Putting is probably the hardest part of golf. Seems simple enough but you can and will use just as many strokes on the green as you did to get there.
There are a lot of different variations of grips, types of putters, stances, etc. but a lot of those are things to try out, and as you play more and get more comfortable with your game, you will find out what works best for you. Since we ourselves are no experts, we’re just going to cover the basics.
1. Read your line – Don’t take forever, we aren’t pros here needing to take our time with our paycheck depending on these putts. Get up to your ball, visualize where you think it will go from that spot towards the pin, and if you have a marker line on the ball use that to place it exactly where you want to hit. Take note of any breaks, hills, or anything that could affect the movement of the putt.
2. Stance – Your feet should be shoulder width and toes forward (not angled out). Make sure the golf ball is slightly ahead of your center (you want to hit the ball on slight upswing – be aware you are not trying to gain air on your putt, but rather hit the ball square to the club head). Try to position your eyes directly over the ball.
3. Speed – Use your trail foot / backswing to give yourself more or less power. Reading greens is very difficult, and each course is different so don’t expect every putt to be the same. On the practice green you can putt a few balls from anywhere you want to the edge of the green just to read speeds, not needing the pin to distract you as a pre-round drill.
4. Putt – Once you’re ready, go ahead and putt. Do not flick wrists, but rock your shoulders, and keep elbows tucked in for better control (can tuck a towel under arms for practice). You can find a lot of other tips and drills online, go ahead and try them out, see what works for you!
Don’t forget…PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! There are no shortcuts for improving your short game.
2 OFF THE TEE 