Long-ball hitter becomes student of the short game

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J.B. Holmes is just one stroke off the lead and tied for second after the first round.

Feb. 11, 2010
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- When you think of J.B. Holmes, you think of the long ball, not his prowess on the short grass.

And when you have averaged more than 300 yards off the tee each of the last four years, that probably won't change anytime soon. But Holmes has been working hard to improve his putting and judging by early returns in 2010, the extra effort is paying dividends.

Thursday during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am was the most recent example. Holmes one-putted seven times and used a total of just 26 in shooting a 7-under 65 at Pebble Beach that left him one shot off the lead.

"(It's) nice to get off to a good start," Holmes said. "I'm playing well; I'm hitting the ball well and putting well and doing everything pretty good. (It's) always nice to be confident and feel like you're gonna go out and shoot a pretty good score."

About three weeks ago, Holmes started working with veteran Dave Stockton, who has become a short-game guru to, among others, Phil Mickelson, over the last year. The change has been dramatic.

The 27-year-old from Kentucky, who has ranked 166th, 166th, 121st and 158th in putting average the last four years, finds himself 16th though the first two events this season. He's also 12th in putts per round at 27.88 -- which means he's averaging nearly two strokes less on the green than he did a year ago when he ranked 161st.

Holmes, who tied for third at last week's Northern Trust Open, said Stockton has simplied his putting stroke and encouraged him to putt more like he did as a kid. Mickelson said he was similarly freed up by Stockton's counsel when he went on a tear and won twice late last year.

"I just had way too many things going through my head, bad thoughts and everything else, especially with the putter," Holmes said. "... Just look at the hole and hit it. Don't think about all the other stuff.

"You get out here on TOUR and feel like you have to know the exact yardage to everything and every little detail and aim here and this blade of grass and everything like that. He was just kind of, don't worry about that. Just like when you were younger. See the putt, see where it breaks, and then get up and hit it."

Holmes has also switched from the belly putter, which he has used for the last three years, to a short putter. He had wanted to switch back for a while, even using a short putter for one round at the Childrens Miracle Network Classic last year, but it wasn't until he started working with Stockton that he felt comfortable with it.

"He likes to forward press it, and you can't really forward press the belly putter," Holmes said, grinning. "That was a pretty quick decision. He goes, You can try it, but ... I got up and stood up and I was like, nope. Give me the short putter."