2005

Swinghat.net sets the tempo for drives as well as putts, Emediawire (press release), WA, 24 Apr 2005

Shell Houston Open: Golfer Joe Ogilvie meets President and Mrs. Bush between 9th green and 10th tee -- shakes hands, gets jacked, and three-putts 10th green before finishing strong, Houston Chronicle, TX, 24 Apr 2005

Columnist bogeys claim about local mini-golf, Munster Times, IN, 24 Apr 2005

Chapel Hill's Danny Gurley wins NC Mid-Amateur -- 60-foot lag does the trick -- Gurley and third-place finisher Wynn Solle of Pinehurst went to the final hole tied for the lead, but after Solle double-bogeyed the hole, Gurley had to two-putt -- from 60 feet -- to secure the title. "If I don't get my first putt to the hole, it basically comes back to me, and if I putt it past the hole, then the next putt could go back down the hill," Gurley said. "It could make you look like a fool, but luckily I put it within a foot.", Durham Herald Sun, NC, 24 Apr 2005

Colin Montgomery on Luke Donald: "He's not the best driver of the ball. He's not the best iron player. He's not the best putter. But the sum of the parts makes him very, very strong. His is a beautifully balanced action. There's no hit or force in his swing. It's all very thought-out.", Scotland on Sunday, UK, 24 Apr 2005

Big 12 Women's Championship: Texas and Perry Swenson in second after the second round -- UT senior Lisa Ferrero third after following opening 73 with 77 : "I hit the ball really well today, but I couldn't get my putter going," explained Ferrero. "I'm going to work on the practice green this evening and hopefully, I'll do a better job on the greens tomorrow.", TexasSports.com, 23 Apr 2005

Hunter River's Craig Taylor struggles on Canadian Tour -- "I haven't putted well, haven't hit it well, haven't enjoyed playing.", The Guardian, Canada, 23 Apr 2005

Nationwide Tour: Jerry Smith grabs lead at Virginia Beach Open -- "I hit a lot of greens and putted the ball really well. It's nice to be in the lead obviously and tomorrow will be another tough day and a lot can happen.", Sports Network, VA, 23 Apr 2005

John Daly's upright Shell game helps close gap on leaders -- moved into contention thanks in part to changing to a bit longer and more upright putter this week. "It just feels great to make some putts finally," he said after a round that included seven birdies, Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, 23 Apr 2005

Big 12 Women's Championship: Oklahoma State Sets Pace -- University of Missouri Tigers in 6th place -- leaving a lot of putts on the greens, CollegeSports.com, NY, 23 Apr 2005

Nationwide Tour: Troy Matteson heats up with 8 birdies in 7-under 65 round, takes lead at Virginia Beach Open -- could have been lower -- missed birdie putts of 3 and 6 feet, Virginian Pilot, VA, 22 Apr 2005

Australian Gavin Coles chasing Vijay Singh in Texas -- "That was a lot of fun," Coles said. "The balls were just going in from everywhere. It was tremendous. The first three holes, I had three putts over 20 feet and I made two of them. So, that was quite a nice start.", Winnipeg Sun, Canada, 22 Apr 2005 Six Canadian Tour players using Pinfire Eagle Putter, Golf Business Wire, 22 Apr 2005 Titleist introduces four new Scotty Cameron putters -- Studio Style series, Futura Phantom and Futura Phantom Mallets, and the new American Classic III family, Golf Business Wire, 22 Apr 2005 Aserta's Eclipse putter #1 on Canadian Tour and #2 on LPGA, Golf Business Wire, 20 Apr 2005 LPGA: Natalie Gulbis took advantage of her length off the tee and accurate iron game on the 6,763-yard Tres Marias Residential Golf Club course. Of her six birdies, five were inside 10 feet. Her longest birdie putt was a 10-footer on the par-four 11th., noticias, Spain, 22 Apr 2005 Gavin Coles right behind Vijay Singh in Texas: "If you look at the stats, it's the guy that putts the best and chips the best. It's not necessarily the guy that hits it the longest." -- On the other hand, no surprise long-hitting Singh is in lead: "To me, this course for Vijay is probably a great course for him," Coles said. "The greens are great to putt on and he's a great putter. The course is long where he's going to be hitting a lot of shorter irons into the green. That's why he's the second-best player in the world.", Cincinnati Post, OH, 22 Apr 2005 Callaway putter sales off 15% in 1st quarter, total company sales off 55%, San Diego Union Tribune, CA, 22 Apr 2005 Houston seems to suit Vijay Singh -- takes early 1-shot lead with 8-birdie no-bogey round -- "I putted really well," Singh said. "I've been playing well, but my putter has been letting me down. Today, it kind of woke up.", News24, South Africa, 22 Apr 2005 2005 Johnnie Walker Classic: Adam Scott set course record 63 in Beijing -- lots of tap-in birdies -- side trips for players to Great Wall, iseekgolf, Australia, 22 Apr 2005 Big South Men's Conference Championship: Coastal Carolina's Zack Byrd, who placed first individually, attributed the first individual win of his college career to his short game. Though he shot a solid 70 in Monday's first round, the conference Freshman of the Year was dissatisfied with his putting and spent a considerable amount of time on the practice green before the second round. "I hit it really, really, really well in first round, I just didn't putt well," said Byrd, who finished the tournament at 5 under, four strokes ahead of teammate Dustin Johnson. "In between the first and second round, coach and I practiced a little bit. I went out [Tuesday] and played a solid round, didn't get a bogey, and made a couple of 10, 12 footers.", Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, 22 Apr 2005 PE teacher Michael Pflugner builds 18-hole miniature golf course with movie-themed holes inside gymnasium to help 500 students learn lessons from golf recreation, Elkhart Truth, IN, 22 Apr 2005 Leading on the Green: Brownsville native Anthony Cantu has game -- short game, that is -- leads University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College golf team with excellent average of only 28 putts per round -- "I can't really drive the ball that well," Cantu explained. "Somehow I always manage to catch up with my short game.", Brownsville Herald, TX, 22 Apr 2005 Tom Byrum surprised to be near the front -- "I played well. I hit it much better than I scored. I'm a little disappointed with my score, but I played really well. I like the way I hit it. I just didn't putt very well.", Houston Chronicle, TX, 22 Apr 2005 The book on Nationwide Tour's Bryce Molder -- putting well these days -- "I played the par-5s in 1-over, which was kind of disappointing," Molder said. "But I putted the ball real well. I felt I could make anything within 30 feet.", Virginian Pilot, VA, 22 Apr 2005 Big 12 Women's Conference Championship: Texas A&M senior Nicole Melton, who tied for fourth place individually in 2004's conference tournament, said her team has good chemistry right now and is putting really well. "That's going to be the most important thing," Melton said. "The team that putts the best will win.", Battalion, TX, 21 Apr 2005 NZ Amateur Strokeplay: Even with his miniature training putter, Riki Kauika's (Wanganui) putting let him down, Manawatu Standard, New Zealand, 21 Apr 2005
OVC Men's Championship: Austin Peay Govs fade to 2nd at OVC tourney -- in lead going into final round looking for 4th title in past 5 years, AP team had trouble judging their putts and Samford squeeks by for the win, Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, TN, 21 Apr2005

Ole Miss redshirt Austin Brown misses SEC Championship but claims MGA Deerfield Invitational -- back-to-back 69s despite so-so putting: hit 32 of 36 greens in regulation. "I didn't make (any putts) the whole weekend, but I hit it pretty good," Brown said. "I kept myself out of trouble, that was the biggest thing.", Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, 21 Apr 2005

Happily above par -- Golf legend Arnold Palmer neither hooks nor shanks in his wine venture -- pro at golf, avid amateur in wines -- Palmer also says his collection of putters dwarfs the number of wine bottles in his cellar. "Easily, " he says, San Francisco Chronicle, CA, 21 Apr 2005

Who You Gonna Call? -- Rob Grube is a leader for Stanford Cardinals -- When his putter cost him his first victory recently, he called on his high school swing coach for a fix-up, Stanford Daily, CA, 21 Apr 2005

