Reference to the rules of the game will show that the putting-green is defined as the ground within twenty yards of the hole, excepting hazards. Putting applies strictly to play upon the putting-green, the strokes themselves being called putts. While this is the strict meaning, the verb to putt is sometimes used in a descriptive sense; for instance, an uncertain player is frequently told when his ball lies within fifty or sixty yards of the edge of a bunker, which he probably will not be able to carry,'Just putt up to the bunker,' or he may be similarly advised when he has an approach to play, 'Just putt it up.' Such strokes are not putts within the real meaning of the word, but the expression well applies to the kind of stroke intended to be made, namely, one that will roll the ball up. In dealing with the subject, my remarks will apply only to putting in its strict sense.

Attention has already been directed to the necessity for playing approaches with accuracy; still greater, however, is the necessity for good putting. A stroke is defined. as 'any movement of the club which is intended to strike the ball': a drive of a couple of hundred yards and a putt of six inches equally count a stroke, notwithstanding the disparity of distance. It will easily be understood how a few badly played putts will make all the difference between a good and a bad score. Two strokes on each green may be regarded as the proper allowance for first-class play, three strokes means that one too many is taken: and if the latter number be required at each hole, it makes a difference of eighteen strokes on the round. It has before been stated, when treating of the subject of approaching, that a golfer who can lay the ball near the hole with his approaches has a chance of saving a stroke on almost every putting-green against an opponent who does not play this part of the game so accurately, provided always that he can putt well; the proviso is most important. Unless the golfer is able to follow up with good putting the advantage gained by his approaches, the benefit is quite thrown away, and he is not in any better position than is his opponent who is less skilful in that particular part of the game. There is not a great number of holes on any links which require, bar hazards and mistakes, three strokes to reach the green from the tee; and leaving the difference to the score altogether out of account, it must be very humiliating to most players to know that they have required as many strokes to cover the last twenty yards of distance as it has taken them for the previous four or five hundred yards. Putting is therefore probably the most important part of the game, as no player who putts indifferently can ever hope to excel, however proficient he may be in driving and approaching. It thus behoves golfers to pay great attention to putting.

Putting has changed a good deal of recent years. Formerly the only club used was the wooden putter. In more modern times innovations in the shape of putting-cleeks and iron putters began to appear, and these have now to a large extent displaced the older implement. It is difficult to say whether the change is for the better or not. The upholders of the old wooden putter defend it with great zeal, and the believers in putting-cleeks are equally assertive of the merits of their club. Both are probably good in their way. For a long run up of thirty or forty yards or so, or even further - an approach putt, in fact - the wooden putter is still unequalled, and I also think that it is a good club to use where the putting-green is perfectly true and smooth. There is this disadvantage, however, that if the ball happens to lie in a nick it is apt to jump off a wooden putter. For the putting-cleek, it is claimed that it has all the advantages of the wooden putter, and that the ball can be kept under greater control when played off iron than off wood. I incline to believe that this is correct, and I have found that with a putting-cleek the ball can be hit harder in proportion to the length of the putt. On a rough green this is a distinct advantage, as, more strength being put into the stroke, the ball which will travel with greater speed and will pull up more quickly is less liable to be deflected by inequalities of the ground. My belief is, shortly, that for good, smooth greens the wooden putter is still able to hold its own, while for rougher greens a putting-cleek can be used to greater advantage. Taking all things into account, and if a golfer desires to use one club only for putting on all greens, I would recommend him to adopt a putting-cleek as likely to prove the more useful for all-round play. A putting-cleek is preferable to an iron putter, and should have a little loft on the face. Some players use an ordinary cleek for putting, but by doing so they put themselves to disadvantage. The flat lie of an ordinary cleek is against proper control being obtained over the ball, as it necessitates standing too far from it; the long shaft, too, is apt to catch and spoil the stroke, and on an ordinary all-round clock there is usually rather more loft than is desirable for putting.

For putting, the grip of the club may, subject to the remarks made in Chapter 1ll., be taken to be the same as that for driving and approaching, so far as the position of the hands is concerned. There is, however, the very important difference that the right hand should hold more firmly than the left, thus reversing the rule for the grip in other parts of the game. Putting should be almost all done with one hand, because, when both hands are used, the one acts against the other; the right hand is the hand which guides the club, and guiding the club is everything in putting, especially in short putts. With regard to the part of the club-shaft to be grasped, there is the greatest possible diversity of practice. Some players grip the putter just above the neck, and crouch down to play; others stand erect, and grip the club at the extreme end; and players may be seen with grips all over the shaft between these extremes. I do not think either extreme conduces to good play, and neither is graceful. The putter should be grasped on the leather at such a place as to give the player easy command of his club without contorting his body.