Improving your putting technique is the quickest method to lower your score on the golf course.
“Drive for show, putt for money” is a well-known golf cliché, and you won’t find a professional golf coach who disagrees. When it comes to putting, massive drives and long approaches may appear impressive, but if you can’t make the five-foot putt for par, it’s all for nought.
Every hole in a round of golf requires the use of just one club: the putter. There are two putts on every hole in order to get a par score, and this assumption is included in every hole’s par. Hank Haney, a well-known golf instructor, often advises his pupils that there are three essential elements to playing well: Take one shot on your approach to the green and finish with the two putts that you’ve come to anticipate.
Putting, unlike any other aspect of the game, takes a unique combination of abilities and patience, dedication, and precise technique to improve. You’ll find all the information you need to get started on that journey right here.
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Philosophy Put into Practice
One of the most common mistakes made by inexperienced golfers is to attempt to make all of their putts. You may probably anticipate it within a given range. Golfers with a mid-handicap score should focus on improving their short game rather than worrying about the dreaded three-putt green, which can quickly turn an otherwise-passable round into a bogie or worse.
For the ambitious golfer, a hula hoop, bushel basket, or frisbee around the hole is more feasible (depending on confidence and competence). If the first putt goes within the circle, the golfer has an easier tap-in for a bogey or a par at the hole.
The fundamentals of improving your putting stroke
When it comes to putting, developing a routine is just as important as any other stroke in the game. The minimum amount of variance is required for consistently good golf performance.
As a PGA teaching professional, Mike Vance believes that nothing can be learned about putting by hitting a driver or pushing the ball off the fairway with an iron.
As Vance puts it, “It’s a whole new skill set. Separating putting from other aspects of one’s game and working on it in a distinct way is necessary for the player.
Vance reminds everyone that golf is a sport that requires a great deal of concentration and patience. Rather of rushing into a putt, he recommends taking your time on the green and reading the putting service. Does the putting surface have a damp or dry feel? In the event that you encounter any minor impediments or ball markings, please let us know. Is there a rise or fall in the green? Is there a right or left break?
Following a thorough read, a golfer must concentrate on putting with power and speed while moving their putter in a straight line back and forth.
Vance advises that the putting action should originate from the shoulders. “Remember to keep your wrists and arms relaxed. “It’s preferable not to slam the ball,” says the author.
Assuming the golfer has mastered the basics, they may use distance-related strategy to refine their putting stroke.
Tips for making long-distance putting more accurate
It’s possible to make the putt from a long distance, often known as lag putting, even if the ball is on the green or near its edge. The putt may be more than ten yards from the hole in certain circumstances. Avoid a three putt predicament by putting your ball within a reasonable distance.
In this case, we’re turning to golfing icon and WGH member Greg Norman for some helpful advice. To help players with their lag putting, he uses the concept of spatial awareness while giving assistance on the fly.
Norman recommends that golfers practise putting from a distance greater than they are comfortable with, advising them to place their golf balls at a variety of distances from the cup. To get a feel for the putt, the golfer should ‘take a read’ on the putt and then utilise a conventional posture and grip on the putter. As soon as the golfer has a clear mental picture of his or her putt, Norman instructs him or her to try it.
Afterwards, the golfer should continue the procedure until the appropriate execution of mental and visual expectations is met till the eyes are open again and the outcome is obvious.
Techniques for improving your mid-range putting
The midrange putt must be cup-side in order to avoid a three-putt if it is within the range of a lag putt. Everything boils down to an effective reading and execution at the right pace.
Another helpful suggestion comes from Vance. It’s all too common for a golfer to grimace or cuss when he or she misses an approach putt and sees the ball roll more than a few feet away from the cup.
Vance warns, “Avoid that response.” As the saying goes, “Watch the ball until it stops” will aid you in reading the recovery putt and preventing you from missing the opportunity for a return shot.
Improve your short putts by learning how to improve your technique.
When you miss a putt that seems insurmountable, it’s the worst feeling in the world. A short putt is one that is made from a distance of no more than three feet. Even from that distance, greens might contain breaks or a slope that make it difficult to miss a tap-in. If a conceited player rushes, he or she may also push an easy one through the hole.
Take the same amount of time over little putts as you would for a large putt to prevent making a needless mistake. Make sure you stroke the ball with confidence and imagine a clear route to the bottom of the cup. Trying to be charming and push the ball on a short putt is the fastest way to blow a short putt.
Confidence is key. Determine where you’d want to sit. Get rid of it!