Free golf tips presents:

Tips on Putting.

Free golf tips presents a series of golf tips that will improve your game.  Click on the link that you need help on, and we will supply you with golf tips!  Read carefully, and shave strokes off your handicap!

Free golf tips On:

• Putting
• Chipping
• Lobbing
• Fairway Shots
• Bunkers
• Iron Play
• Driving
• Course Management

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Putts:

As the Irish say, "99% of putts that don't reach the cup don't go in, and the other 1% are always short". Bottom line, beginning golfers should ALWAYS play to go beyond the hole. Ideally, your misses will stop 18" after the hole, but, practice makes perfect. I'd rather see you be long by 3 feet than short by 6". At least you know the miss MIGHT have gone in if lined up right. The short putt stands as much chance of going in as I do winning against Davis Love III in match play.

Also, match the stroke of your putt with your golf swing. If you have a short swing (i.e. your left arm doesn't go too far in the air during your backswing), your putting stroke should match. Same with if you have a long swing. You should have a long stroke. Your Body doesn't like you fighting it.

Lastly, the average golfer 3 putts or MORE 7-8 times a round. OUCH!! One of the primary reasons (besides being a beginner or weekend golfer) is that your eyes LOVE to play tricks. If you have a 20 foot or longer putt, I guarantee you that your eyes are going to think that it is only 16 feet. Has to do with triangulation of the eyes. But who cares about the science of it. The fact is, until you are skilled enough to REALLY gauge distance, factor in a couple feet for longer putts. You won't regret it!!

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Putter Alignment

The key is getting your putter's face aligned properly. Here are some tricks. After you've lined up your putt and see the intended line, place the ball down so that the logo points straight down the line -- don't point the logo at the hole (unless it's a perfectly straight putt); point it at your line. Then, simply align your putter head so that it is perpendicular to the logo.

Another trick is to pick out an intermediate target: a discoloration in the green, a repaired ball mark or a particular blade of grass, that lies directly on your intended line, but only two or three feet in front of your ball. When you are aiming your putter head, forget about your line and the hole and focus on this intermediate target.

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Perhaps the easiest way to align your putter head correctly, is to stand behind the ball and look at your line-- then carefully place the putter head behind the ball aiming towards your target line. Then, making sure not to move the putter head, walk around to the side of the ball and take your putting posture.

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Build Your Confidence!!

What can you do to build confidence? Here are some quick tips:

• Approach each putt believing you'll make it. But if you don't, be realistic: remind yourself that even the best players in the world only make about 50% of six foot putts.
• Even if you feel that you need to be aware of what you're doing wrong, don't lose sight of what you're doing right. After each shot, go over what went well. Say things to yourself like, "Contact was solid," or "My tempo was good," or "I planned that shot well."
• Keep a daily diary of the positive aspects of your game. Review the diary weekly, and visually recall what you did well (well, maybe not daily.  I know I don't have the time to play that often, but too late, I already wrote this, and it is easier to keep typing then to erase).
• Become more aware of the conditions under which you achieve optimal performance (as if there may be such a thing). Be especially attuned to your state of mind: e.g., do you play better when you're energized or when you're relaxed? The more you understand about yourself as a player, the easier you'll find it to create confidence-building experiences for yourself.

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Putting Again

Putting:  The elusive problem for all golfers!  How do you putt?  For starters: go straight back with the putter - one inch for each foot of distance the ball is from the cup, and then straight though with a smooth swing of equal distance beyond the strike point.  Make the necessary minor adjustments for existing conditions.  You must "see" the imaginary line - from the ball to the cup.  There are very few putts that you aim straight at the hole!

Having said that, putting is mostly about speed, not aim.  If the putt breaks more than a couple of inches, you need to get both right in order to make the putt (or get both *wrong*, such that they cancel out). Aim is more important out to about two feet.  

Beyond that, you need both.  Outside of ten feet, it's all about speed.  You're not likely to make the putt no matter what you do and your read of the break isn't likely to be off by more than a foot or two.  

But boy, can you get the speed wrong by more than that . . .In my experience, almost all three-putts are caused by poor speed control on the first putt (and a resulting second putt that's more than two or three feet).

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Drive for show, putt for dough.  It's that simple.  Well, not really, but we'll get to that in a few issues!  Most of us get our practice in on the 18 holes we play.  And that's fine.  A driving range is good for measuring distance, and is beneficial.  But how much time and effort do we really have.

Let's face it, practice is on the 18 holes we play.  Bottom line.  And that's OK!

For a crude, but effective method of gaining the correct backstroke, lay a two by four down on the ground.  Place the ball 2 inches from the two by four.  Take your putter, and place the inside head against the two by four.  A good putting stroke will keep the head of the putter alongside the two by four during your backswing, and during your downswing.  Get the feel of it.  That's how your stroke should feel!  

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How hard should you grip the club?  ANY club, driver, fairway, chip, putter.  The real question is how EASY should you grip it!! It must NEVER be tight.  Think of your grip this way:  You have a fragile bird egg in your hand.  How hard can you squeeze before the egg breaks.  Well, you DON'T want the egg to break, unless you are mean, and then unsubscribe, you cold hearted monster!!  That's how EASY your grip should be.  This is extremely tough to master, but try and be conscience of it the next time on the course.  You may be pleasantly surprised!!