Tried And Tested Techniques To Improve Your Putting Skills

Nothing can improve a round of golf as much as your putting. If you can cut out any three putts and perhaps hole one or two from a little distance you will soon understand how valuable it is to putt well. That involves have a regular routine and a smooth stroke. There is a little detail behind these two general points and underlying it all is the commitment to practice.

Putting demands routine; American professional Brad Faxon is one of the PGA Tour’s best putters. His routine even involves standing back again after doing all the preparatory work but he does it every time. The elements of putting require:

• Balance
• Eyes over the ball
• A smooth stroke
• Equal distance back and through

Pace and Line

Reading the line and the pace of a putt is a matter of judgement. Pace obviously varies depending upon whether the putt is flat, uphill or downhill. Spending some time on the practice putting green before the round should provide a clue to the pace of the greens once the round begins. Reading the borrows is a skill that cannot be fully practiced because each putt is unique.

Alignment

Every golf shot requires the golfer to be comfortable and relaxed over the ball. That means not only balanced but clear headed. The ball needs to be equidistant between the feet and a line through the tips of the toes parallel to the intended route of the ball. Some golfers want a practice stroke and others dismiss this as a necessity; it is personal choice.

You should ensure your eyes are exactly above the ball and that you are gripping the club firmly but not too tightly. It is important to practice so that you take the putter back in line with the distance you need to hit the ball and maintain a similar pace for each putt, following through the same distance as you have gone back.

As with every golf shot the connection is important. Some good putters take the putter back aiming to create a slight arc from the back of the backswing to the end of the follow through but in every case the putter face is square to the ball on impact. It is a matter of what you are comfortable with but once you ‘find your stroke’ stick with it within a routine that you repeat every time.