All of us know that “putting” is not a simple task. However, those who master the black arts will often be the ones with more money.
Willie Park Jr. famously stated that a man who can putt will be able to play for anybody. This is truer than ever in today’s rare atmosphere at the pro Tours. The ball can be hit so far and with such precision that the player who hits the ball the most settles championships or tournaments. The rule has held true since the beginning, and it’s still valid today. Everyone seems to be an exceptional ball striker. Even though moderate players may experience a great streak where the hole seems as large as a bucket, and the ball is dropping with unwavering certainty, those streaks are not sustainable and a golfer looking to make a lasting career must be able putt well consistently.
Here is the definitive list with two exceptions. Because women can’t putt, they are exempted. Anybody who can putt long is disqualified.
25. Billy Casper
Gary Player was the 1959 US Open Champion. He once admitted, with only a little bit of irony: “I feel sorry for Casper. He can’t putt any lick. Three 30-footers were missed by Casper today. Casper didn’t like analysing his plays and, once asked about technique, answered: “How can a seagull fly?” What is the secret to a centipede getting all its legs moving at once?
Many thanks Billy.
24. Ken Brown
Many of these people have a calm, unhurried pace – Brown was the slowest player on this list. Mark James, a friend of mine wrote that Brown was unsure which stroke would win: his backstroke or the darkness. Brown was able to sink much more thanks to his meticulously planned method.
23. Phil Mickelson
Bob Charles and he are the only left-handers on this list. He’s good, but also inspires. Retief Goosen and he putted well at last year’s US Open on the most difficult, fast and lumpiest greens. And at the Masters, he seemed as though he was certain he would hole anything he saw. It was a good thing he did.
22. Nick Faldo
Even in his youth Faldo displayed a remarkable talent. His free-flowing rhythmic action was the hallmark of his long game. Faldo himself stated in his autobiography, that those were his best days and that he did not think that he would ever forget them. After rebuilding his swing, Faldo neglected his putting for two years. He then decided to refocus his efforts on that and won six Majors.
21. Lee Trevino
Trevino was unconventional in all he did. His real learning in golf came from money matches that were too expensive and against people who could not afford to lose. Few things are more likely to find faults with a putting stroke faster than Trevino. The result was that the Mexican genius created a consistent and repeatable sound action, which didn’t work well for everyone, but worked for him.
20. Jose Maria Olazabal
Ollie has had his driving issues almost as a part of his life, but he also has the best putting skills in the world. It takes only two elements to putt well – speed and direction. Ollie does these things very well a lot of times.
19. Walter J Travis
Charles Price, the golf writer, summarised the Australian’s career with these words. “Travis shot out so far that his competitors thought he could see a chipmunk.” He quit golf at 37, and won the US Amateur three years later.
18. Isao Aoki
Although it seemed odd, the popular Japanese player had one of most unique actions. The putter’s toe would be pointed up at the ball, and he was feared that he might dig his heel into the ground. But he didn’t. On the greens, the first Japanese star was leading the charge.
17. Brad Faxon
Many people believe that Brad could not putt, but he has one of the most smooth and effective strokes in golf. You don’t get two Ryder Cup teams based on putting. His fellow pros consistently rate him number one – many would give their children to Faxon for his stroke – which is something they ought to know.
16. Walter Hagen
The USPGA Championship was almost owned by The Hague when matchplay took place, which is where the top putters win. This explains why his Ryder Cup record is 9 wins, 7 halved 1, and 1 loss. All the psychological and gamesmanship tricks he had worked, but it doesn’t matter if they aren’t supported by evidence.
15. Ernie Els
Ernie was a great putter throughout his entire career, even though he made two terrible misses last year on the 18th Green in the Open. Ernie’s ability to read greens is exceptional, but it is his smooth, unhurried, but fast stroke that lifts him up the list of truly great players.
14. Loren Roberts
Loren was christened by his caddy with the terrible name ‘Boss Of The Moss’. However, the nickname is more truthful than it sounds and has remained. He has been, along with Crenshaw and Faxon, the most envied man among his peers.
13. Hale Irwin
Although he missed a 1-inch putt in 1976 to reach a playoff, it was not due to negligence. He’s also not known for his ability to make bombs, except that memorable 90 effort at the 72nd green of the US Open in Medinah. However, he’s an expert at getting the job done. His three-putting is rare, he doesn’t worry about second shots, and he hols out when necessary.
12. Paul Runyan
He is still remembered as the opponent everyone hates on the US Tour. Although a small, thin man, his drive was always outmatched by others – sometimes by huge margins – he could move better than anyone. He won the USPGA 1934-1938, while it was still matchplay. The opposition’s quality was amazing.
11. Greg Norman
He is remembered for the many creative ways that he came up with to win second place in Majors. But none of those ideas were possible on the greens. This was where he excelled. Fuzzy Zoeller won the US Open by sinking a 40 footer from the final green. He was able to scorch around a course as hot as he did when it got warm.
10. Ben Crenshaw
Crenshaw is widely considered by his peers to be the best golfer they’ve ever seen. His unhurried, smooth rhythm was key to Crenshaw’s success. Crenshaw was raised in Texas with Tom Kite. He once stated of Crenshaw: “I don’t recall Ben ever missing any putts from the age of 12 until he turned 20.” He missed very few putts after that. His only Major success came at Augusta where you must bring putting.
9. Bobby Jones
He stayed loyal to Calamity Jane his putter throughout his career. She also remained faithful, which helped him achieve a string of remarkable success. Jones was eligible to play in the Majors from 1923 until 1930. He won 13 Majors between those years. This is a 62% strike rate that no player can match. A lot of that was due to his ability to put. He simply was the Greatest in nearly every way.
