"Putting, Putting, Putting!"
Putting is an art isn't it? I mean some people just have the knack for it. While others, like myself, struggle along with just a short putting game and a lot of lost strokes because of missed long putts.
But, don't ever underestimate the importance of learning how to putt and to continue practicing them.
A lot of strokes can be made up with a great putt from the outer edges of the green. While others are having to make two to three putts, you'll be sinking them from 20 feet out. Oh how I wish I could!
Trying to make up strokes on the open fairway or chipping over hazards, if you're not skilled in that department, can lead to a miserable round because of extra shots or penalty strokes. But, on the green, with your putter in hand there are no more hazards, no more long drives that just might plunk down in a pond or sand trap.
You just need to worry about one club, one ball and the cup. But, a lot can happen within that green area. Like we discussed earlier, reading the green is extremely important at this point of the game, but also knowing the basic mechanics and the feel of the putt is also something that needs to be worked on.
There's only one way to learn how to putt. Practice. Continued practice in this area is an investment in lower and lower scores. Watch the pros on TV and see how much emphasis is put on their putting game. They know that the difference between a birdie, par, or bogie can mean being at the top of the leader board or at the bottom.
Remember that tournament I told you about at the beginning of this little book? My score started climbing because of all the long putting situations I kept putting myself in. I didn't think to two putt which would have gotten me par on most of them, but had to try and sink the long putt to catch up, which just led to frustration and more missed shots.
That's been a major focus of all my practicing since then. I always make it a point to practice long putts, read the green in long situations and visualizing myself actually sinking it. I've learned a lot about putting fundamentals and how important paying attention to the green and it's details are. Here's some tips you can use in your practice rounds to help you become a better putter.
Get a putter with a very clear line marked on it to indicate the target. I also use a chalk line that can be purchased at any hardware store to help me distinguish the line to the hole. I use this technique on flat and straight surfaces to help me better focus on the target and keeping my club square. Make sure your eyes are directly above your target line. This will help you in keeping everything square and in line.
Make sure you weight is in the middle of your feet. If your weight is either forward on your toes or back on your heels there is a great chance that your stroke will follow the direction of your weight. Keep the pressure within your hands light and even throughout your entire swing. Sensitivity is a huge part of putting. If your hands are tight on the grip you are going to make a jerky swing where the grip pressure will change through out the motion of the stroke. And if you grip pressure changes during the swing you'll be out of square, your body will not be in line with the target causing the ball to go off course.
Make sure there are no independent motion in the hands. Nothing could be more devastating to your putt. If you have your putter face aligned precisely, the last thing you want to do is change the position of the face. A movement within the hands that is independent of your swing, will change the putter face and cause your putt to go awry.
Of course there are plenty of more putting tips and strategies, but if you put these into action while practicing your putts, then you'll notice a significant rise in the number of those putts you start sinking and the consistency of better play that will follow you in your game.
Putting is an art isn't it? I mean some people just have the knack for it. While others, like myself, struggle along with just a short putting game and a lot of lost strokes because of missed long putts.
But, don't ever underestimate the importance of learning how to putt and to continue practicing them.
A lot of strokes can be made up with a great putt from the outer edges of the green. While others are having to make two to three putts, you'll be sinking them from 20 feet out. Oh how I wish I could!
Trying to make up strokes on the open fairway or chipping over hazards, if you're not skilled in that department, can lead to a miserable round because of extra shots or penalty strokes. But, on the green, with your putter in hand there are no more hazards, no more long drives that just might plunk down in a pond or sand trap.
You just need to worry about one club, one ball and the cup. But, a lot can happen within that green area. Like we discussed earlier, reading the green is extremely important at this point of the game, but also knowing the basic mechanics and the feel of the putt is also something that needs to be worked on.
There's only one way to learn how to putt. Practice. Continued practice in this area is an investment in lower and lower scores. Watch the pros on TV and see how much emphasis is put on their putting game. They know that the difference between a birdie, par, or bogie can mean being at the top of the leader board or at the bottom.
Remember that tournament I told you about at the beginning of this little book? My score started climbing because of all the long putting situations I kept putting myself in. I didn't think to two putt which would have gotten me par on most of them, but had to try and sink the long putt to catch up, which just led to frustration and more missed shots.
That's been a major focus of all my practicing since then. I always make it a point to practice long putts, read the green in long situations and visualizing myself actually sinking it. I've learned a lot about putting fundamentals and how important paying attention to the green and it's details are. Here's some tips you can use in your practice rounds to help you become a better putter.
Get a putter with a very clear line marked on it to indicate the target. I also use a chalk line that can be purchased at any hardware store to help me distinguish the line to the hole. I use this technique on flat and straight surfaces to help me better focus on the target and keeping my club square. Make sure your eyes are directly above your target line. This will help you in keeping everything square and in line.
Make sure you weight is in the middle of your feet. If your weight is either forward on your toes or back on your heels there is a great chance that your stroke will follow the direction of your weight. Keep the pressure within your hands light and even throughout your entire swing. Sensitivity is a huge part of putting. If your hands are tight on the grip you are going to make a jerky swing where the grip pressure will change through out the motion of the stroke. And if you grip pressure changes during the swing you'll be out of square, your body will not be in line with the target causing the ball to go off course.
Make sure there are no independent motion in the hands. Nothing could be more devastating to your putt. If you have your putter face aligned precisely, the last thing you want to do is change the position of the face. A movement within the hands that is independent of your swing, will change the putter face and cause your putt to go awry.
Of course there are plenty of more putting tips and strategies, but if you put these into action while practicing your putts, then you'll notice a significant rise in the number of those putts you start sinking and the consistency of better play that will follow you in your game.
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