Sunbelt Conference Championship: University of South Alabama had to win to reach the regionals: It came down to the last group and even the last putt, but the Jaguars pulled out a dramatic one-stroke victory over Louisiana-Lafayette to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Freshman Johnny Caldwell was the Jags' hero as he rolled in a 5-foot birdie putt on the final hole to give USA the victory after Louisiana-Lafayette's Peter Badawy three-putted the final green for a bogey., Mobile Register, AL, 21 Apr 2005

Knabe Cup at Lakewood CC: Torrance HS's Lucas Lee rides 5 birdies to 68 for win -- Lee's strength was his putter, according to his coach, Devin Kushi, Daily Breeze, CA, 21 Apr 2005

Pac-10 Women's Championship: Bruins hold on to win over Arizona State -- double-digit lead in final round dwindles on back nine as putting sours, but charge by Sun Devils is too little, too late, The UCLA Daily Bruin, CA, 21 Apr 2005

OVC Men's Championship: Samford's Bradley Farmer medals to lead team to first conference title -- new track's green tough to read: "The Burningtree staff really had the course playing tough this week. The greens are new and much tougher to read. They are quicker than I have ever seen them. I knew the course would be a challenge for everyone.", The Decatur Daily, AL, 21 Apr 2005

Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2.5, Golf-Gear-Review.com (press release), PA, 21 Apr 2005

St. Joe wins on links over Mount Everett -- St Joe's Will Crall medals with 36 despite a triple on a par five -- cans a 40-footer for birdie, Berkshire Eagle, MA, 21 Apr 2005

Better listen in Jackie Burke's court -- When the dark day comes that Burke is six feet under, he wants to take a blade putter with him: "I don't know how fast the greens will be up there," he said., Houston Chronicle, TX, 21 Apr 2005

Conference USA Men's Championship: TCU Horned Frogs cruise to 26-stroke victory for 5th straight title -- Dominating team took top four individual spots with Colby Beckstrom and Drew Stoltz sharing medalist honors, CollegeSports.com, NY, 21 Apr 2005

Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf: Chi Chi Rodriquez still waving his putter like Zorro, Savannah Morning News, GA, 21 Apr 2005

Division 7-1A Championship: Cathedral's Jordan Farmer smokes the field with a 5-under 66 to lead team to its sixth title -- hot putting -- "I hit three or four bad shots. Overall, I played as good as I could. I had 27 putts. I putted real well.", Natchez Democrat, NS, 21 Apr 200

La Salle HS Spartan Robert Galletti plays ill and shoots his first round over par all year -- hit 15 greens -- "I didn't score well and I didn't putt well -- no excuses." -- Still comes thru in two-team playoff with clutch putt -- Spartans with Galletti continue six-year streak -- haven't lost a BVAL match since April 1999, Contra Costa Times, CA, 21 Apr 2005

The King of the Amateurs -- Bobby Brownell dominated Mid-Atlantic area golf from 30s to the 50s -- Congressional Club displays Brownell's well-worn putter from his schoolboy days beside the one Ken Venturi used to win the US Open, Washington Post, DC, 21 Apr 2005

NZ Amateur Strokeplay Championship: Only Adam Porker bars Michael Sim's way to title -- greens slickening up in winds -- unheralded 18-year-old Todd Sinclair from Hedgehope fires best-of-day round 66, Manawatu Standard, New Zealand, 21 Apr 2005

New Gaim Golf putter invented in Knoxville, WBIR-TV, TN, 20 Apr 2005

Mid-Prairie boys golf team help keep Kalona greens fit -- coach Jim Cayton: "We love these greens, they make us better putters.", Kalona News, IA, 20 Apr 2005

Decoy coyotes fake out geese -- keep poop off the greens, Petaluma Argus-Courier, CA, 20 Apr 2005

Taylormade sets May 10 as date to reveal its new putter technology -- putter manager Jose Miraflor and others suggest new putters "like nothing else in the industry", SCOREGolf, Canada, 20 Apr 2005

The Phillips Scramble has come a long way in 25 years -- four putters autographed by Arnold Palmer to be auctioned, Villages Daily Sun, FL, 20 Apr 2005

Sandpiper GC Men's Championship: Brain Jeffrey's `Out-of-Body' 58 -- most putts inside 12 feet -- Bell Canada retiree is best Ontario amateur -- previous best a 61 -- "It sounds silly, but I missed a 4-footer on No. 9," said Jeffery. "You can always do better.", The Ledger, FL, 20 Apr 2005

US Intercollegiate: Cardinal men golfers finish fifth after poor opening and spotty putting throughout, Stanford Daily, CA, 19 Apr 2005

Pac 10 Women's Conference Championship: Cardinals struggle on firmer and faster greens, Stanford Daily, 19 Apr 2005

Coronado golfer Ian Langdon scores rare eagle, 'albatross' double -- follows 50-foot eagle putt on12th with a 205-yard 3-wood in the cup on the fly on 13th -- rare eagle -- double eagle combo almost unheard of, San Diego Union Tribune, CA, 19 Apr 2005

TCU Horned frogs leaps to front of C-USA pack in search of 5 straight titles -- East Carolina's Robin Smith takes front position with opening 66 -- Smith started on the back nine and finished with seven birdies and just one bogey. For a while, he thought Eric Epperson's course record, a 63 two years ago in a Hooters Tour event, was within reach. "It was on my mind for a couple holes," he said. "I just started making a lot of putts, and everything (on the green) looked like I had a chance.", SunHerald.com, MS, 19 Apr 2005

WAC Women's Championship: Boise State Bronco junior Ashley Hogg starts with an uncharacteristic 82 with team standing 4th -- with stroke average of 75.89, she ranks 10th in conference -- relies upon excellent chipping and putting -- "Ashley is a very good putter," Wasinger said. "By far it's the best aspect of her game, and today she just didn't putt quite as well. That's the difference sometimes between a 75 and an 82. She'll come out of this tournament with a great two last days. There is no doubt in my mind.", IdahoStatesman.com, ID, 19 Apr 2005 NZ

Strokeplay Championship: Western Australia golfer Michael Sim on fire in Palmerston North -- career-best 63 equals course record -- "I actually hit the ball better yesterday but I got the putter going today and holed a lot of putts," Sim said. "It's my second round without a bogey. That's the key to scoring here, along with keeping the ball in play off the tee.", TVNZ, New Zealand, 19 Apr 2005

Sim Valley senior Casey Piper retooling his game -- revamped his swing with coach Bruce Hamilton from Spanish Hills but putting remains his nemesis -- Like every player who struggles with the flat stick, Piper has tried everything he could think of to improve his performance on the green. He's enlisted the help of putting coaches who have tried to give him more confidence. He's tried the long putter and the belly putter, but neither proved to be better than his conventional putter. "I have gone through a lot of coaches looking for an answer, but it still seems to hurt me," Piper said of his putting woes. "My ball-striking is a strength. When I am hitting the ball well, I hit 14 or 15 greens (in regulation), which helps with the putting problems.", Ventura County Star, CA, 19 Apr 2005

Nationwide Tour Rheem Classic: ASGA PLayer of the Decade for 1980s Ron Richard added To Rheem Field -- his team in Media Day won with 12-under -- teamed with PGA Tour Vice President Mike Stevens and Morning News staffers Chip Souza and Grant Hall for 10 birdies and an eagle to win Monday's scramble by three strokes. Highlights were birdie putts by Richard at Nos. 1, 5 and 14, and a 50-foot eagle putt by Souza at No. 3., Springdale Morning News, AR, 19 Apr 2005

Bradley Dredge reveals the secret of success -- leads European Tour in putting with 28.1 average and 1.56 putts per GIR -- Splitting the fairway with a long and powerful drive gives any golfer a thrill but putting, often under intense pressure, is where many matches are won or lost -- keys to great putting are to practice concentration and technique and to build confidence, This is London, UK, 19 Apr 2005

Long putt gives El Rancho Chico team a berth in North Zone championship to be held at Spyglass Hills and Poppy Hills in August -- team of Joedy Melashenko, Rudy Melashenko, Brent Bills and Ken Baker tied for second in Qualifier and Joedy drained a 50-footer on the second hole of sudden death to defeat a team from Oak Creek GC, Mercury-Register, CA, 19 Apr 2005

