Inside Comments: Steve Turcotte

Myrtle Beach World Am woes: When the putts don’t drop, it spells trouble

I read a stat recently that PGA Tour star Shane Lowry went 287 holes without a three-putt. That made me feel like the worst putter ever. I can’t go three holes without a three putt.  I have never been the world’s best putter. Just ask my friends. They are always much too quick to want to get into a putting contest on the practice green before a round. Not only does money leave my wallet after a round of golf, it always leaves it after the game on the putting green.

I have tried everything through the years. Different putters. Different grips. Putting while  looking straight at the hole. Putting with eyes closed (yes you read that right). Putting left handed. Nothing works, although sometimes they work for a quick fix.

But in the long run – I stink. And on a recent trip to the Myrtle Beach World Amateur, the stink from my putting grew even worse.

I had played a handful of rounds before the four-day tournament and my putting was tolerable. Only a few three putts and in fact a few that went in from long range.

But on the first hole of the first round trouble was brewing early. I sent a 25-foot putt six feet past the hole. Then the six-footer was short. And presto, an easy three putt after hitting the green in regulation. Same story on the second hole. Driver, 8 iron to 20 feet. Instant three jack.

It didn’t get much better. The final totals for the first round was an 82 on the scorecard with 41 putts, and I wish that was a typo. There was even a crowd-pleasing four-putt along the way.

It wasn’t much consolation when my cart partner said “man you should have had a 76 or 77. “You just need to get that putter going.”

Geez, thanks for that bit of information.

It got so bad in the second round that my playing partners started to feel sorry for me after my third three-putt on the front side. Some were trying to give me tips. Some were showing me different grips. Nothing worked.

I figured there was only one reason for this pathetic showing – right between my ears. Once the bad putting started I couldn’t fix it.

And tell me if you have done this before. I would put a second ball down and putt it and it would go in or get close. My Player B is one of the best around, too bad I can’t get Player B to stand in For Player A when it comes to putting.

The second round totals were almost as embarrassing with a score of 83 and a whopping 40 putts. And toward the end there was a four-putt that was needed to be seen to be believed. I hit a 15-foot putt to two feet- ran it a foot by and then missed the tap in for another crowd-pleasing double bogey after hitting the green.

It didn’t get much better in the next two rounds in fact on one hole I decided to putt with a driver. I two-putted from 20 feet but looked like an idiot for putting with my driver. But since I was playing that way anyway, it seemed like the thing to do.

I have taken putting lessons and tried to put things into motion. But the bottom line is it is all between the ears for me. Maybe I can just play golf to the green pick up and then move on to the next tee. Or figure out this Player B thing.