If you prefer the look of a blade putter over a mallet, that’s fine, but I’ve always felt that blade models are more challenging to align. A mallet offers more of a straight-back and straight-through feel to the stroke, but a blade seems to move on a slight in-to-in arc in relation to the line of the putt. It’s more feel versus real, but it does influence aim.
To be sure you’re lining up over your blade putter correctly, try this drill to check if you’re standing too far away from the ball – a common mistake.
Find a straight four-foot putt and set a ball down. Then, a few inches in front of it, place a ball marker, making sure both are aligned in relation to the cup. Take your address position and see if the marker still appears on-line with your ball and the hole [above bottom]. If it doesn’t [above top], adjust your stance until they line up. Now go ahead and putt.
Jason Guss is one of Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in Illinois. The Jason Guss Golf Academy is at Naperville Country Club.
