If you are seriously considering lowering your scores, then you
must take your putting seriously, as roughly half the strokes
you play in a round of golf are likely to be on the putting
green. However good you are at driving, pitching and chipping,
if your putting is not up to standard, you will never make the
next level. My Dad told me the famous quote when I was probably
about 12 or 13, ?Drive for show putt for dough?, this says it
all! That is why it is quite incredible that putting is not
often concentrated on. Tips for setup: First of all I?d just
like to say that there is no one correct putting
grip/posture/stroke, there are wide variations, so if your
technique is different, don?t worry, some of the top golfers
have very different putting actions e.g. Bernhard Langer, Ben
Crenshaw and Tom Watson all have very different techniques.
These are basic tips that can be applied to most techniques to
help improve your game. An ideal putting stroke should strike
the ball on the up, to do this the ball should be placed
opposite the inside of the left heal (for a right hander), this
results in the ball being hit on the up and top spin is
generated. In relation to setup, the hands should be either
inline with the ball or ahead of the ball, if the hands are
behind the ball, then a clean consistent strike of the ball is
not likely, and the common result is the ball popping up in the
air. Tension on the green is one the most destructive things
that can happen to your putting, especially with the short
putts, this is known as getting the ?yips?, this is caused by
moving during the stroke. This causes you to ?fluff? your shot
and miss your putt. To avoid this happening, concentrate on the
spot where the ball was after impact rather than following the
ball. This ensures that you do not move your head during impact
and will help give you the clean smooth impact you require. A
simple technique to reduce the tension in the body and the
stroke is simply to let your arms dangle in front of you before
you putt and gently shake them. This should relax your muscles
enabling an enhanced sensation of feel and touch, both vital for
reliable consistent putting. Tips for the swing Your grip should
not be too tight, and your arms should be relaxed. Gently and
smoothly in a one piece action, sweep the putter backwards. It
is important to keep the triangle formed between your arms and
the line joining your shoulders consistent through the whole
shot and the shape should not change. The move backwards should
be like a pendulum movement with your arms, while your wrists
remain stiff. A good tip for making sure that this is correct is
by starting the action by dropping your left shoulder; this will
get the pendulum motion started. Keeping the triangle mentioned
before in tact, in a pendulum motion, accelerate the putter
smoothly through the ball; the ball should be hit on the up.
Throughout this whole period, keep your eyes fixed on the ball
to avoid fluffing the putt and keep the eyes fixed on that spot
after impact. It is vital after impact that the left wrist
remains firm and does not break; the follow-through should go
inline with the direction you were aiming and should be the same
length as the backswing. Key points Try and relax before playing
the stroke, this will help enhance your feel and touch and help
avoid the yips due to excess tension The stroke should be a
pendulum action swinging with your shoulders and arms while the
wrists remain stiff. Don?t move your head during the swing.
Swing in a relaxed smooth fashion with a smooth and constant
rhythm. Keep the wrists firm throughout the stroke. Play the
ball from underneath the eyes. Have the ball in the front of the
stance to ensure that the ball is hit on the up.
About the author:
Discover amazing free golf tips and secrets to help you take
your game to the next level and shave a minimum of five shots
off your best round. Visit :
|
