Knowhow-Now Article

Learn To Putt And Keep Strokes In Your Bag

If you’re just learning or taking up the game of golf, here’s the one tip that will lower your scores faster than any other tip on golf – putting. That’s right. Putting. No putting isn’t the sexy thing to do around the practice tee. It’s doesn’t draw a crowd around you like bombing 300 yard drives does, but putting is where you can immediately shave strokes off your golf game.

Tip: Your body can really help you out in the sport of golf. Your entire body is needed to truly power your shots.

When I work with young people or anyone just taking up golf, I stress the importance of practicing and working on your game. I understand that it is only natural to want to go ‘hit’ the golf ball. It’s a great feeling to make solid contract on the ball and know for that moment in time that even the pro’s don’t hit it any better.

Tip: While many golfers assume that a slipping club is due to a worn out glove, this is not always the case. The grip on the club itself might be the problem, as well.

For this article, I’m not going to discuss the actual mechanics of putting, rather let’s discuss why your golf putting game probably deserves more focus that you give it and what you should do.

Tip: When you are golfing, consider ditching the golf cart and walking. This is very beneficial to your health as you will be increasing your exercise on the course.

O.K. think about this (especially for you beginning golfers). I would venture a guess that given any round of golf, you probably putted at least one more time than necessary on each green simply because you don’t seriously practice your golf putting game. Easy math… that’s 18 strokes right there! Now you’re probably thinking I don’t loose a stroke on every putting green. I would argue that if you are a high handicapper that you do. Those three and four putt greens... and let’s be honest; you are probably pretty generous with those gimme distances aren’t you?

Tip: To check your stance, wiggle your toes. When a golfer is leaning into the swing too far, their toes will usually become difficult to wiggle and suggests that the golfer should adjust backwards to prevent a nasty shot.

This alone should begin to give you the incentive to improve your putting game. The putting stroke isn’t fraught with mechanics that you have to learn like you do with a full golf swing. You only need one club to practice this part of your golf game. And with just a little consistent practice time on your golf putting, you can immediately start taking strokes off your game in bunches.

Here are a couple of putting tips and a mind set that I work with others on (and constantly work on with myself).

First when you are practicing putting work on two areas: your line and your distance control.

Tip: It is important to maintain a steady pace during games. You will annoy everyone if you delay the game.

Putting line: start close to the hole and roll a putt in. When you make three putts in a row, back up about two feet and repeat. Do this out to a range of 8 feet. Initially keep track of how putts it takes you to work your way back to and complete the eight foot mark. Then, your next step with the four putting distances of 2, 4, 6, and 8 feet, is to give yourself 16 putts to complete your putting drill (this allows for one miss at each distance). As you improve, drop your allowable strokes to 15, then 14, and so on, until you reach perfection.

Tip: One of the more common golf problems is the slice, but practice makes perfect. Slicing is the result of the face of the club hitting the ball improperly, causing it to curve to the right.

Putting distance control: Depending upon your skill level, begin putting from about 20 feet and repeat the same drill as above moving back 10 feet at a time, only this time you are allowed two putts to hole the ball from each distance. This drill ties into and complements the putting line drill very well. This drill will teach your distance control so you can confidently putt the ball within a distance from the hole that you know you already have a high percentage of chance of making because of the first drill you work on.

Tip: Keeping your eye on the ball may be an old adage, but it will always remain the most basic of concepts. It's a golden rule for many sports, but it's especially applicable to golf.

Here’s a mind set that you should always take to your actual round of golf. This is one that I used when I first starting playing golf and work with people still today.

Tip: No matter how good you may be at golf, at some time or another, your ball is going to land in the bunkers or sand traps. Since you've probably been in one before, you know how much a shot in these areas can make a mess of the sand that creates the difficult shots.

I knew my golf game from tee to green would have many peaks and valleys before actually reaching the green. But here’s the personal game I played within myself when first leaning golf, and I truly believe it will work for you. Not matter how bad (or good) it is off the tee. No matter how long it takes you to get out of trouble. No matter what happens. Whether you get to the putting surface in regulation or twice regulation; here is your mind set. I am not going to three putt. I am going to re-focus, remember my drills, and have confidence in what I have practiced. And I am not going to three putt any golf greens today.

And finally, don’t short change your putting game. Putt everything out. I mean this. If you are serious about getting and staying better, putt everything out. No gimmes. Keep your putting game sharp. Don’t let it slowly deteriorate because your buddies let you pick everything up inside 3ft (or even more generous than that). If you do, you soon start giving strokes away when they count.

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