Tight Lies Tour's Coca-Cola Wal-Mart Open at the OakWing Golf Club: Charleton Dechert aiming for unprecedented Tight Lies repeat -- says putter last year won for him, Alexandria Town Talk, LA, 19 Apr 2005

Wisconsin Badger women's coach Todd Oehrlein reviews pteam play headed into Big Ten conference championship -- team working on putting after missing lots of putts at Purdue Invitational, Badger Nation, WI, 19 Apr 2005

Brad and Billy: RI's Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade grew up together in RI golf from ages 15 and 12 -- Faxon first met Andrade when Andrade putted with a tiny putter wrapped in gauze, Providence Journal, RI, 19 Apr 2005

Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf: Orville Moody, Jimmy Powell team to lead Demaret Division (over 70) -- "Jimmy Powell putted just great and when he didn't, Orville made them," Don January said. "They did it properly.", Savannah Morning News, GA, 19 Apr 2005

Peter Lonard Interview - MCI Heritage -- "I thought tee to green I played pretty good today. My putting was ordinary, but I probably left six or seven putts short right in the middle.", iseekgolf,ÊAustralia, 19 Apr 2005

NZ Amateur: Fiery player Travis O'Connell in hot form -- "I holed a lot of putts," said O'Connell. "The greens are pure, magnificent. The best I've ever played on in New Zealand.", Manawatu Standard, New Zealand, 19 Apr 2005

Mizuno T.P. Mills #8 Putters , Golf-Gear-Review.com (press release), PA, 19 Apr 2005

Owner tests fortune with mini-golf course, Mississauga News,ÊCanada, 18 Apr 2005

Rod Baronet and Bill Carstens withstand rally by Mac Blanchard and Lawrence David to win Spring Classic by 1 -- back-nine rally with 5 straight birdies capped by 30-foot downhill breaker on 14th, Alexandria Town Talk, LA, 18 Apr 2005

Darren Clarke collapses with 76, hands a less-collapsing Peter Lonard (75) first PGA victory -- David Frost broke the PGA Tour's 16-year-old record for fewest putts in a tournament, needing just 92. Frost, who finished at 6-over par, had one fewer putt than previous record holder Kenny Knox, who also set his mark at this tournament in 1989, The Spokesman Review, WA, 18 Apr 2005

Peter Lonard wins ugly at Harbour Town with highest final-round in event history (75) when Darren Clarke plays worse and loses ball on final hole -- Lonard went to his Orlando, Fla., home to switch to a conventional putter from the long, broom-handle model he had used. Despite his inconsistencies on the greens, Lonard thinks he'll keep the shorter club in his bag. "I think it had a lot of good vibes," Lonard said, Brattleboro Reformer, CT, 18 Apr 2005

Field fails to threaten collapsing leaders -- Jim Furyk has putt on 14th to get to winning number (7 under) but misses and misses other birdies coming home -- tough pin placements, The Beaufort Gazette, SC, 18 Apr 2005

Auckland's Travis O'Connell leads NZ strokeplay with opening 64 -- scares course record when he misses 0.5 meter putt, TVNZ, New Zealand, 18 Apr 2005

David Frost grabs lowest-putts record for PGA Tour with 92 -- not the lowest for the Harbour Town Links course though -- low putts due to hitting merely 25 greens in 72, Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, 18 Apr 2005

Cody Freeman grabs Sprint Open title -- surges with close approaches and a handful of 5-foot birdies, 2TheAdvocate, LA, 18 Apr 2005

If steroids are cheating, why isn't Lasik eye surgery? -- PGA Tour golfers seeking "enhanced" vision to gain an edge in competition -- makes green reading more detailed and effective, Slate, US, 18 Apr 2005

Peter Lonard hangs on for dear life and wins when Darren Clarke goes all potty -- putting looks a desparate affair for Lonard -- there he was Sunday, even while using a conventional putter in competition for the first time in five years, changing to a claw stroke on short putts and missing two four-footers that could have cost him any hope of winning, Savannah Morning News, GA, 18 Apr 2005

USGA mindful of Shinnecock cock-up in preparing Pinehurst No. 2 for US Open -- still aiming for "tough but fair" -- USGA Director David Fay said that because of the difficult greens, making sure they don't get too hard and too fast will be a priority. "We have to treat them very gingerly," he said, Winston-Salem Journal, NC, 18 Apr 2005

ACC Championship: Ryan Blaum carries Duke to its first conference title since 1966 and the first win for coach Rod Myers in his 32-year career, Winston-Salem Journal, NC, 18 Apr 2005

David Frost's lowest-putts PGA Tour record -- 92 total putts in rounds of 23, 26, 21, and 22 putts edges prior record by 1 -- no surprise records set at Harbour Town, where the greens are smaller than any other venue on Tour, Savannah Morning News, GA, 18 Apr 2005

Science and golf -- researchers looking into eye movements, practice routines, and the yips in putting, Wall Street Journal, NY, 18 Apr 2005

Marketing Nirvana -- Presidents use Callaway putters, Wall Street Journal, NY, 18 Apr 2005

Dynasty Cup, Mission Hills, Shenzhen, China: Asia overpower Japan to retain title -- Thai players contribute strongly in singles with superb putting -- Japan team not used to greens in China, Bangkok Post, Thailand, 18 Apr 2005

Duke Women Claim 10th Straight ACC Championship By Record 47 Strokes -- medalist Brittany Lang is 6th Duke player to win in 7 years -- sophomore also won last year as freshwoman -- "Today I played well and made a lot of good par saves. I didn't putt very well, but I had a lot of good up and downs.", GoDuke.com, NC, 17 Apr 2005

Spanish Open: Peter Hanson holds nerve to beat his friend Peter Gustafsson with chip on first hole of sudden death playoff -- Hanson, the overnight leader, shrugged off putting woes that caused him four three-putts in the third round, but his 30ft birdie putt lipped out on the last to set up the play-off as he carded a 71 to Gustaffson's 66, Telegraph.co.uk, UK, 17 Apr 2005

As Good As Gold -- Gold putters commemorate Open at St Andrews, 50 Connect, UK, 17 Apr 2005

John Lynch surges into lead at Mid-Pacific Open -- 3-putt green followed by birdie binge on back nine with sinks from 15, 12, 8, and 10 feet -- Ko Olina pro Kevin Carll tied for second after poor putting -- misses four birdie putts, including two inside 4 feet, Honolulu Advertiser, HI, 17 Apr 2005

Many players successful with unconventional putters, grips, Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, 17 Apr 2005

Pro, casual golfers need to pick up pace -- Jack Nicklaus' style of waiting for minutes before ready to pull the trigger on a putt today breeds slow play -- "Most people who stalk putts around the green don't know what they're looking for or even looking at.", Joplin Globe, MO, 17 Apr 2005

From wire to wire, it's Wendy Ward at the Takefuji Classic by 2 over Lorena Ochoa -- Ward used only 83 putts in the 54-hole event (average of 27.67 per round) after seeing a sports psychologist about her poor putting -- Ochoa closed strong with a 63 with lights-out putting, but it wasn't enough to catch Ward in her bogey-free round of 67, Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, 17 Apr 2005

In-Bee Park's got game -- 16-year-old finishes 5th in Takefuji Classic with 66-71-67 rounds -- deadly straight drives and arsenal of shots matched by pro demeanor on course -- just needs a little work on putting, Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV, 17 Apr 2005

Spanish Open: Peter Hanson holds onto 2-shot lead despite four 3-putts, Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, 17 Apr 2005

Canadian Tour: On the Maple Leaf Circuit, not much separates these players from the PGA Tour -- "They drive it far, they hit it straight, and if they putt well, they're in contention for the winner's purse.", Stockton Record, CA, 17 Apr 2005

Hilton Head: Peter Lonard regains MCI lead by 1 over Darren Clarke -- Clarke has bogey-filled round of 73 while Lonard regains form for 66 -- on 15th Lonard cans a long birdie putt but Clarke from a similar distance 3-jacks, Boulder Daily Camera, CO, 17 Apr 2005

