More than any club, golfers often point to their putter as the difference between a satisfying and miserable round.

Steve Chevalier credits an improvement in his putting for his successful season.

He's playing his best golf in recent years.

He made the cut in the 113th Connecticut Amateur Championship in mid-June at Black Hall Club in Old Lyme before bowing out in the round of 32 in match play on the 21st hole. He shot even par in Norwich Invitational qualifying to earn a spot in the championship flight, where he lost to eventual champion Dave Jones. He recently captured his second Shennecossett Golf Course men's club championship.

"I've had a really good summer...," Chevalier said. "I started playing well about the middle of June. I've been hitting it pretty good. My putting has really gotten better over the past three months."

Looking to improve his short game, Chevalier decided to take his first lesson to polish his putting skills. He went to Gillette Ridge in Bloomfield to work with George Connor.

It was well worth his time and money. Chevalier, who's from Groton, saw quick results.

"I've always been a good ball striker," Chevalier said. "He really helped me with my green reading. Some info that I never had before. I had never taken a putting lesson. He helped me a lot."

Chevalier put his new-found knowledge and skill into practice earlier this month in the Shennecossett men's championship match against five-time champion Ken Wetmore. He was the medalist in qualifying play.

After making a couple of mistakes early in the 36-hole match, his reliable putter helped him rally from a three-hole deficit. He made a bunch of five and six foot par putts to split holes and prevent Wetmore from gaining momentum.

With every successful putt, his confidence grew.

"It takes the pressure off the rest of your game," Chevalier said. "You can swing freer and hit better shots."

Thanks to his trusty putter, he ended a drought that saw him lose in the semifinals the previous three years.

"I felt pretty good when I shot even par in my second round in qualifying," Chevalier said. "I liked my chances. I knew I was putting well. I thought that if I'm going to get beat this year, someone is going to have to make a lot of birdies.

"... It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it immensely."

Chevalier will attempt to build off his success. He's signed up to play in a qualifier for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship on Sept. 1 at Wampanoag Country Club in West Hartford. Bill Hermanson of Black Hall also is in the field.

He also will compete in a qualifier for the 28th Connecticut Mid-Amateur on Sept. 2 at Glastonbury Hills Country Club.

Short putts

• Hermanson and Dave Szewczul of Tunxis Plantation are battling for the Connecticut State Golf Association 2015 Senior Player of the Year award. Hermanson is second in the standings with 531 points, just behind Szewczul (571).

• Several local golfers will try to qualify for the Connecticut Mid-Amateur, which will tee off Oct. 5 at Bull's Bridge Golf Club in South Kent.

Alex Romeo of Black Hall, James Lathrop of Pequot Golf Club, Ed Hilario of Norwich Golf Course and Shawn Maguire of Fox Hopyard are in the field next week at Wampanoag Country Club.

Tony Susi of Mohegan Sun Country Club at Pautipaug and John Bauman of Black Hall will play in a qualifier at Suffield Country Club on Sept. 9.

Josh Cameron of Shennecossett Golf Course is playing in a qualifier at H.S. Richardson Golf Course in Fairfield on Sept. 14.

• Black Hall assistant pro Adam Rainaud will shoot for his record fifth title at the Connecticut PGA Assistants Championship today at the Golf Club of Avon. He's also attempting to become the first golfer to win three straight.

Last year he posted a nine-stroke margin of victory.

"My focus is just to prove to myself that I get a little better every year," Rainaud said in a Connecticut Section PGA release. "And this tournament has come a long way for me. It was really my first tournament in the Section (in 2010) and I just wanted to get off to a good start. I wanted to prove to the other pros in the Section that I was a decent player, to earn a little respect.

"And now I know most of the guys, we all have a really good time out there."

Golfers are fighting to qualify for the national championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in late October.

• The Pequot Golf Club women's club championship winner will be crowned Tuesday when the two-round tournament ends. Natalie Donath is the leader after shooting an 84 in the first round.

• Lynn Valentine of East Lyme placed 22nd in the 17th Connecticut Women's Open Championship at The Golf Club of Avon last week. She finished with a 10-over par 154 (80-74).

Upcoming events

• Elmridge Golf Course is hosting a Labor Day Four Ball tournament, which starts this weekend. The final is set for Sept. 7.

• Labor Day weekend is when the Old Lyme Country Club and Great Neck Country Club championships will be contested. Eric Bergstrom has won three straight Great Neck men's titles while Karen Anderson is a two-time defending women's champion.

g.keefe@theday.com

Twitter: @GavinKeefe