Without any doubt whatsoever, putting is the most critical golf skill that needs to be acquired to become not only proficient in putting, but to be a good/low handicapper. Yet, after all is said and done, all the articles written, usage endorsement paid to pros, putting is the most elusive skill for a golfer to acquire.

Confidence in your golf game is built from understanding the correct techniques and how these lead to improved putting. Of course, as Gary Player is fond of saying, "the harder one practices, the luckier one gets".

Try the belly putter, the tall putter, left-handed, switch putting, or any of many types of grip options, cross-handed, the claw, ten-fingered, reverse overlap, or split-handed. Find out what works for you, then enjoy the great game of golf to its fullest.

Consider this observation: Nowhere in the principles of putting and/or rules of golf does the word "right" appear. So why in the world is right-handed the only option that is offered by a majority of golf teachers? It is because golf is such a traditional game. Some of the definitions in Webster's Dictionary for traditionalism: "an inherited pattern of thought or action. "The doctrines or practices of those who FOLLOW OR ACCEPT tradition". "The beliefs of those opposed to Modernism, liberalism, or even radicalism".

Remember, it takes courage to be different, but the rewards are worth the effort. Golf is more fun when you are the best putter that you can be, whatever the technique.

Recently we reviewed three putters that can improve one's putting in a remarkably short time:

The Zen Oracle, invented by Nicholas Middleton, is the first training system to combine practice and performance. Over 60 PGA Tour players, including Jesper Parnevik and PGA Teaching Pros are advocating the use of this putter. Golf Magazine gave Zen Oracle a 4.5 out of 5 rating.

The Zen Oracle Putting Trainer helps golfers of all levels improve their putting and lower their golf scores.

Its unique design provides immediate, direct feedback enabling the golfer to subconsciously groove a high-performance putting stroke.

The proprietary open aperture design allows the ball to be placed in the aperture... allowing you to immediately feel and see the roll professionals experience when they golf.

The distinct advantage of using the Zen Oracle is that it allows the golfer to truly feel the whole putting action and focus the senses on the process that programs the muscle memory into action. This in turn builds positive belief that turns the release of a more powerful subconscious capability stored in all players of any ability.

With Zen Oracle, you will be able to enjoy a repeatable, reliable, pressure-proof putt during your game. The Zen Oracle Training System uses three simple and effective drills to attain a smooth, fluid stroke: the release drill, the release back and strike drill, and the tracer drill. Zen Oracle is offering a 30-day risk free trial offer in addition to the 5-stroke improvement guarantee! The Zen Oracle is available in both right-handed and left-handed models.

800-371-753 MRSP $99.95

The Switch Putter

While not propagating switch putting to be the "end-all" of putting, opening up one's mind to an alternate method of putting that can yield phenomenal results. This in itself is worthy of reporting to all the millions of golfers seeking to reduce their putting from 3 putts or more to two putting or single putts.

For many years in the world of golf, the extent of the suggestions for improvement was limited to essentially right-handed band-aids. The conventional wisdom was limited to putting only right-handed. Even something as simple as left-hand low, or cross-handed putting, was often discouraged or even ridiculed. Is right always right? Or is right always correct?

Tim Holman, Notay Begays' Putting Guru, along with Dave Kreske of Accurate Manufacturing, maker of the Act-Release Putters, have teamed up to design the most versatile line of Putters ever available. Tim, currently a –2 handicap golfer, and former a world class athlete in basketball and skiing, has combined his putting acumen with Kreske's knowledge of putter manufacturing and craftsmanship, have combined their skills to come up with three models of SWITCH PUTTERS ™. These putters are solid, precision-machined instruments, milled and nickel plated for exceptional feel; ideal for switch putters as well right-handers and left-handers.

Three models of the Switch Putters are currently available:

The most popular Model, the Dream Model comes in three different weights for the golfers preference or if the greens dictate which weight you need with slow or fast greens. The Dream = 355 Grams, The Augusta Dream = 300 Grams and The Bermuda Dream = 400 Grams.

Each putter features pendulum balancing, which is exact equal weighting on each side of the shaft for superior balance, EZ alignment and versatility. Custom fitting is available. The Dream model has a little more weight added to the toe to extend out the sweet spot in the direction of where most golfers make there off center strokes. This model also is designed with our heel cutout for EZ alignment.

Without any fear of contradiction, these putters are without doubt, superior to the old Titleist Bullseye putters. The feel and alignment features are superlative. Using the putter from either side after an hour of practicing yielded exceptional results - more putts sunk, smoother rolls and marvelous distance control.

During testing by our panel of 25 pros and high handicappers, 20 of the 25, mainly higher-handicappers, favored the Switch Putter over their existing putter– an excellent endorsement!