Dynasty Cup, Mission Hills, Shenzhen, China: South Korea's Mo Joong-kyung and the Philippines's Angelo Que team up in four-ball competition to lead Asia into the lead over Japan -- Que's last-hole 45-footer lips out to square match against Shigeki Maruyama and Keiichiro Fukabori -- second day Que has missed winning putt on final hole, Korea Times, 17 Apr 2005

Dynasty Cup, Mission Hills, Shenzhen, China: The drama heats up -- Down 6-5, Japan avoided a two point deficit when Shingo Katayama sank a 30-foot putt on eighteen to steal a half for him and partner Takashi Kamiyama away from Asia's Jyoti Randhawa and Thaworn Wiratchant as Asia ended the day leading by a point, 6 1/2 to 5/12 headed into singles matches, NDTV, Asia, 17 Apr 2005

Spring Classic at the Alexandria Golf and Country Club: Rod Baronet and Bill Carstens blister course with an 11-under-par 61 for a three-stroke lead halfway through -- Carstens snags 7 birdies alone with many putts in the 11-18 foot range -- "It looked like a gopher going to the hole all day," Baronet said of the ball coming off his his partner's magical putter. "They were great paced putts, and every one was dead center.", Alexandria Town Talk, LA, 17 Apr 2005

Putt your way along Pine -- Long Beach business community converts Pine Avenue and the East Village Arts District into 2 nine-hole minigolf courses for prizes, Long Beach Press-Telegram, CA, 17 Apr 2005

Defrosting your golf game? -- "Turn off the Golf Channel" and visit a local pro for some tune-up drills for the short game -- practice long putts with eyes closed, talk to yourself when putting, as in "tick-tock" or "one-two" to groove your rhythm, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, SD, 17 Apr 2005

Golf drives you insane, especially putting: Fran Pirozzolo: "If you wrote an algorithm of the game, most of it is mental. The second-biggest part of it is putting and short game. Then there's hitting the ball. Then there's everything else. That's a frustrating thing: The least athletic challenge -- putting the ball -- accounts for the most variance." -- lousy putting drove teacher James Hardy off the Tour, Houston Chronicle, TX, 17 Apr 2005

Jack Nicklaus recalls the 1962 US Open at Oakmont: "Oakmont in 1962 were the fastest greens we ever putted on. They probably were about seven and a half or eight (on the stimpmeter). They weren't very fast by today's standards. But Oakmont has so much pitch that you get a ball rolling and it would roll -- most -- a lot of those old German bent grass greens there, I think it was, it all sort of was lying down the slope. So you get a ball started, there was nothing to stop a ball. It would keep going. Today with modern grasses that are very upright the ball will stop going down the slope.", Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, 17 Apr 2005

Inconsistent Cameron Beckman a mystery most years at Heritage -- not the weekend warrior he should be -- Saturday's putting not very good, Savannah Morning News, GA, 17 Apr 2005

Every so steadily, Aussie Rod Pampling makes move to the top -- string of 13 pars helped out with clutch putts of 23 and 10 feet -- improving score every round and sits within 5 of leader, Savannah Morning News, GA, 17 Apr 2005

Boilermaker Invitational: Missouri University Tigers continues to roll with aggregate 1-over and 1-under rounds -- 5-shot lead after first two rounds at Purdue -- While the Tigers had the best round of the tournament so far in the afternoon, Head Coach Mark Leroux said the team could have gone much lower. "We had a bunch of putts that didn't drop in the second round," he said. "It could have been 10- or 12-under if just a few would've fallen.", MUTigers.com, 16 Apr 2005

Tiger Woods and coach Hank Haney spell success -- Haney: "Tiger had four three-putts and a four-putt, and still won the Masters.", Scotsman, UK, 16 Apr 2005

Why Chris DiMarco will rue his dog day -- "For the last 17 holes on Sunday DiMarco was four shots better than Woods and it could, should, have been more. As sure a putter as there is in the game, he narrowly missed five putts from inside 10ft in the first 13 holes in the final round. In the game of what might have been those near-misses rank as high on the frustration-scale as his chip that lipped out on 18.", Scotland on Sunday, UK, 16 Apr 2005

Dynasty Cup, Mission Hills, Shenzhen, China: Asians turn on the magic but "Cat in the Hat" Shingo Katayama cans a crucial putt to keep Japan close for the singles matches finale -- Katayama ensured that the outcome of the Visa Dynasty Cup today remains on a sword's edge by drilling a pressure-cooker 25-feet birdie putt at the 18th hole as he and partner Takashi Kamiyama earned a well-deserved half point for Japan against Jyoti Randhawa and Thaworn Wiratchant. -- Needing to win the last hole for a half, he willed his putt into the cup, which sent the Japanese camp into wild celebrations at the greenside. -- "That putt made a big change to the score," said captain Isao Aoki, an inductee to the World Golf Hall of Fame last year. "If not for him, we could have been two behind. Now, we're only one back and in with a fighting chance." -- ÊKatayama was a relieved man: "It was a great feeling to make such a difficult putt.", Malaysia Star, Malaysia, 16 Apr 2005

Hebron Hawks golfer Sang Yi is Tigeresque -- "He's long and he hits it as straight as you can hit it," coach Corey Coursey said. "And his putting is lights out. When he's got to make it, he does. He hit a 20-foot putt for par on the 17th hole on the second day of the district meet. He's very Tigeresque.", Dallas Morning News, TX, 16 Apr 2005

ACC Championship: Georgia Tech's Robert Castro leads Yellow Jackets to best Saturday round and a share of lead with Duke -- "I putted well on the front." -- leading teams 9 shots ahead of the third team, CollegeSports.com, NY, 16 Apr 2005

ACC Championship: Duke struggles on back nine, falls into tie with Georgia Tech -- Duke leader Ryan Baum double bogeys 13th and 3-putts 18th as team drops 5-shot lead, The Ledger, FL, 16 Apr 2005

Spanish Open: Peter Hanson fires into top spot -- Swede cans 40-footer on last hole -- lots of work on putting after switch back to short putter, Queensland Sunday Mail, Australia, 16 Apr 2005

Hilton head: Darren Clarke's second 65 earns 6-shot lead as Thomas Levet and Peter Lonard lose their putting on firmer greens -- Levet took 32 putts, 8 more than Thursday: "I putted like a monkey, but this time with boxing gloves on.", Park Hills Daily Journal, MO, 16 Apr 2005

Hilton Head: Tom Kite DQ'd for signing wrong score after Charles Warren mistakenly recorded 4 on last hole instead of 5 -- 1st time in 34 years and 705 events -- Kite hit 11 fairways and took only 24 putts Thursday but only 6 fairways and 29 putts Friday, The State, Columbia, SC, 16 Apr 2005

Hilton Head: Six birdies for Darren Clarke -- a couple of bombs and a bunch of tap ins -- "While others struggled on Harbour Town's small greens, Clarke largely took putting out of the equation. He made a 20-footer at No. 15 and a 25-footer at No. 16; his other birdies came on putts of a foot, two inches, nine inches and a two-putt from 45 feet. If you keep it close, it's easier. I like those tap-in birdie putts.", Clarke said., The State, Columbia, SC, 16 Apr 2005

LSU women in tie for fifth at SEC tourney -- Lady Tigers struggling with putting, 2TheAdvocate, LA, 16 Apr 2005

Golden era ends for golf minitour -- Golden Bear Tour passes into history books with a 2-foot tap-in, Palm Beach Post, FL, 16 Apr 2005

Ryan Blaum carries Duke to first-round lead at ACC tournament -- stays patient and makes nearly all the putts that matter -- 68 good for 2-shot lead over Brad Tilley of UVA, Durham Herald Sun, NC, 16 Apr 2005

Spanish Open: Peter Gustafsson leads by two shots -- "I must have played this course 70 or 80 times. I know all the lines and all the greens pretty well.", Daily Times, Pakistan, 16 Apr 2005

