The fascinating story of the man behind the pencil putting grip
They gave me a driver and Bernie said I would speak to the papers, radio, and TV, then I would go to a store and then a club. He had a million putters to sell.
He took me to an aircraft hanger and there were a million shafts, no heads on them, and he said, ‘We’re going to sell the lot. But if you miss one putt they will be staying there.’
I said, ‘I’m not going to miss, I promise I won’t miss.’
I would be on TV programmes holing a thousand putts. In America they want to see you do it, over here they just want to see you miss.
I lost nearly a stone and a half. I just wanted to go home. He had everything there for me at the PGA Show but I just couldn’t do it again. I didn’t want another penny, I was a dollar millionaire and I was happy.
On my way back to the airport I didn’t have any cash so I got my pencil and paper out and I drew the taxi driver. I got a free ride for it. I went to an Italian restaurant and drew Frank Sinatra. They put it on the wall and I ate free.
I went to the Open and I saw Mark McCormack. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus had their own instruction strips and I told Mark that I could do them better. I asked him if I could draw one of his players and he suggested Gary Player. It outsold Arnold and Jack.
I wanted to draw Lee Trevino. Mark said, ‘You are getting a third of Arnold, Jack and Gary, we don’t manage Lee. Be sensible.’
If I wanted Trevino then he would tear the contract up. But I wanted to draw Trevino.
I have got the shoes that Trevino was wearing when he chipped in against Tony Jacklin at the Open. He knew Tony was broken after what he did to him. All the time he was sitting there he was lining up that putt.
Years later I was working with Golf Illustrated and I still wanted to draw Arnold, Gary and Jack. Mark said he would take me to court if I did.
I did, so he took me to court and I beat him. He paid all the fees and we stayed friends forever.
***
No artist has ever pushed a pencil. Tom Watson’s putt that would have won the Open in 2009 is one of the worst I’ve ever seen. The left hand blocks things.
Jordan Spieth from long range is great but he blocks it with his left from short range. The left stops the right hand working.”
The Art of Putting (Penguin) by Paul Trevillion is available now, priced £12.99.
Hole more short putts by forgetting about your stroke
Visualisation: Putting performance principles
The Niggle: Is the 2016 anchored putting ban correct?
Main image courtesy of Vanessa Champion. All other images courtesy of Paul Trevillion.
Mark Townsend
Been watching and playing golf since the early 80s and generally still stuck in this period. Huge fan of all things Robert Rock, less so white belts. Handicap of 8, fragile mind and short game
