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How to Master Your Golf Putting Skills
by Kim Kleinle
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Overview
Putting, the simplest of golf's skills, befuddles even tour pros. The putting stroke requires neither wrist hinge nor weight transfer, and swing plane is not an issue, yet golfers struggle to master this skill. Putting styles vary widely: The grip can be standard, cross-handed or even a "claw" type of grip; the arms can hang straight or the elbows can bend. As long as you start the putt on the correct line at the proper speed, the ball will go in the hole. Aim and distance, therefore, are the keys to successful putting. By practicing drills that focus on aim and distance, you'll be able to master your putting skills.
Putting confounds even tour pros.
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Practice Aim
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Insert a tee in the green about 3 feet from the hole to mark your starting point. Place a ball next to the tee.
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Stand behind the ball, with the ball between you and the hole. Observe any slope or undulations in the green.
"Read" the green by observing the undulations.
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Place a ball marker or coin behind your ball, then pick the ball up. Using the name of the ball or a line on the ball as a guide, replace the ball in front of the marker, pointing the line or name along your target line.
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Align the putter behind the ball so it is perpendicular to your target line and perpendicular to the line on the ball. Take your stance with your feet no more than hip-width apart. The putter should be in the center of your stance, and your feet aligned parallel to the target line.
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Step 5
Stroke the putt, focusing on pushing the putter straight back along the target line and straight through to the target. The follow-through should be at least as long as the backswing.
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Step 6
Practice from 3 feet until you can make 10 putts in a row without a miss.
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Step 7
Move your starting point to another location 5 feet from the hole and practice in the same manner until you can make 10 putts in a row without a miss.
Practice Distance
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Place a ball 2 feet from the hole. On a straight line extending away from the hole, place balls a foot apart, so you have a golf ball at 4 feet, 6 feet, 8 feet and 10 feet from the hole.
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Aim the closest ball to the hole as you did in the practice drill above. When you make that putt, move to the next ball, working your way up the putting "ladder" until you have made the 10-foot putt.
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Insert tees in the green at random and varied distances from the hole to serve as guides. For example, your tees could be at 4 feet, 10 feet, 16 feet and 22 feet from the hole. Place a ball next to each tee.
Practice putts from different distances.
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Starting with the closest ball, putt toward the hole, working your way from the shortest to the longest putt. Continue this drill until you can consistently putt each ball within a foot of the hole.
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- Putter
Golf balls
- Putter
- Golf balls
- You can putt with your feet parallel to the target line, pointing right of that line or pointing left, but your putter must follow the imaginary target line, not the line of your feet (unless your feet are parallel to the target line).
Keep you lower body and head still with no weight shift. Your wrists should remain firm but with no tension in the muscles.
- You can putt with your feet parallel to the target line, pointing right of that line or pointing left, but your putter must follow the imaginary target line, not the line of your feet (unless your feet are parallel to the target line).
- Keep you lower body and head still with no weight shift. Your wrists should remain firm but with no tension in the muscles.