Dynasty Cup, Mission Hills, Shenzhen, China: Japanese golfers take lead over Asia in Ryder-Cup style match -- Isao Aoki captaining team Japan -- Shigeki Maruyama's putting off: "I had a hard time on the putting surface. When Fukabori shot well I could not putt well so the combination was bad. The Chinese team made some awesome putts from unbelievable distances," Maruyama said., The Japan Times, Japan, 16 Apr 2005

Peter Lonard fires 9-under 62 and leads MCI Heritage after 1st round -- Lonard said he got a boost when he gave his old long-handled broomstick putter a break. His caddie told him he couldn't putt any worse using a standard short putter -- Lonard was tied for 99th in putting this season -- so Lonard flew home to Florida after missing the cut at the Masters to make the switch. He rolled in putts of 30, 20, 10 and 15 feet on the front nine. His irons took over on the back as he made four birdie putts of 8 feet or less., The Porterville Recorder, CA, 15 Apr 2005

Peter Lonard works through eye problems caused by Ross River fever -- laser eye surgery helped overcome vision defect that had ruined his green reading, Covers, Canada, 15 Apr 2005 Carrie Webb shares lead at Takefuji Classic -- starts with a three-putt on 1st hole from 30 feet then gets her putting on track -- pleasant change to putt well in contrast to most of this year so far, Independent Online, South Africa, 15 Apr 2005 2005 Baldwin County Championship at Soldiers Field GC: Fairhope seventh grader Michael Ulner grinds his way to co-medalist 75 -- "My long game was on today, but my putter was with me and against me," said Ulner. "I was terrible on the back, but I kept grinding and I started making pars.", Mobile egister, AL, 15 Apr 2005 Putter swap pays off for Peter Lonard -- abandons broomstick for conventional putter after remaining at the bottom of the field in putting for a long while -- He spent time with instructor David Leadbetter in November, and his ball-striking has been better since, but his putting has been suspect until Thursday -- "With the broomstick I'm more consistent," Lonard said. "Whereas with a short putter when I'm good I'm fantastic and when I'm bad I'm disgraceful.", Myrtle Beach Online, SC, 15 Apr 2005 Ricky Barnes on the Canadian Tour -- hitting greens and three-putting, Stockton Record, CA, 15 Apr 2005 Serra High Padres blow by St. Francis in runaway victory at Green Hills -- Jordan Cox and Brett Bocci lead juggernaut team but struggle on the greens -- greens punched and sanded and conditions gusty, San Mateo Daily Journal, CA, 15 Apr 2005 Alameda High Hornets go 10-0 in league with 9-shot win at Franklin Canyon -- top player Ki-Shui Liao holes a 60-footer for eagle on last hole, Contra Costa Times, CA, 15 Apr 2005 Four straight birdies move Thomas Levet to second -- "I made a lot of putts from 10-20 feet." -- carryover effect from playing the Masters -- "It's so difficult over (at the Masters) that any kind of course or greens will look slow and easy compared to what we had last week," Levet said., Savannah Morning News, GA, 15 Apr 2005 Dr Charles Adler: Golfers' yips may be neurological disorders, research suggests -- In five of the 10 self-described yippers, researchers saw a pattern of co-contractions of muscles in the forearm just prior to the putter striking the ball. The muscles flexed and extended at the same time. -- Botulinum (Botox) treatment may offer relief, San Luis Obispo Tribune, CA, 15 Apr 2005 DJ Trahan shoots 77 on course where his father taught for years -- 24-year-old Trahan, who switched to a long putter a few weeks ago, had 30 putts -- "I like it," he said. "I'm still trying to get used to it. I think it will be beneficial once I get used to it.", Anderson Independent Mail, SC, 15 Apr 2005
Jose Maria Olazabal's putting woes: lost BellSouth when he missed two five-footers, then missed cut at Augusta with sorry putting -- "I'd been striking the ball pretty well up until last week," he said Wednesday. "I didn't hit the ball last week, but the putting was the worst.", The State, Columbia, SC, 14 Apr 2005

Billy Casper sublime in his prime, Boston Globe, MA, 14 Apr 2005

Tiger Woods' "shot" on 16th hole at Augusta ignites Nike marketers, Berkshire Eagle, MA, 14 Apr 2005

Golfer Dave Gunas grins and bares it for autism -- "best putter in the world" hosting putting contests to benefit childhood autism efforts, Durham Herald Sun, NC, 14 Apr 2005

Digvijay Singh takes one stroke lead at Airtel Masters -- "I would have returned a better score today but for three missed birdie opportunities on the 14th, 15th and the seventh. I find it a little difficult to read the greens at the Classic Golf Resort." Newz.in, India, 14 Apr 2005

Anderson's David Sewell wins Tarheel Tour event -- "I struggled when I was on the (PGA) Tour with putting, and now my putting is pretty consistent. I make the putts I am supposed to make now.", Anderson Independent Mail, SC, 14 Apr 2005

In Casper's shadow: 1974 stop at Invercargill recalled, Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand, 14 Apr 2005

Monticello Empire League: Vintage HS Crushers pummel Napa Valley Indians on strength of Chris Proft's putting -- regripped his Scotty Cameron putter for a thicker grip and went to work snagging birdies, Napa Valley Register, CA, 13 Apr 2005

District 24-4A golf: Bay City Black Cats golfer John Bouldon goes "draino" with his putting and takes medalist honors, Rosenberg Herald Coaster, TX, 13 Apr 2005

Focus Golf of Greenville SC building new Dunlop clubs and putters with eye toward higher spot in market -- Redneck Putter getting good reviews for performance, Charlotte Observer, NC, 13 Apr 2005

Lee HS Lady Rebels win district championship in playoff -- Lee's top two players, Ashley Brassfield and Tracy Stanford made "big-time" putts to keep the Lady Rebels hopes of a district title alive -- Odessa Permian Panther's Raelyn Smith made a 30-foot putt to keep them in the running, but Lee won the playoff, MyWestTexas.com, TX, 13 Apr 2005

Final touches put on revamped River Course at Kingsmill -- Pete Dye's redesign of the course adds a new strain of heat- and disease-resistant bent grass on the greens that lets maintenance crews cut the greens to a lower setting to make them faster without leaving them vulnerable to the heat -- "We can now offer golfers the best putting greens in the region. The new hybrid grasses are far superior to any other surface, providing a firm, fast, more reliable putt.", Virginia Gazette, VA, 13 Apr 2005

Tips: Putting alignment -- draw a stripe on your ball, DetNews.com, MI, 12 Apr 2005

My Shot: Earl Woods -- how to teach a child to putt -- "Place a ball in their right hand and have them stand sideways, like you do at address. Ask them to swivel their head sideways and look at the hole. Ask them, "Do you see the picture?" Have them look down and back up at the target two more times, allowing them to ingrain that picture in their minds. Now say, "Toss the ball across your body to the picture." It works. It makes putting intuitive. The first time I tried it with Tiger, he tossed the ball to within six inches of the hole. When I eventually handed him a putter, he did even better. He used this technique to make the crucial putt on the third playoff hole against Ernie Els in the Presidents Cup.", GolfDigest.com, 12 Apr 2005

David Leadbetter: Ernie Els' 1-2 tempo on lag putting helped Michelle Wie, GolfDigest.com, 12 Apr 2005

Vijay Singh has yet to solve puzzle of Augusta greens -- last in putting this year, and not so hot when he won in 2000 -- 1.72 putts per GIR that year highest by winner since 1989, Buffalo News, NY, 12 Apr 2005

Hootie and the Blowfish host Monday after the Masters at Barefoot esort -- John Daly sinks a putter in the pond and breaks another as entertained crowd looks on -- two who went diving to retrieve putter escorted out, Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC, 12 Apr 2005

Midland HS junior Tommy Sikes takes medalist at District tourney -- "I putted awesome. I just got a new putter last week. I'd been struggling with my putting and just rode it. Awesome. The best I've putted in a while.", MyWestTexas.com, TX, 12 Apr 2005

