Two putts per hole are the goal: an approach putt and a final putt. Any further attempt is annoying. Since “putting properly” in golf is not just a question of technique but also of your psyche, it is not easy to achieve significant training progress.
We provide assistance and have put together:
The seven best tips for successful golf putting
The first three golf putting tips are training methods or exercises; the following four tips are specific suggestions for improving the golf putting technique.
Tip 1: the ball marker
Get a ball marker stencil (also called a putt stencil) that can be used to draw a straight line. Use the template to draw a straight line on the golf ball, which will help you identify the optimal line that the golf ball should roll along when putting. You can, of course, do without the marker if you have a steady hand.
When you have drawn the line, align the ball or the drawn line with the desired rolling line. The line makes it easier for you to imagine the ideal line when putting.
The effect: With this method, you can quickly determine whether your feelings are deceiving you when you aim the ball to put it. Some players find that the line they believe to be the racing line is not the right one. With the help of a marking on the golf ball, you develop a feeling for the correct runway and thus also for the correct positioning in relation to the ball – basically just like you would do with the video analysis for a golf instructor.
Tip 2: The putting training game
Make your putting training interesting and varied in order to practice regularly and sufficiently. If you go to the training green without a particular plan, it quickly gets boring – the temptation to leave it at a few unmotivated balls is excellent.
A great exercise is corridor putting. For this, you need:
- three golf balls
- three golf clubs – for example, three irons from your golf bag
- seven teas
Use the three golf clubs to lay a corridor around the hole (see a preview image of the video), insert the tees into the green at a distance of one meter from the hole and start a little putting game:
The effect: The putting game is really fun, you will probably spend a lot more time training than usual. At the same time, you stay focused because it is about something: reaching the last tee. Another nice effect is the performance control. By making a note of your results, you will see if your accuracy has improved.
Tip 3: One-handed putting
Improve the feeling for your putts by increasing the difficulty of the training and putting only one hand on a trial basis.
Before that happens, first do ten putts with the usual grip. You then only play the next ten balls with your left hand (you grip the golf club with one hand), the right-hand rests on your back. Finally, you play ten balls again, this time with your right hand.
Play the balls from different distances, for example, 2, 4 and 6 meters. If you place a few tees at the appropriate distances on the practice green, you can easily put together a few training games.
The effect: you not only improve your coordination and your feeling for the putter, but you may also discover which hand is the stronger. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the right hand if you are right-handed.
For some players, it pays to make the stronger hand the leading hand! This means that this hand takes the lead when putting, while the other is carried along and is primarily responsible for stability.
Tip 4: Adjust the Position of the Feet
When putting correctly, the ball should roll, not bounce. This is a problem for some golfers, especially with putts over a long distance. Make sure the golf ball really rolls by standing so that the ball is no longer centered between your feet but to the left of the center.
Many golfers use the left eye as a guide under which the golf ball should lie. But especially on very uneven greens, for example, it can be advisable to move the ball further to the left in autumn.
The effect: you gain more control over the shot when the golf ball rolls instead of hobbling. You can dose the stroke better, use your strength more effectively and maintain a feeling for the ball and golf club even on uneven ground.
So take a small step to the right so that the ball is to the left of your core.
Read More: Playing golf in times of Corona – The Right Behaviour on the Golf Course.
Tip 5: Adjust the pace correctly
In order to measure the speed of the ball correctly, get used to the most standardized backswing and backswing movement possible. Many golfers prefer: swing a third, swing two-thirds. This applies to all putts within a distance of 10 meters.
The effect: If you get used to a constant backswing and backswing movement, you have a good basis to find out which “adjusting screw” you need to turn to improve yourself further. Roughly speaking, only when you know what you’re doing can you make changes that move you forward.
For the dosage of the pace, if you no longer think about how far you will draw, you concentrate more on the punching power. This means you have one less source of error
Tip 6: The swing Line of the Putter
Many golfers swing the putter in a slight arc instead of a straight line – either consciously or unconsciously. There are some golf instructors who push this (which is definitely something for itself).
If you have problems putting or want to refine your putting technique: Try to keep this arc as small as possible, i.e. keep the putter on as straight a swing line as possible.
The effect: A swing line that is as straight as possible is ideal for golfers who often miss the ideal meeting point. With a curved swing line, the probability that the putt will miss is significantly greater if the optimal hit point (the so-called sweet spot) is missed. There is a great possibility that the golf ball will not stay that far from the hole with a straight swing line.
Tip 7: Don’t Forget the Basics
Anyone who tries more and more and thinks of more and more things when the putting doesn’t really work out tends to forget the basics.
The right putting technique is, particularly about posture. Note:
- Align feet shoulder-width
- Knees slightly bent
- Tilt your upper body slightly forward – When you let your arms dangle in the downward position, there should be about a handstand’s breadth of space between the hitting hand and the body.
- Eyes just above the line of impact
- Keep your head straight when swinging back and forth, and don’t let it swing
When these basics are internalized, you have a good basis to worry about more details that will improve your putting result.
