Simple putting tips for your next golf game

Putting tips:  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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Putter alignment tips

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 golf ball. When you are aiming
your  putter head, forget about your line and the hole and focus on this
intermediate target.

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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Short putting is mainly about direction.

Aiming corrrectly and  making a perfect smooth stroke.

Longer putting is about getting  the distance right.

You know this if in the past your putt has finished 6 feet short  (insert snicker
here) or 6 feet long.  But almost never will it be  6 feet wide.

Since a firm putt tend to hold its line you should aways hit the  longer putt firmly
and be prepared to putt back to the hole.

That means that the best thing you can do to get your distance  right is go to the
practice green and hit twenty putts from 2 feet,  twenty putts from 6 feet, twenty
putts from 12 feet and twenty  putts from 20 feet.  Soon you will know how to judge
distance and  select how hard to stroke the golf ball at the same time.

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The Routine.  Practice on the putting green before you hit the
course.

– review the slope, grain, and layout of the green.
– estimate the distance.
– select your aiming point.
– setup your grip, feet, head, and putter head alignment.
– decide on your stoke for the distance.
– take a parallel practice swing.
– smile confidently to yourself.
– swing smoothly.
– wait.