Simon Cookson on blind-golf putting: "Once we get onto the green the target becomes that much smaller. Coming up with the ingredients for a putt are much more complicated than a full shot from the tee or the fairway. When I arrive on the green, I would always walk the putt from the hole to the ball. That allows me to measure the distance of the putt. Then I will put the club head behind the ball, try and get it in the middle. Stuart will tell me if I need to open the face of the putter or not. And once he's happy I just go ahead and make the stroke and listen for it going in!", BBC Sport, UK, 12 Apr 2005

Bruin senior golfer John Poucher's season less than golden -- not putting well, The UCLA Daily Bruin, CA, 12 Apr 2005

Consider two putters in the bag -- long putter for short putts and conventional putter for long putts, Mercury-Register, CA, 12 Apr 2005

Yale Eli golfers finish disappointing ninth at Yale Spring Opener -- "We certainly didn't perform our best, that's for sure," coach Dave Paterson said. "We had a lot of trouble on the greens. They were very bumpy, quite erratic. There was a lot of luck involved and there were a lot of four-putts." -- "The greens are aerated every fall before the ground freezes over and they remain bumpy early in the springtime. The weekend's rounds were the first on the course this season and it did not open officially to members until yesterday.", Yale Daily News, New Haven, CT, 11 Apr 2005

2005 Masters: Chris DiMarco outplayed Tiger Woods in the final round and could easily have won except for missing four birdie putts inside eight feet, Asbury Park Press, NJ, 11 Apr 2005

Chris DiMarco Comes Up Short Again in Major -- He struggled with his putter on the front side, squandering several good birdie chances, and was still three strokes down at the turn, The Spokesman Review, WA, 11 Apr 2005

Masters 3rd round, second 9: Tiger Woods goes on the rampage -- erases Chris DiMasrco's 4-shot lead in just 4 holes (10th-13th) then opens door with 3-putt on 14th and hitting water on 15th but DiMarco 3-putts 14-15- and 17, Gulf Times, Qatar, 11 Apr 2005

Ryan Moore finishes low-am at 1-under -- punctuates performance on 18th ramming in an 18-foot birdie putt, New York Daily News, NY, 11 Apr 2005

Phil Mickeslon 4-putts the 16th and drops to 10th with a final-round 74, Sunbury Daily Item, PA, 11 Apr 2005

Heavy winds spell trouble for ASU -- cause trouble for Sun Devils converting birdie putts -- finishes third in home tourney, ASU Web Devil, AZ, 11 Apr 2005

Ernie Els' game plagued by inconsistency: "Each day something else was wrong. It was putting one day, my irons the next." -- Ryan Moore: "The putter held me back the first three days. ", Ventura County Star, CA, 11 Apr 2005

Masters 3rd round, second 9: Phil Mickelson doesn't sparkle -- "I three-putted the last green and missed two eagle putts (on the par 5s) inside 12 feet. You just can't do that. I feel like I'm hitting the putts. I'm just not getting the ball to fall.", St. Petersburg Times, FL, 11 Apr 2005

Vijay Singh: 1st in GIRs but last in putting -- He was first in greens in regulation but last in putting. "I just couldn't get the feel of it," the 2000 Masters champion said. "I couldn't get the pace. I tried everything. I'm not putting badly, just can't get a feel in my hands.", St. Petersburg Times, FL, 11 Apr 2005

Harvard Crimson takes 12th at Yale's Spring Opener -- After a rough winter of heavy snows, the greens at The Course at Yale were a challenge, Harvard Crimson, MA, 11 Apr 2005

Ernie Els: only 41 GIRs and 124 putts, including five 3-putts, Indianapolis Star, IN, 11 Apr 2005

Retief Goosen ties for third with Sunday best 67 -- "It was nice," said Goosen. "I played well 2 1/2 -three rounds. I played really solid. The putter was still ice cold.", Baltimore Sun, MD, 11 Apr 2005

Shawn Kelly, Mastering putting greens, Auburn Journal, CA, 10 Apr 2005

Graeme McDowell misses cut by one: "I'm striking the ball well, but four three putts in the first 10 holes (in round one) got me behind the eight-ball early on.", IrishExaminer.com, Ireland, 10 Apr 2005

Padraig Harrington misses cut with recurrence of neck injury on the range and a cold putter -- "I don't think I've taken that many putts (35) in a round in a long time. There were too many three putts and missed putts.", IrishExamner.com, Ireland, 10 Apr 2005

