Tip #45: Be Brave And Be Bold

I advise you to play as aggressively as you feel each and every day. That advice actually applies to the long game, but once you're on the green you should try to do the same thing every day on every putt -- ram it into the back of the hole.

Regardless of the situation, Norman has one goal when he stands over a putt -- to sink it.

Hubert Green, whose game and record I respect greatly, has a different philosophy of putting than I. He says his object on long putts is to leave the ball in the best place for his next putt. That may sound strategic, but to me it's simply negative thinking. If you entertain the possibility of a "next" putt, you're not focusing on sinking the one you have.

You'll note that I'm rarely short with my putts, whether they're hit from 60 feet or 6 feet. I frankly don't care where I leave the ball because if for some reason I don't sink my first putt, I'm absolutely confident I'll sink the next one, no matter where I leave it. Indeed, no matter where on the green, where in the world, where in the tournament I stand, I have but one goal when I stand over a putt -- to sink it.

As important as this bold, aggressive stroke is to my game, it's even more important to yours. In fact, I can think of 10 good reasons why every amateur golfer should putt aggressively.

1. You'll improve your chances: there are only four ways to miss a putt-by hitting it too far to the left, too far to the right, too long, or too short. However, if you strike all of your putts firmly to the hole, you'll immediately eliminate one of those four ways.

2. Statistics have proved, bold is best: Dave Pelz, the man nicknamed "Professor Putt" because of the voluminous research he has done on all aspects of putting, has proved that the ideal putt is a firm one. Using a special putting robot, Pelz hit thousands of putts and showed that the putt that has the best chance of dropping is one that is struck with sufficient force to take the ball 17 inches past the hole.

3. A firm stroke is a good stroke: A bold putter always hits the ball with an accelerating motion through impact, and a steady, smooth, accelerating stroke is one of the marks of all proficient, confident putters.

4. The psychological factor: Think back on the last time you missed several putts in a row by leaving them short. Pretty mad at yourself, weren't you? Chronic shortness can unravel even the best players. But if you miss a few putts by hitting them past the hole, the effect is rarely as severe. At least you have the consolation that you gave them all a chance.

The putt that has the best chance of dropping is one that is struck with enough force to take it 17 inches past the hole.

5. A bold stroke travels best: Some greens are better conditioned than others. A lagging type of stroke may work fine on smooth, fast greens, where you can gently roll the ball to the hole, but on coarse, bumpy greens lagging rarely works. The aggressive method, on the other hand, is equally suited to any green, and it can give you a big edge when you're competing on shaggy surfaces.

6. Bold is best on long putts: If you go past the hole on your approach putt, you can watch how the ball behaves near the cup. For instance, when the ball tails off from left to right, you can be pretty certain that your return putt will break from right to left. If you leave an approach putt short of the hole, however, you have no "experience" near the cup, and the speed and break of your second putt will necessarily be something of a guess. That uncertainly can make the hole seem very small.

7. Bold is best on short putts; Except on the most severe slopes, if you strike the ball firmly for the back of the cup, you'll be able to aim your 2- and 3-footers straight at the hole. This takes a lot of the difficulty and worry out of the kneeknockers. Both your confidence and your competence will increase.

8. Boldness helps you analyze your stroke: When you get the ball to the cup every time, you can begin to see patterns in your putting. You may have an alignment problem that makes you hit everything to the right. Or there may be a weakness in your stroke that causes you to pull the ball to the left. But if you tend to leave the ball short a lot, you can't observe these things as easily.

9. Bold is best for match play: In match play, the format under which most weekend players compete, an aggressive stroke is even more important than for those of us on the pro circuit. Sinking a long putt on the Tour means only that we lower our 72-hole medal score by one stroke. Sinking a long putt in a match often means winning the hole, sometimes winning the match itself. And it always has an unsettling effect on one's opponent.

10. Bold is best for amateurs: You may never be able to hit a drive as hard as I do, but there's no reason you can't putt the ball as hard as I do, and a big reason why you should. After all, you can recover from a short drive with a good iron; you can recover from a short approach with a deft chip. But there's no recovering from a putt that is left short -- the stroke is lost forever. So don't cheat yourself in this area where you have every capability, and at last 10 reasons, to be bold and proficient.

- Greg Norman