8. Seve Ballesteros
Seve considered missing a putt a personal insult and hated it. Seve was a master of the putts, from the incredible fist pumping at St Andrews 18th Green when he defeated Tom Watson in the 84 Open to the miles and miles he made in the Ryder Cup to defeat the hated Americans. He played the green just like he does everywhere else, without fear. Seve was bold, aggressive and, even at the end, not afraid of what the next one would do.
7. Tiger Woods
US magazine Golf asked Phil Mickelson in March, who he thought would make the best five-footer. His answer was: Tiger, as he made more clutch putts than anyone else, except Nicklaus. The slide of 5-foot against Bob May in 2000 PGA Championship and his putt in the Presidents Cup from 15-18ft were two examples. Phil stated, “He’s made many of them.” They do it when they must, great putters are consistent at this height and when it really matters.
6. Jack Nicklaus
While his odd, crab-like position, which saw him hunched over a ball with his right knee bent and all of his weight on the left, may not have been the most visually pleasing thing about golf, it was one of the most effective. The 86 Masters was his finest, and he took a MacGregor Response putter to very effective effect to capture the green jacket. However, that was not the last of many memorable days for the Daddy.
5. Peter Thomson
He is the Australian Open champion, having won three Open titles in succession, and probably one of the most overlooked Major golfers. The depth of his determined determination to win was hidden by his calm and relaxed demeanour. He also had probably the best and smoothest putting strokes of any player on the list. While it wasn’t quite as powerful as other, it was beautiful. It got the job done.
4. Young Tom Morris
Bob Ferguson was the Open’s winner three times. In those days, greens looked like tracks for sheep, which they were often, and clubs were made out of the jawbones from an ass. However, it is crucial to distinguish between Tom Morris Jr. and his dad, who could not put a tennis ball in the Grand Canyon.
3. Sir Bob Charles
Charles was the first New Zealander left-handed to win the Open in 1963. He is 65 now and just declared that the next season would be his final as a professional golfer after nearly 50 years of teaching his peers how it’s done. His putting skills are so consistent that he has won 23 times on US Senior (Champions Tour) Tour. This is despite many other pros struggling with the yips. He has also earned 70 professional victories. When he won NZ Open at 18 years old, he was an amateur prodigy and has not stopped winning.
2. Bobby Locke
He was a South African who did things differently in every way. Arthur D’Arcy was his name, but he wasn’t named Robert. The nickname Bobby comes from the way he used to bob in his pram. A white cap, shirt and blouse (including necktie), along with dark plus fours were his usual outfit. His portly body was carried down the fairways by a slender man in such elegant fashion that one could compare his death to that of a royal barge passing the Thames. The way he played golf was out of the ordinary. He sent every shot 40-yards from the target and then hooked it back to play. It was the greens that he was most famous for breaking hearts. He believed any round of golf with 28 or more putts was bad. Four Opens were won by him. When he traveled to America, people laughed at his success. Six times in short order, he was victorious with such dominance the US Tour altered its rules and he could not go back. Lloyd Mangrum (the American he defeated) said that he was capable of holeing a putt with peanut butter brittle over 60 feet.
1. Sir Michael Bonallack
Quite simply, in the eyes of many, the former secretary of the R&A is the best putter there has ever been. He was an amateur for most of his life and was not tested against any professional, but those who saw him play were unanimous in their praise. As with many great green masters, he was faithful to one putter and had a unique style. Peter Alliss described him as a “remarkable player.” A short, impressive game of golf was his creation. He took a wide, open stance when putting, with his nose nearly sniffing the ball. There are too many honours to list for Sir Michael in amateur golf, but they include four English amateur titles and five amateur championships. In the 1963 English Amateur at Burnham & Berrow, he got up and down in two 22 times in 36 holes against Alan Thirwell. He was far too modest to accept this statement, but he still proved to be the best.
Absolutely not on this list
Ivan Gantz was an early US Tour Pro who hit himself in his head after missing a short shot and even knocked himself unconscious.
Larry Nelson once stated with admirable honesty that he played along every year and waited for one week or two before puttingt.
Clayton Heafner. American Pro Cary Middlecoff said that Clayton Heafner was unable to putt when he was too mad to love the hole.
It was there, but it wasn’t.
Tom Watson. Tom Watson is a fearless, aggressive young man who never hesitated to knock it five feet beyond because he was certain he would get the one going back.
He doesn’t
Ben Hogan: Ben is still a great swinger, but he couldn’t putt for the rest of his life.
Tony Jacklin, Never again the same after Lee Trevino broke His Heart and picked up his wallet for the 71 Open by chipping from everywhere.
Peter Alliss, who lost it at the Italian Open after missing a 2-footer.
Sam Snead: He saved himself temporarily by using sidesaddle, but when it was banned he went back to his yips.
Honourable mention
Bernhard Langer, for having and conquering the yips 3 times. This is a rare feat at the top.
It almost made it to the top-25
Arnold Palmer, Always very aggressive. But his more than 80 putters are a testament to how hard he tried.
Retief Goosen, One of the best holers-outs around the globe. His two US Opens show his level of ability.
David Toms: Rarely three-putts, WGC Matchplay victory might propel him to the next stage.
Potentiality to become one of the greats
Paul Casey. Last year’s World Cup of the golf was won by Casey and Luke Donald’s iron play.
Adam Scott; A great putter, but not always at his best.
Stewart Cink: Rolls them in everywhere
Mike Weir: Won Masters on the greens, but is not consistent enough.
Sergio Garcia: Sergio Garcia, despite being worried about his inconsistency at the moment, has the ability and imagination to win.