Standing O for the Golden Bear: Jack Nicklaus completes his final competetive round in the Masters, Chicago Tribune, IL, 10 Apr 2005 Chris DiMarco: 44 holes without a bogey -- "The putter is there. The speed is good and I'm seeing the line really well.", DetNews.com, MI, 10 Apr 2005 Tiger Woods' longest birdie putt was 15 feet, while two came from just 4 and 6 feet, and two others of the two-putt variety after reaching the par-5 13th and 15th in two. The lone blemish was the bogey at the 440-yard 14th where he three-putted from 20 fert, Colmbus Ledger-Enquier, GA, 10 Apr 2005 Chris DiMarco has 4-shot lead with 27 holes to play and Tiger Woods behind him -- 44 holes without a bogey -- "I made a bunch of good 5-, 6-, 7-footers for par all day today, and that's what you have to do around here.", The Journal News.com, NY, 10 Apr 2005 Chris DiMarco going it alone -- no swing teacher, no psychologist, no trainer -- "How can I take advice from an instructor about making a putt in front of thousands of people on national TV when that instructor has never been in that situation? How can he tell me how I should feel?", GolfDigest.com, 10 Apr 2005 Chris DiMarco leads Masters by 4 -- in 9 holes of 3rd round, has 6 one-putts and total of 12 putts -- Tiger Woods' putter also catches fire -- All of a sudden I started making putts. The momentum got on my side and I kept making putts." -- shoots 31 over 9 in 3rd round, Toledo Blade, OH, 10 Apr 2005 Tiger Woods finds his stride -- hits 24 of 27 greens on Saturday and faces lots of short putts -- 66 in 2nd round was best of field -- 5-under 31 thru 9 in 3rd round so far, Holland Sentinel, MI, 10 Apr 2005 Sergio Garcia 3-putts from 4 feet and misses the cut, Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, 10 Apr 2005 Second-round 77 after 40 on back nine punches a hole in Luke Donald's chances -- "I didn't hit the ball quite as well and really struggled around the greens," Donald said after the second round. "I missed a bunch of putts from inside 10 feet.", Chicago Tribune, IL, 10 Apr 2005 Augusta National: These greens fast, furious, Chicago Tribune, IL, 10 Apr 2005 Amateur Ryan Moore suffers a 4-putt double bogey on 1th but makes the cut in style anyway, Augusta Chronicle, GA, 10 Apr 2005 Putting presents problems for Vijay Singh -- 47th in field with 79 putts, 13 more than leader Chris DiMarco -- says greens are chewed up from too much play in a single day, Augusta.com, GA, 10 Apr 2005 Tom Purtzer comes to visit his daughter at Sydney University and decides he might as well play -- wins PGA Seniors Championship despite his lackluster putting and despite strong run by Scot John Chillas with a red-hot putter, PGA of Australia, Australia, 10 Apr 2005 Mike Weir's putting shows up in Amen Corner -- looking for a top-ten finish in T7 with 21 holes to play, Edmonton Sun, Canada, 10 Apr 2005 New 'Fighting Joe' addition to Robert Trent Jones Trail can stretch at the tips to over 8,000 yards -- The bent grass greens are huge, imaginatively shaped, putt very true, and not severely sloped, Huntsville Times, AL, 10 Apr 2005 Master Chokes in the past -- Ed Sneed and then Greg Norman, New York Daily News, NY, 10 Apr 2005 Inexplicable 4-putt from 40 feet on 10th takes amateur Ryan Moore out of contention to win, but not out of contention for a top-ten finish, Seattle Times, WA, 10 Apr 2005 David Duval flirts with lead then misses cut and goes back to 'real life' with his pregnant wife -- "I'm ready to go home. That is going home to real life. Not this fantasy world we are privileged to live in. I'm excited to go home and rub my wife's stomach.'' -- Fred Funk has 33 putts and misses cut but recovery of friend from brain aneurysm is all the good news he needed to hear, Miami Herald, FL, 10 Apr 2005 For defending champ Phil Mickelson, this year at Augusta is a struggle, Baltimore Sun, MD, 10 Apr 2005 David Toms misses cut by 4 -- "I didn't hit anything close, and when I did I didn't make any putts." -- failed to make a single putt outside 20 feet in two rounds, 2TheAdvocate, LA, 10 Apr 2005 Quiet Mike Weir making late surge with putting form of 2003 -- Chris Dimarco: only 66 putts thru 45 holes -- Tiger Woods: never won a major coming from behind after 54 holes, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA, 10 Apr 2005 Mark 'Crocodile' Hensby leads Aussies at Masters 8 back -- Craig Parry: "I had six three-putts, two (in the first round) and four today. That's not good enough at this level. Three over with four three-putts is good playing, but it's frustrating throwing shots away.", Age, Australia, 10 Apr 2005 Oregon State Beavers women's golf 8th in Stanford -- freshman Jessi Gebhardt hits 15 greens but takes 37 putts to tie for 19th with 76, OSUBeavers.com, 10 Apr 2005 Jay Haas enjoys dream pairing with Jack Nicklaus -- makes the cut despite six 3-putts, Anderson Independent Mail, SC, 10 Apr 2005 Jack Nicklaus: All I Know -- Putting: "If you're not putting well, shorten your stroke and hit the ball more firmly. Gordon Jones [a fellow-competitor] gave me that tip just prior to the 1967 U.S. Open, and it made the angels sing. I won the championship. -- When you get in position to putt, set your head and eyes so you can glance at the hole without swiveling your head. Your eyes are riveted on the ball when you make the stroke and your head must be kept still, but you also want to be target-oriented. -- I putted with my glove on because I didn't want to remove it 18 times a round.", GolfDigest.com, 10 Apr 2005
Phil Mickelson's spikes unduly marring the greens leads to locker room confrontation, The Ledger, FL, 9 Apr 2005 THE MASTERS: Diary: Jay Haas suffers four three-putts and misses three other putts inside 8 feet, noticias.info (press release), Spain, 9 Apr 2005 R&A has Rule under review -- considering exception to ban against standing on or astride line of putt when necessary to avoid another player's line, noticias.info (press release), Spain, 9 Apr 2005 Bushranger Mark "Crocodile" Hensby never forgets where he comes from, Fort Worth Star Telegram, TX, 9 Apr 2005 Kevin Le Tissier's 40ft birdie putt from off the green on the last hole earned his team the outright victory in the L'Ancresse club's Officemaker Team Golf event, Guernsey Weekly Press, UK, 9 Apr 2005 Phil Mickelson switched to longer spikes at Players Championship -- using 8 mm spikes instead of 6 mm at Augusta National -- questioning by Rules officials after his spikes marred 12th green, Mickelson becomes "extremely distracted" and bogeys 14th and missed birdies on 2 par fives, New York Daily News, NY, 9 Apr 2005 Jay Haas has already recorded four three-putts and he's just 19 holes into the tournament -- 4 over with 17 holes left in his second round -- only 26 players left who have yet to three-putt, Boston Globe, MA, 9 Apr 2005 Mike Weir fighting for pars thanks to poor iron play -- making 6-footers to stay in the fight -- Augusta's greens kept drained by subair system that sucks the water under and out, Salt Lake Tribune, UT, 9 Apr 2005 Mukesh Kumar sets national record in DDA golf with 11-under 59 -- "I will credit today's score to my putting.", Newz.in, India, 9 Apr 2005 Titanium Enterprises Australian PGA Seniors Championship, 2nd round: Tom Purtzer leads into final round by 6 -- follows 65 with 70 -- says he needs to sharpen up his putting for final round in rain-shortened event, PGA of Australia, Australia, 9 Apr 2005 Tour players turn to mind mentors -- Bob Rotella doesn't say anything players don't already know -- just encoraging stuff, Middletown Press, CT, 8 Apr 2005 Stephen Ames' start off target -- three-putting and missed short putts force Ames to struggle to survive cut, Toronto Sun, Canada, 8 Apr 2005 Priorities for winning at Augusta: Retief Goosen needs under 114 putts, Richmond Times Dispatch, VA, 8 Apr 2005 Ames cramming in practice before first-ever Masters -- trying to get a handle on the wavelike contours and slopes of the fabled greens -- learning where not to hit to the greens a key factor, Canada.com, Canada, 9 Apr 2005 Madeira Island Open suspended by fog -- David Higgins with 66 holds second -- "I holed a few nice putts on the front nine and then didn't get anything on the back nine, but I'm playing nice so it's ok.", Fall River Herald News, MA, 8 Apr 2005
World's Largest Putting Tournament Includes 100 Events to Benefit Autism, Hebron, CT, 8 Apr 2005
Tiger Woods putts off the green into the creek and an eagle try becomes a bogey, Modesto Bee, CA, 8 Apr 2005

David Toms, preparing to putt on the 14th green, saw a gust of wind blow his ball back off the green into the fairway, Asheville Citizen-Times, NC, 8 Apr 2005

Luke Donald starting out in fine form at Augusta -- only one back -- nailed a 35-foot putt from off the fringe, ic Wales, UK, 8 Apr 2005

Billy Casper -- rhymes with "Master" and also with "Disaster", Belfast Telegraph, UK, 8 Apr 2005

Billy Casper on his opening-round 106 at Augusta: "This is going to slow my momentum down.", San Diego Union Tribune, CA, 8 Apr 2005

Jerry Kelly was ready to toss his putter out after a 3-over 75. Kelly hit eight of 14 fairways, but needed 34 putts. "I'm going to go get a putter," he said in disgust as he walked past his bag and into the clubhouse. "Maybe throw that (one) out.", Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, IN, 8 Apr 2005

Inability to hole short putts for par early in round saps momentum from Steve Flesch -- "I've been getting off to really poor starts. I make a couple bogeys early, and it's hard to make up.", Cincinnati Post, OH, 8 Apr 2005

Diary: Putts keep Ryan Palmer in game, birdie builds his confidence, Augusta.com, GA, 8 Apr 2005

Tiger Woods avoids Masters sanction for tap-in putt - caller questions whether he was standing astride the line of the putt -- Rules officals conduct a review and find no violation, ic Coventry, UK, 8Apr 2005

Chris DiMarco starts strong with birdie putts of 25, 10, and 5 feet, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL, 8 Apr 2005

Darren Clarke opts to finish lats hole after darkness horn but three-putts, BBC News, UK, 8 Apr 2005

Phil Mickelson's quest to join the exclusive Masters back-to-back club suffers a little toe stubbing with a 3-putt bogey, but he recovers, Athens Banner-Herald, GA, 8 Apr 2005

Looking to improve? Start with your putting, OCRegister, CA, 7 Apr 2005 Singapore's Mardan Mamat takes top spot as 4 Indians miss British Open berth -- Mamat: "I was getting frustrated on the front nine as I was hitting the ball well but not converting the putts. I missed putts of six feet on the third and fourth holes and then three putted the fifth. But I kept reminding myself to not lose sight of St Andrews.", Rediff, India, 7 Apr 2005 Ben Hogan The Hawk, Golf-Gear-Review.com (press release), PA, 7 Apr 2005 Sam Weinnman on Phil Mickelson's stroke: "Long a graceful putter, he has tightened his stroke so it holds up better in tense spots.", The Journal News.com, NY, 7 Apr 2005 Phil Mickelson facing ugly rumors and questions from press -- Hubert Green's near-miss at the 1978 Masters recalled -- missed a 3-foot put on 18th to tie Gary Player, Moblie Register, AL, 7 Apr 2005 Masters rich with trivia -- Mike Weir in 2003 had only 1.44 putts per GIR -- Jose Maria Olazabal in both 1994 and 1999 had zero 3-putts, Bradenton Herald, FL, 6 Apr 2005 Distance trumps accuracy on tour -- rare for short-hitter like Mike Weir to win -- won 2003 Matsers with only 52% GIRs due to only 103 putts -- Jack Nicklaus: "I feel sorry for the guys who really learned how to hit a golf ball and play golf shots. Maybe I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but I like my game better.", Middletown Press, CT, 6 Apr 2005 Augusta doesn't reward straight drives or good ballstriking -- Nick Price: "I never had any luck here. Being a straight driver of the ball, you were never rewarded here. It didn't matter how good an iron player you were, you always were going to end up with 30- or 40-foot putts." -- recalling his record 63 round in 1986: "I putted unbelievably well. There was very little wind and the greens were a little more receptive. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being firmest, they were a 7. It was a day when you could score like that and I drained everything.", Boston Globe, 6 Apr 2005 Knowledge is power at Masters -- Phil Mickelson: "I know there were some putts that I haven't made in 12 years out here and I've got to go out every year and try to practice it and learn it and learn how these certain putts break. They are very tricky.", New York Journal news, NY, 6 Apr 2005
Augusta National fast, firm, scary, Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, 5 Apr 2005

