Boy! Did I start something with this topic. First off, let me say to Clive that I know more than one instructor that will disagree with you on the issue of "swinging around the body". One instructor told my wife to "swing around her body more" and it improved her game on the spot. And do we not rotate our upper body AROUND to the right with our spine being the axis of the turn? I know every golf instrution book I have read tells you to rotate around your spine and to make sure your spine is in a straight line so you can rotate your upper body. Does the club head not start in front of you at address and end up behind you at the top of the back swing? Is this not swinging around the body? If you don't agree, then could it be you and Bartman and I are speaking using different terms rather than a different swing being used? AS FOR PUTTING. I could show you a few books by well known authors that will disagree with you on the movement of the putter being inside to inside. I have read more than once that the putter should move in a straight line and NOT in an arc. I happen to believe that swinging a putter in an arc is stupid and I have a good reason to back up my statement. IF YOU SWING THE PUTTER IN AN ARC, THE FACE OF THE PUTTER WILL BE SGUARE TO THE TARGET AT ONLY ONE POINT OF THAT SWING. IF YOU DON'T HIT THE BALL AT THAT EXACT POINT, THE BALL CAN'T ROLL STRAIGHT TOWARD THE TARGET. If on the other hand the putter is swung straight back and forward, you can keep the putter face square to the target the entire time and you don't have to square up the face at impact, it's square all the time. This is the way I was taught to putt and I putt this way and I think I do quite well this way. If you look in some golf magazines and catalogs, you will even find training aids that force you to make a straight stroke while putting. And yes, you will find some training aids that have you swinging in an arc also. So I guess it's a matter of opinion of what works best, not all the great putters do it one way. I happen to have the A.J.Bonner video and he stated that the only way to hit a putt off line is to rotate the putter face away from square, keep the face square to the target at all times and the putt will roll toward the target every time. So that's one instructor that will disagree with your method of putting. I, for one can't think of one good reason for swinging the putter in a inside to inside arc. I do have a good reason for moving the putter in a straight line and keeping the putter face square to the target the entire time. What's your reason to stating that the putter should swing in an arc? I'd like to hear your reasoning behind your statement.

Guys... if a square clubface were the only requirement of a straight shot, we'd all be hitting straight shots and giving Tiger (should I say, Vijay) a run for his money. Too much emphasis on a square clubface can lead to sooo many problems. One I see constantly on the teaching tee is the player, so intent on having a square clubface, that he/she takes the clubhead back down the target line (rather than back inside, parallel to the target line) and then, with the clubhead distanced from the body, "pulls" the clubhead back toward the ball, all the time maintaining a square clubface (with no rotation of the clubhead of course), and proceeding to hit big gaping slices - yes, with a square clubface.

The path of the clubhead is as, if not more, important than whether the clubface is perfectly square or not. Obsessing on keeping a perfectly square clubface, and ignoring the other components of "swing" will land you... sooner or later... in the nuthouse!

Work on your swings from the toe up backswing position, hitting down at the ball, and through to a toe up position on the follow-through. Let the clubface do its thing, and this will lead you to very good ball striking. Good luck all. Next topic!