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To golfers there is nothing worse than missing a two- or three-foot putt.

Wednesday Mar 13, 2002.     By Don Steele

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To golfers there is nothing worse than missing a two- or three-foot putt. It seems that the player spends so much time trying to hit the ball a great distance from tee to green that when it comes to a two or three foot putt, there is a loss of focus. Thi s lack of concentration due to the short distance causes missed putts and increased scores. Players have a tendency to try to coax the ball the last 36 inches or so rather than take a firm and controlled stroke at the target.

Short putts are missed for two reasons: direction and distance. The direction problem can be solved by doing the following. The heads of most putters on the market are approximately four inches in length. The cup is also four inches in diameter. Envi sion two lines, one running from the toe of the putter blade to the outside of the hole and the other running from the heal to the inside of the hole. These two lines create an imaginary channel. When taking a putting stroke do not allow the putter blad e to cross either line on the heal side or the toe side. This will stop the ball from being pushed or pulled. Most putts of this length will not break more than a couple inches so the break of the putt is of no real concern. The ball may go in on the i nside edge or the outside edge but won't miss the hole.

A distance problem can be as easily corrected. After contacting the ball during the stroke, follow the ball with the blade of the putter to the hole in the follow through. This will cause a proper follow through and make the ball travel at the appropria te speed to be holed. This part of the stroke can also tell you whether or not you are keeping the club head in "the channel."

Using this technique, creating a comfort zone within two and three feet, your lag putts will become more consistent. Rather than seeing a four inch hole 30 feet away, you will see a six foot diameter hole. This will allow you to stroke your longer putts more freely and help to lower your score.

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Kirk Lundbeck has been a member of the Professional Golfers' Association of America since 1988 and has been an instructor of golf since 1982. He is highly sought after as an instructor and clinician throughout Northern Illinois. Kirk has been a featured clinician at the Illinois PGA/Chicago Tribune Golf Clinics, had articles published in Golf Illustrated and Chicagoland Golf magazines, and has made several appearances on Chicagoland Television's (CLTV) Golf Extra Program. He has been giving lessons over the internet since 1994.