Training Aid: The Big Putt
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

It's a fact: putting is the most integral part of going low on the golf course. Until I dedicated the majority of my practice time to putting, I didn't boast a single-digit handicap index. Not convinced? Ask yourself how many times Tiger Woods has sunk a pressure putt to win a big tournament.

Here's a new training device that has merit: The Big Putt, developed by PGA Tour caddie Mike Hicks, and fellow entrepreneur and noted amateur golfer, Danny Gurley. Hicks caddied 12 years for the late Payne Stewart, and most recently has carried the bag for Champions Tour competitor Scott Hoch. Gurley captured the North Carolina Mid-Amateur Championship in 2002 and '05. These guys know golf, and they know how important putting is to the overall game.

The science behind The Big Putt is simple yet effective. It's an enlarged golf ball without dimples - 35 per cent larger at 1.95 in. diameter (regulation ball is 1.68 in.). The key here is The Big Putt has precisely the same feel as a tournament-quality golf ball. Mis-hits are magnified and provide immediate feedback. The Big Putt provides a smooth stroke and requires the golfer to accelerate through impact.

Jim Furyk is among the top pros practicing with The Big Putt. Says Furyk, who used to practice with a tennis ball as a junior golfer, "The hole shrinks down and it makes you concentrate more. I think (The Big Putt) is a good tool. If you use it for 5 or 10 minutes a day I think it's going to really help your putting."

"Golf is all about repetition," says Hicks. Adds Gurley, "You visualize the ball going in the hole after using The Big Putt."

So, we put The Big Putt to the test. It sounds a lot more like a regulation golf ball coming off the face than I thought it would, and it rolls true, too. This oversize pill really does entice you to accelerate through the putt, and therefore reduce the chances of missing short putts by decelerating at the ball.

Kudos to Hicks and Gurley for arriving at a valuable golf practice aid. The Big Putt is being distributed by Big Golf Ball Inc. A sleeve of three balls, with draw string pouch and instructional carries a MSRP of $29.95 US.

I recommend The Big Putt for every level of golfer. After all, we can all benefit from rolling the rock with more accuracy. For more information and some nifty videos, visit www.thebigputt.com.