(Photo above: Ben Crenshaw after winning the 1973 Western Amateur)
Characteristics of Ben Crenshaw’s Putting Stroke
• Open stance
• Ball is forward in his stance
• Right shoulder lower than his left
• With grip, his thumbs are on top of the shaft
• Very long backswing
• Hands in front of the blade for the entire stroke
• After impact, the butt of the putter points to his left armpit
But Don’t Try to Copy Him
Crenshaw has said: “I don’t think there’s any right or wrong way to putt.” Crenshaw is saying we shouldn’t get too wrapped up in the mechanics. Pace, feel, and greens-reading are more important than mechanics.
Some of Crenshaw’s beliefs about putting:
• Most people grip the putter too tightly.
• Never try to look like anyone else when you’re putting (Crenshaw quoting Harvey Penick)
• Pace is more important than the line. Pace is vital.
• Stay down through the putt, don’t be anxious to see the result
Compare Ben Crenshaw’s Putting Stroke To
• Bobby Locke
Video Vault of Ben Crenshaw’s Putting Stroke
Some great ground-level shots of Crenshaw’s stroke:
Highlights of Crenshaw at The Masters — includes some exquisite putting:
Face-on of Crenshaw’s stroke compared with Loren Roberts’s stroke, with analysis by Brandel Chamblee:
Crenshaw discusses his putting with Dave Stockton:
Products You Might Enjoy
• Stan Utley’s “The Art of Putting: The Revolutionary Feel-Based System for Improving Your Score”
• “Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime in Golf”
