Putting is often referred to as golf's game within a game. And what this refers to is that the putting stroke is not like any other stroke in the game. The whole objective in putting is to get the ball in the hole by keeping it rolling along the ground, as opposed to launching high into the air.

Now, without going into deep technical and mechanical instruction...one of the most important things when putting is to hit the ball on the correct line, that is, in the direction that will send the ball on the correct path to the hole. To do this you need to get the ball to contact the ball square to the line and be able to do this in a repeatable manner.

There are two types of putting styles you will often hear talked about. One is called the "swinging Gate", the other "Straight-back straight-through".

The "Swinging gate" style means the putter head moves on a path that goes from inside the path, though impact and then inside the path again - similar to a swinging gate.

Fundamentally the two swing styles are the same. The Swinging gate is just performed in a (slightly) more upright position than the straight-back straight through style. However, there is such a small difference between putting on line and a degree or two off that line (enough to miss the hole on a long putt) that it is important to maximise your chances of hitting it correctly, and this is much more achievable with the straight-back straight-through technique.

If you are a highly skilled golfer, putting invariably comes down to your preference - you already have mastered the basic skills, you just need to choose a putting method that feels right for you. Swinging Gate and Straight-Back Straight-Through are not that different, it s just the way you feel you are swinging.

My advice to all aspiring or improving golfers is to keep it simple. Set up correctly, swing back, swing through.