Golf Tips

Putting is such a vital component of shooting low scores. I am constantly reminded of this when I hear people echoing the following statement after a frustrating round: "Gosh, I hit the ball great today-- I just couldn't make anything on the greens!" What is more frustrating than giving yourself birdie opportunities and not cashing in?

Well, consider the following 3 ideas to help sharpen up your putting:

1- Check your fundamentals:
a- get your eyes over the ball
b- square up your forearms and shoulders
c- rock your shoulders to guide the stroke
d- keep the lower half completely still
e- and most importantly.....keep your head still!! Do not look up until the ball has left the putterhead. On short putts, listen for the ball to pour into the cup.

2- Get some rhythm to your stroke
a- have a constant pace to your stroke both back and through
b- purchase a pocket-sized metronome, find a rhythm that suits your stroke, and putt to the beat. Make the completion of your backstroke, and impact, hit successive beats. All length putts hit two beats.
c- make your backstroke and follow-thru the same length. To help with this, place two tees on the ground in front of you and set the ball in the middle. Your stroke should transition at one tee, and finish at the other.

3- Speed, not line, is the most important element of great putting.
Most every 3-putt is the result of being way short, or way long, but rarely way left or right. Controlling the pace of your stroke and varying the length is the most reliable way to learn feel on the greens. My suggestion to make aiming easy is to draw a line on the ball and point it at your target line as you mark your ball. Once you have done this, line your putter head up perpendicular to the line, and focus solely on speed. Take a few practice strokes feeling the distance, and then copy the stroke exactly. Trust that read.