| They are some tips for getting the most out of the | | | | 6. Putt on a flat part of the practice green. On a |
| time you spend on the practice putting green. | | | | practice green, you want to practing making putts. |
| Here's how to do it: 1. Use the practice green to | | | | That means putting from a short distance - and on a |
| guage speed and work on distance control. Distance | | | | flat part of the green. Short, flat putts are the ones |
| control (sometimes called speed control) should be | | | | you have to make to get better. |
| the focus when practicing putting. | | | | 7. Always end your practice session by making short |
| 2. Hit your putts at a ball marker, not at a hole, to | | | | putts. Don't walk off the green on a miss. Force |
| start with. Don't immediately try to make putts - | | | | yourselve to make five or six putts in a row to end |
| simply roll the ball toward a ball marker you've put | | | | the session - even if you have to putt from 6 inches |
| down about six feet away. Think about the stroke | | | | to do it. |
| and centering the ball on the putter face. | | | | Some golf tips: 1) Visualize to stay positive. |
| 3. Set down distance markers and alternate putting | | | | Confidence plays a huge role in putting. As you stand |
| to different distances. Set ball markers, clubs or | | | | over putts on the practice green, visualize a trough |
| some other markers at 10-foot intervals, out to 30 | | | | leading from your putter to the cup and imagine |
| feet. Alternate hitting balls to the different distances. | | | | hearing the sound of the ball dropping into the cup. |
| 4. Hit from one side of the green to the other to | | | | 2) Put down a chalk line to practice keeping your |
| practice long putts. Making a 70-footer is something | | | | putter on-line. You can find a chalk line in a hardware |
| we're very unlikely to do, it doesn't make sense to | | | | store - it's that string carpenters snap to a surface |
| aim at the cup. You'll only be disappointed when the | | | | to leave a chalk imprint. |
| ball doesn't go in. | | | | 3) Practice keeping your putter on line and hitting the |
| 5. Practice making putts, not missing them. Putt from | | | | sweet spot in your living room. Use an alignment tool |
| no more than six feet out, and preferably around | | | | (a ruler, for instance) and putting aids you can buy to |
| four feet out. Even the pros make only about half | | | | affix to your putter's head that will help with |
| their 6-footers. If you're practicing 15-footers, you're | | | | centering the stroke. |
| only hurting your confidence. | | | | |