Phil Mickelson outlasts five in playoff at BellSouth Monday finish -- polishes off win with lengthy birdie on 4th playoff hole -- Jose Maria Olazabal misses 5-footer on 18th for outright win and again misses 5-footer for playoff win, Asbury Park Press, NJ, 5 Apr 2005

The day Nick Price tamed the Masters -- 1986's Staurday round record 63 with great putting, ic Liverpool, UK, 5 Apr 2005

Sergio Garcia's putting continues to sink lower -- fiddling with it, says he's anxious on the greens and often peeks after his putts, The News-Press, FL, 5 Apr 2005

Vanderbilt golfer and US Am runner-up Luke List prepares his short game for Augusta -- "I'm not a bad putter, but my goal is to be a great putter. I realize that's what will get me to where I want to be. Getting there has been a gradual process and has taken me a little longer, but I think I can get there.", Nashville City Paper, TN, 5 Apr 2005

Augusta's greens demand a master putter -- preparation includes practicing on basketball courts, driveways, pool tables, Dallas Morning News, TX, 5 Apr 2005

Phil Mickelson Interview - BellSouth Classic -- on learning Augusta National: "Each hole is a birdie hole, given where the pin is. You don't know that the first time you get there. You think it, you kind of realize it, but you don't know where all the balls seem to funnel, you haven't had enough time to learn each one of those putts, how it breaks. I mean, you can see that it breaks left to right, but those extra couple feet of break, the difference between a 3 footer and a 5 footer really wears on you over the course of 72 holes.", iseekgolf, Australia, 5 Apr 2005

John Daly's Masters prep: 4-hour days for 5 days on an Arkansas green shaved to Stimp 21, Telegraph.co.uk, UK, 5 Apr 2005

FSU's Whitney Wright's World: Getting Ready For The ACC Championship -- "My biggest challenge has come on the putting green. I changed my putters twice and that has obviously been a challenge for me. I putted well at the Ryder/Florida and I am going to stick with that putter for the remainder of the season. Figuring out which putter and which way I was going to putt has been my biggest challenge. It's been hard to overcome. If you have no confidence in your putting than you are in big trouble. If you are standing over a putt and don't think you can make it, you are definitely not going to make it. This weekend, I stood over the ball and had confidence that I would make every putt I made.", Seminoles.com, 4 Apr 2005

Quote of the day: "Give me golf clubs, fresh air, and a beautiful partner -- and she better be able to putt." - Anonymous, Terre Haute Tribune Star, IN, 4 Apr 2005

Committed fans of sand-greens golf keep Baldwin Golf Course open in Kansas, Kansas.com, KS, 4 Apr 2005

Bright days for Vijay Singh -- says key to 2004 season was putting -- "I think the key was in the second half of the year. I really putted well. Whenever I'm putting well, I have a chance of winning golf tournaments.", Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH, 4 Apr 2005

To celebrate the Old Course hosting the Open Championship for an historic 27th time, a limited edition gold putter has been created, BunkerShot.com, TX, 4 Apr 2005

Ian Poulter set for second Masters challenge -- "One thing I'll do differently is change my practice routine. Last year, I spent a lot of time hitting balls but this time I'll concentrate more on putting, spending at least an hour a day on the practice green, and learning some of the putts.", BBC Sport, UK, 4 Apr 2005

TaylorMade Tour Series Daytona 1-02 Putters, Golf-Gear review, 4 Apr 2005

Never Compromise Sub 30 D3 Putters Golf, Golf-Gear review, 4 Apr 2005

MacGreggor V-Foil 5K Putter Putters, Golf-Gear review, 4 Apr 2005

1992 US Am champ Mitch Voges recalls the greens at Augusta: "There are about 14 greens where you can comfortablly putt the ball off the green. I am not talking about a hack, I am talking about good players.", Ventura County Star, CA, 4 Apr 2005

Masters rookie Joe Ogilvie has the flatstick for Augustat not the experience -- second in putting average and first in putts per round -- "I know you have to putt well there and I feel like I'm a good putter.", Winston-Salem Journal, NC, 4 Apr 2005

That was UGLY! -- Paul Braodhurst is given his first win in a decade after overnight leaders Barry Lane and Paul Lawrie massacre the last two holes with brutally stupid golf -- Lane takes a bogey 5 on 17th while Lawre takes a triple-bogey 7 -- needing only to par the 18th to win, Lane takes a quituple-bogey 9 -- Lawrie facing a 12-foot putt on 18th to tie leaves it short, icWales, 4 Apr 2005

Phil Mickelson moves into contention in BellSouth -- 15 GIRs and 27 putts, Savannah Morning News, GA, 4 Apr 2005

Putting woe? Join the club, Scotsman, UK, 4 Apr 2005

What happened to quality local mini-golf?, Munster Times, IN, 3 Apr 2005

Run-up to Augusta: Chicago Sun-Times, IL, 3 Apr 2005

David Leadbetter gives cool-hand Luke the thumbs up for his Augusta challenge -- likes Ian Poulter's putting -- regards Tiger Woods as best pressure putter on Tour because of his mental toughness, Telegraph.co.uk, UK, 3 Apr 2005

Sergio Garcia: "To win a major is what we live and work hard for ... I am playing well and I have had my chances and my putting has let me down a bit, but I really feel I am getting there.", Telegraph.co.uk, UK, 3 Apr 2005

PSPB Open at the Delhi Golf Club: Mukesh Kumar edges ahead of S.S.P. Chaurasia -- both dropping birdie bombs from long range with the putter, Hindu, India, 3 Apr 2005

Augusta's four par 3s are one of a kind -- difficulty landing tee shot close to the pin results in many 50-foot lags, MSNBC, 2 Apr 2005

Allen HS sophomore Sarah Zwartynski, 16, wins Ping Junior Championship at the Woodlands by 1 stroke -- errant drives saved by the putter -- only 25 putts in final round, Allen American, TX, 1 Apr 2005

Remembering Ky Lafoon -- a player on the PGA Tour in the late '40s, who would punish his putter after a bad round by tying it to the bumper of his car and dragging it home, Villages Daily Sun, FL, 1 Apr 2005

Gerald R. Ford Museum to host Bob Hope exhibit -- includes putter President Nixon gave Hope in 1972, Muskegon Chronicle, MI, 1 Apr 2005

Heavy Putter Outperforms Competition in Scientific Test by Rankmark and Max Out Golf Labs, WorldGolf.com, 1 Apr 2005 The greens at Sugarloaf, GCSAA - News, 1 Apr 2005 Scotty Cameron Red X2, Golf-Gear-Review.com (press release), PA, 1 Apr 2005 Aussie golfing great Jack Newton: At Augusta, "it all comes down to putting.", Seven.com.au, Australia, 1 Apr 2005 Portuguese Open at Oitavos Golf: Barry Lane exacts revenge on 18th in 2nd round -- holes 40-foot putt for birdie and share of lead, Sportinglife.com, UK, 1 Apr 2005 Flagships of the Caribbean -- latest Royal Caribbean cruise ship 'Mariner of the Seas' features 9-hole miniature golf course among amenities, MSNBC, 1 Apr 2005 Don't let the picture of Snoopy on his putter fool you -- three-year-old Jeremy Jones can play some bigtime golf, WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN, 1 Apr 2005