Putting is about half the game numerically and among the pros there are good and bad putters. Tom Watson was an excellent putter for most of his career by hitti

Putting is about half the game numerically and among the pros there are good and bad putters. Tom Watson was an excellent putter for most of his career by hitting firm putts that got past the hole, but he famously missed a 6 footer to win The Open at age 59 by hitting a soft putt that barely made it to the hole. In Jordan Spieth's annus mirabilis 2015 he was by far the best putter from 20-25 feet on tour. On the other hand, if Dustin Johnson could putt as well as he plays the long game he would have won a lot more championships. Innovations tend to get banned. Sam Snead's croquet style putting astride the line was banned and the long putters with the top locked into the body to act as a pendulum also banned. Nothing is worse than amateurs imitating professionals and taking forever lining up a putt from all four sides unless maybe it is on the final green of the club championship.