Both a Belly and a Long Putter model are also available.

www.switchputting.com MSRP: $149

The Solo C2 Putter

In the ongoing race to develop ever more sophisticated golf clubs from increasingly exotic materials, Solo Golf has a distinct advantage: its heritage as a division of defense contractor Solo Enterprises. With the help of IBM, Solo Golf has combined the latest CAD technology, a foundry primarily dedicated to turning out fighter aircraft parts and a team of rocket scientists to give birth to a new breed of golf clubs.

To create Solo Golf's revolutionary new Solo C² putter, engineers employed an eye surgeon to precisely define how a golfer lines up a putt by sighting from the club to the hole. This information, along with ergonomic data about the muscle movements used to make a putt, was built into Solo Golf's IBM CATIA design platform—the same computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering solution used by the world's top 13 airframe makers. IBM's CATIA platform connects directly to the manufacturing floor, enabling equipment to be electronically retooled for more precise mass production. The result? A putter that conforms to USGA standards featuring Solo's unique Optical Positioning System (OPS™), which helps golfers aim more intuitively, letting them make better shots and make more putts of longer distances.

According to Solo Golf President Richard Mugica, "Our new C² putter proves once and for all that golf is rocket science, after all," "Keeping the putter square to the hole is remarkably similar to landing a plane with both wheels square to the runway, and some of our best customers feel they have as much riding on the outcome. Harnessing this latest IBM technology for the benefit of more precise golf shots is a natural extension of our aerospace heritage—the way our Solo Golf C² putter forms a natural extension of the user's arms and eyes."

Ed Petrozelli, general manager, IBM Product Lifecycle Management, said: "The real value IBM brings to today's product-line executive is the ability to set up the next shot by visualizing and modeling ever-more complex designs right on the workstation, then following through with a direct connection to the manufacturing process. We didn't teach Solo anything new, we enabled them to leverage their own strategy and skill set more effectively."

How did it all begin? Originally an aerospace manufacturer, Solo Enterprises established a foundry for the creation of military plane parts – and then began looking for additional uses for their foundry. But what else could they manufacture besides military airplane parts that would create value from this ancillary asset?

To get the team's creative juices flowing, Solo President Richard Mugica adjourned the meeting to the golf course. There they pondered what product consumers might rabidly want that could be easily produced with their newfound excess foundry capacity. Then it hit them: Golf clubs, of course! That's when Solo Golf was formed and began manufacturing clubs for established brands.

When it came time to bring its own branded line of clubs to market, Mugica called IBM. Solo was already using IBM's CATIA design software. But Mugica learned there was a new Microsoft Windows enabled version of CATIA called CATIA V5. The CATIA V5, whose capabilities could not only help Solo Golf design clubs using the latest scientific visualization technologies on cost-effective workstations, but could also utilize new human modeling capabilities and include ergonomic information and user dynamics into the club's optimization.

Traditionally, golf clubs are designed at a drafting table, which makes it very difficult for engineers and craftsmen to attain the degree of precision needed to create a club with correct weight or a big enough "sweet spot." Solo Golf engineers learned that by using IBM's CATIA software, they could produce a superior club that would greatly enhance a player's accuracy and performance.

Solo Golf is a division of Solo Enterprises, an integral manufacturer of aviation components for NASA and the aerospace industry. They put the same painstaking research, innovative engineering and commitment to quality into every driver, iron and putter it creates.

For years, Solo Golf used its talents to manufacture clubs for brands like Cobra®, Titleist®, Callaway® and more. Now, Solo Golf is unveiling its own unique line of clubs. Every Solo club is manufactured in the United States, utilizing aerospace CAD/CAM design engineering, CNC manufacturing, and cast in Solo's in-house foundry to mil-spec aerospace tolerances.

Solo can be reached at 1-800-676-5644, or visit them on the web at www.sologolf.com. The putter is available at $150 via the company's web site.

Testing by our group of 25 testers, 10 low handicappers and 15 high handicappers, found all of the putters to perform exceptionally well. As in the case of the Solo and Zen, the majority of the testers found that their vision of how the face was aligned and the direction they thought they were aiming simply was not the case. After about an hour of use, many of the testers began sinking putts consistently and their attitudes towards putting changed considerably. Both the Solo and Zen putters also double as a teaching and training aid for all levels of golfers and should find their way into many golf schools in the near future.

Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the California Golf Writers Association, and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including "333 Best Web Sites for Golfers" and his current book, "How to Build Business Relationships Through Golf" is in the Top Ten Golf Business Book's best seller list.

He can be reached at www.pgtaa.com or drlotz@cbsgolf.net