Thumbs up! That's the winning message from professional Gary Potter as he hits a fine vein of form. His third good result in a row - a win in the latest Norfolk Alliance meeting - has prompted the Links Country Park player to reveal the putting method which is bringing him lots of birdies.
Thumbs up! That's the winning message from professional Gary Potter as he hits a fine vein of form.
His third good result in a row - a win in the latest Norfolk Alliance meeting - has prompted the Links Country Park player to reveal the putting method which is bringing him lots of birdies.
“I call it Potter's own thumbs up,” he says, with the flourish of an old-style showman.
He uses a mid-length putter, longer than a belly job but shorter than the chin models, and he grips it with both thumbs pointing upwards.
“It locks your wrists so they can't break and the putter stays square. I've been practising with it for ages, probably about a year, but I've only just brought it out in combat. It seems to be working well and I'm making a lot of birdies.”
He started at the first winter am-am of the season at Gt Yarmouth & Caister where professionals played for the first time. Potter birdied the first three holes and won the professional's prize by two shots.
At the Norfolk PGA pro-am at King's Lynn he was leading Norfolk professional and has pushed his way up the order of merit to currently share fifth place.
He followed up at King's Lynn with a one-under par 71 and a one-shot win in the Norfolk Alliance.
On this occasion he went out in four-under par 32 with birdies on the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 9th, before dropping some shots in the strong wind on the back nine.
The Alliance meeting attracted 108 players including 15 professionals. Club captain Charles Abbs played as a guest of the Alliance and presented the prizes.
Professionals: 71 Gary Potter (Links Country Park). 72 Mark Allen (Eaton), Lee Patterson (Royal Cromer).
Betterball medal: 67 Alan Malin & Richard Wright (Royal Cromer); David Stephenson & Alasdair Christie (Eaton); David Mill & Danny Chapman (Hunstanton/ Weston Park); John Gorman & Jon Barnby (Royal Norwich).
The next meeting is at Bungay & Waveney Valley on Thursday.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here