A consumer's guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it's in play here.

A consumer’s guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it’s in play here.

By LARRY STEWART

May 11, 1998 12 AM PT

What: “Great Putting--Right Now,” a Peak Performance audio tape

Price: $12

If you’re a golfer, you’ve probably experimented with all kinds of putters in hopes of improving your score. Putting is what really drives golfers nuts because a missed three-foot putt is just as costly as a topped tee shot, a shanked fairway shot or a chili-dipped chip. Have a good putting day and you’re probably going to score well.

There are all kinds of infomercials for putters and all kinds of instructional video tapes on mechanics. But here is a 74-minute audio tape that claims to improve putting. Dr. Patrick J. Cohn, a sports psychologist, and Robert K. Winter, M.A., director of Mind Power Sports of Charlottesville, Va., are the narrators. They are the authors of “The Mental Art of Putting: Using Your Mind to Putt Your Best,” and have translated their theories of putting onto tape.

The tape is in eight parts: 1) Learn how to eliminate negative thinking and think like a great putter; 2) Create a great putting attitude right away; 3) Use the power of choice to be more confident and focused; 4) Learn to remove doubt and putt without fear; 5) Learn the keys to a one-putt mind-set; 6) Develop a positive putting routine; 7) Prepare you mind to make putts; and 8) Putting ER: the putt doctors cure your putting illnesses.

In the first segment, Cohn breaks down six kinds of bad putts. There is the hit and hope, when the putter just prays he’ll get it close. There is the do or die, when the putter puts too much pressure on himself to make the putt. There is the wishy-washy putt, when the putter can never settle on a game plan. The panic putt is one that is dreaded. A pessimistic putter is streaky. If he starts out bad, he’s sure his whole round will go that way. The synthetic putt is one that is over-analyzed.

The good putters, Winter points out, keep it simple, enjoy the process and trust their putts. Anything is worth a try. Information: 888 742-7225.