Why Ian Poulter Holes Putts When It Matters

Without question, the stand-out performance at the Ryder Cup was that of Ian Poulter, winning four points from a possible four and creating momentum for his team when it seemed all was lost on Saturday afternoon by birdieing the final five holes to win his match with a succession of clutch putts.

TG Elite Pro Lee Scarbrow has witnessed Poulter’s talent first hand from an early age. An 18-year-old Poulter was Scarbrow’s teaching assistant at Leighton Buzzard golf club and they worked together six years with Scarbrow acting as boss and coach. But it was more Ian’s mentality rather than his technique that got him to where he is today.

“Ian was so focused on the end goal, of being a top-class golf pro. He believed in what he wanted to do and understood what he needed to do to get there. He was always going to be a European Tour winner, a World Cup winner and a Ryder Cup player. He never spoke to me about if, just when!”

“Ian’s a great putter under pressure because he’s so focused and believes in the roll he puts on a golf ball. He has a great imagination and ability to see the line of the putts. The more pressure he’s under the more focused he becomes and the better he plays. That plays into his hands at Ryder Cups when the pressure is so intense.”

There are certain aspects of Ian’s putting technique that contribute to his success, which Lee highlights in this golf video tip.