To a non-golfer, putting really shouldn’t be that difficult; after all, you’re just rolling the ball along the ground, right? But putting is one part of the game that has a direct impact on your score, and it’s something that most golfers think can always be improved. So, to make sure you’re always ‘putting’ in your best performance on the golf course, we’ve ‘putt’ together a list of our top ten putting tips. So let’s go!
Get A Grip
One of the best ways to improve your putting technique is to improve your grip, and this means keeping your grip light; relax your fingers and let the putter hang so that all of the control and motion is coming from your shoulders and arms. One way to lighten your stroke is to practise using just one hand; this makes you rely more on your shoulders and less on your wrists and hands.
Go The Distance
Poor distance control is the result of trying too hard to ‘hit’ the long putts, and not hard enough for the shorter ones. The trick is to think about the right swing length for each putt instead of using the same length swing for every putt. You could try to make your swing symmetrical by placing two markers either side of the ball and making sure you swing back and through the same distance, covering both markers. For longer putts, increase the distance between the two markers.
All In The Wrist
Keeping the angle of the wrists consistent through your putting stroke can make a huge difference as a ‘flicking’ wrist can affect all kinds of things; the angle of the club face, the loft and speed, as well as distance control. Try holding the base of the grip with your front hand with the top of the grip against your forearm, to keep it stable. You can use your other hand to keep it against your arm while you get used to the movement.
Heads Up
Or down; just don’t move it! Changing the position of your head is a small thing that can make a big difference to your putting technique. A putt is all about precision, and anything that requires precision also requires you to be still; if your head is moving around then your shoulders will follow, and this can change the direction of your putter. You could try focusing on one specific part of the ball, maybe even make a mark on it, then don’t move your eyes from this spot until the ball has gone.
Swing Low
Swaying back and forth is a common sight on the golf course, but to make sure your ball gets started on the right line, it helps to remember that the putting movement should come from your shoulders. Picture your arms and the putter being like a pendulum, with the rotation coming from your spine while your feet stay firmly planted on the ground. Try doing it a few times without the putter, with just your palms together, this way your body can get used to the movement.
Starting Line
Apparently, amateur golfers miss 80% of breaking putts and this often happens because they are aiming incorrectly. Most putts will have a small break in either direction, so it can help to mentally adjust where you place the centre of the hole, meaning you’ll aim at the right start direction. Remember, the middle of the hole isn’t necessarily directly in front of you, but positioned where the ball approaches it from; try placing two tees in front of the hole to help you see how the ball will approach the hole.
Pick A Spot, Any Spot
Another way to improve your putting is one recommended by lots of golfers, and that’s spot putting. The theory is that the nearer the target, the easier it is to visualise your target line, so pick an imaginary spot located between your ball and the hole and focus on rolling the ball over this spot, towards the hole. It could be a blade of grass or a mark on the ground; it’s simple but effective.
Practise Makes Perfect
As with anything you want to improve, practise is always vital, especially as a lot of your putting technique is based on touch and feel so the more you do it, the more likely it is to become ingrained. It’s still useful to have a bit of variety so that you can handle the more challenging areas of your local course, but repetition is key for learning the right setup and process. So practise, then practise some more!
It’s Okay To Miss
Another important thing you can do to improve your putting technique is to allow yourself to miss. Every single golfer misses at least once in every single round so by not giving yourself a hard time when you miss, you’re taking some of the pressure off, and taking the emphasis off the result. There are lots of things that can affect your putting that are out of your control; a gust of wind, for example, or a hidden bump on the green, so going into it accepting that you’re not going to make every stroke leaves you free to focus on the things you can control.
Enjoy!
Putting is the part of the game that has the most impact on the score, so it’s easy to see why we get so frustrated when it doesn’t go to plan. But it’s important not to let a bad game overshadow your love for the game, so mix it up a bit so it’s not all serious practise; play some light-hearted competitions in between all the training to remind you why you’re playing in the first place.
There is no one perfect technique when it comes to putting, but hopefully our tips can help you start to develop a stroke that you can build on, and we hope we’ve inspired you to improve your game. If you want to perfect your swing too, take a look at our simple swing tips.
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