Two of the best putters in the world give simple tips to help any player
Denny McCarthy and Cam Smith are regarded by many as the best putters in professional golf, their simple tips may help you on the greens this season.
As the saying goes, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” On the PGA Tour there is also a certainty, among his peers, Denny McCarthy is regarded as the best putter on tour. Patrick Cantlay has went as far as calling McCarthy the “best putter in the world without exception.” McCarthy has backed that strong comment up, leading the tour in strokes gained putting multiple times and in 2024 he was first on the PGA Tour in total putting.
McCarthy recently joined the Subpar Podcast and gave some simple and usable advice that golfers everywhere can implement. When discussing putting, he talked about how focusing on putting the ball in the hole when standing over it may not be the best way for most players.
“I’d say pick something close by to aim at and then focus on that, something close by, not near the hole, something you can track closer to you and use whatever that is. I’m not very mechanical so I’m not going to throw out a mechanical tip. I’m just going to say visualize the arc around the spot essentially, and I like that spot typically to be closer to me than the hole,” said McCarthy.
Could becoming a better putter really be as simple as this? Next time you are out playing or practicing, take a few minutes to try this visual out and see if it pays off. Simple advice from possibly the best putter on the planet should always be welcomed by players looking to get better.
If there are any player out there that could challenge McCarthy for the best putter label, it could be the 2022 Open Championship winner Cam Smith.
Smith’s simple advice will be seen as blasphemy to many teaching pros around the world that for years have preached “soft hands” and a like grip on the putter. Smith claims this is a myth saying “I used to hold the putter quite softly and that led to maybe some not so good activation and setup stuff, so I actually got told to hold the putter a little bit tighter, and as silly as it sounds, activate the right muscles. And from there, the putter just swings on itself, so stop holding the putter so soft, it’s a myth.”
Smith elaborated even more on his take saying, “I try to minimize wrist movement, and I think it happens quite naturally with a bit of a stronger grip, I don’t like to let the putter flow too much. I don’t like soft hands, and actually prefer to hold the putter quite firm and think that natural wrist hinge kind of just happens in the stroke.”
There you have it, two simple ideas or thoughts from two of the best putters in the game right now. Could it really be as simple as picking a spot other than the hole and tightening your grip that could lead to you playing better golf? For all of us looking to get better on the greens, let’s hope so.