| If you are seriously considering lowering | | | | and gently shake them. This should relax your |
| your scores, then you must take your putting | | | | muscles enabling an enhanced sensation of |
| seriously, as roughly half the strokes you | | | | feel and touch, both vital for reliable |
| play in a round of golf are likely to be on | | | | consistent putting. |
| the putting green. However good you are at | | | | |
| driving, pitching and chipping, if your | | | | Tips for the swing |
| putting is not up to standard, you will never | | | | |
| make the next level. My Dad told me the | | | | Your grip should not be too tight, and your |
| famous quote when I was probably about 12 or | | | | arms should be relaxed. Gently and smoothly |
| 13, 'Drive for show putt for dough', this | | | | in a one piece action, sweep the putter |
| says it all! That is why it is quite | | | | backwards. It is important to keep the |
| incredible that putting is not often | | | | triangle formed between your arms and the |
| concentrated on. | | | | line joining your shoulders consistent |
| | | | through the whole shot and the shape should |
| Tips for setup: | | | | not change. The move backwards should be like |
| | | | a pendulum movement with your arms, while |
| First of all I'd just like to say that there | | | | your wrists remain stiff. A good tip for |
| is no one correct putting grip/posture | | | | making sure that this is correct is by |
| stroke, there are wide variations, so if your | | | | starting the action by dropping your left |
| technique is different, don't worry, some of | | | | shoulder; this will get the pendulum motion |
| the top golfers have very different putting | | | | started. |
| actions e.g. Bernhard Langer, Ben Crenshaw | | | | |
| and Tom Watson all have very different | | | | Keeping the triangle mentioned before in |
| techniques. These are basic tips that can be | | | | tact, in a pendulum motion, accelerate the |
| applied to most techniques to help improve | | | | putter smoothly through the ball; the ball |
| your game. | | | | should be hit on the up. Throughout this |
| | | | whole period, keep your eyes fixed on the |
| An ideal putting stroke should strike the | | | | ball to avoid fluffing the putt and keep the |
| ball on the up, to do this the ball should be | | | | eyes fixed on that spot after impact. |
| placed opposite the inside of the left heal | | | | |
| (for a right hander), this results in the | | | | It is vital after impact that the left wrist |
| ball being hit on the up and top spin is | | | | remains firm and does not break; the |
| generated. | | | | follow-through should go inline with the |
| | | | direction you were aiming and should be the |
| In relation to setup, the hands should be | | | | same length as the backswing. |
| either inline with the ball or ahead of the | | | | |
| ball, if the hands are behind the ball, then | | | | Key points: |
| a clean consistent strike of the ball is not | | | | |
| likely, and the common result is the ball | | | | Try and relax before playing the stroke, this |
| popping up in the air. | | | | will help enhance your feel and touch and |
| | | | help avoid the yips due to excess tension |
| Tension on the green is one the most | | | | |
| destructive things that can happen to your | | | | The stroke should be a pendulum action |
| putting, especially with the short putts, | | | | swinging with your shoulders and arms while |
| this is known as getting the 'yips', this is | | | | the wrists remain stiff. |
| caused by moving during the stroke. This | | | | |
| causes you to 'fluff' your shot and miss your | | | | Don't move your head during the swing. |
| putt. To avoid this happening, concentrate on | | | | |
| the spot where the ball was after impact | | | | Swing in a relaxed smooth fashion with a |
| rather than following the ball. This ensures | | | | smooth and constant rhythm. |
| that you do not move your head during impact | | | | |
| and will help give you the clean smooth | | | | Keep the wrists firm throughout the stroke. |
| impact you require. | | | | |
| | | | Play the ball from underneath the eyes. |
| A simple technique to reduce the tension in | | | | |
| the body and the stroke is simply to let your | | | | Have the ball in the front of the stance to |
| arms dangle in front of you before you putt | | | | ensure that the ball is hit on the up. |