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When it comes to putting, most people think practice makes perfect. If this were true, we would see many more prefect putters on the golf course. The real secret here is that Perfect Practice Makes Perfect!
If you are not practicing the perfect putting technique each time you practice, you will never get the putting game that you are racing for and your whole golf game will suffer.
You need to practice the right putting techniques over and over until great putts become second nature.
It does not matter your size, age, strength, or even how long you have been playing golf. If you properly follow these few simple putting techniques and fundamentals, you too will be putting like a pro and lowering your golf score in no time.
Putting Tip 1: Learn to Read the Greens
Your ability to properly read the greens on a golf course can be the difference between a great game of golf and a really disastrous game of golf.
Because every green you play on will be different, you need to be able to distinguish the differences and know exactly how to handle them.
The first thing you want to notice is the condition of the grass. If the greens are moist from the morning dew or the weather, your ball will roll slower than normal. If the greens are dry, your ball will roll much faster. If the grass is short, your ball will roll faster. If grass is longer, it will roll slower. The way the grass is laying is also a big factor. Your ball will go faster if it is rolling with the lie and slower if it is traveling against the lie. Always be prepared to adjust your strokes accordingly.
Next, walk around the green so you can see it from every possible angle. Get down low to get a better idea of which way the greens break. Look for the highs and lows so you can see which way the ball will naturally dip if there is not sufficient speed on the ball.
Now get a little bit behind your ball and visually draw a straight line from your ball to the hole. If the ball is close to the hole, shoot for a spot just a little past the hole to keep your ball moving at a faster pace so it does not get diverted by a tilt in the greens.
If your ball is quite a ways away from the hole, find a marker between your ball and the hole (a blade of grass works) that you can use to aim your ball at. Hit straight to that marker but with enough force to reach the hole.
If your putting line was straight and you hit the ball at the appropriate speed, you will have great results.
Putting Tip 2: Proper Putting Stance and Technique
You want to find a putting stance that is comfortable and right for you. If your stance feels awkward, you will hit the ball awkward.
Your ball always needs to be positioned a little forward of center in your stance. Keep your eyes over the ball and your head very steady. Your wrists should be firm, but light, and your palms should be facing each other. Bend your arms, line up your shoulders parallel with your target line, and do not move your lower body.
Use your hands and wrists to stabilize the putter, and your arms and shoulders to stroke the club.
Putting Tip 3: Trust Your First Impression
Do not over think the greens. As stated above, look the green over from every angle and go with your first impression. If you are consistently missing too many putts, you may need to reevaluate how you are reading the greens and go back over some of your reading the greens basics. But it is important to learn to trust your read and believe that the ball will go into the hole.
Putting Tip 4: Pick A Target
When you need to hit the ball a good distance to reach the hole, it is easy to lose your direct line to your target. Find a closer target, but still hit the ball to give it the speed it will need to reach the hole. To do this, stand a few feet behind your ball and line it up to the hole. Look for a spot on that line somewhere about halfway to the hole. (This can be a blade of grass, a leaf or a little indent in the grass.) Aim for that target while stroking the ball hard enough to go the distance of the hole.
Putting Tip 5: Putt to Make It
So many golfers putt to get their ball close to the hole and do not try to actually get it in the hole the first time. They are only setting them up for more strokes. Really try to get that ball in the hole with each stroke you take. This will take you so much closer to the hole every time.
Putting Tip 6: Practice, Practice, Practice
Do not just practice putting. Practice putting perfect, or as close as you can get to perfect. When you do a putting technique correctly, it just feels right. Learn that feeling so you can repeat it over and over again without much thought. When you go out to the range to practice, get 2 buckets of balls- one for the range and one for the putting green. Do not skimp on putting practice. It is one of the easiest ways to drastically bring down your score.
Remember, you will use your putter more than any other club in your bag during a normal round of golf (close to 40% of your total strokes). So really give your putting practice the time and dedication it describes.
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Source by Richard A Caton
