(Newswire.net — November 11, 2021) — If you have a +10 handicap or greater, then you’re almost certainly losing strokes on the green. But with a few simple tweaks to your stroke, equipment, and (perhaps most importantly) your mindset, you can shave strokes off your game and have more fun on the links.
5 Tips for Better Putting
As the old golf saying goes, you drive for show and putt for dough. While hitting a 300-yard bomb off the tee might impress people and turn a few heads in the clubhouse, consistently draining putts is what will lower your score and help you topple your competition. For amateur golfers, more strokes are lost on the green than anywhere else. If you can clean up this phase of your game and make it a strength, golf will become much more fun.
Here are a few tips for better putting:
1. Choose the Right Putter
Most people don’t spend nearly enough time choosing a putter that works for them. Either they buy the most expensive putter they can find, assuming it’ll solve all of their problems, or they use the same old blade they’ve had in their bag for the last 15 years without ever considering an alternative. But if you want to know the truth, switching to the right putter could make a huge difference.
For example, L.A.B. Golf putters might look a little strange, but they’re exceptionally crafted to be far more forgiving than the actual club. With an optimal tilt and perfectly weight head that essentially eliminates torque, you no longer have to fight twisting and twitching. It’s a smooth, predictable stroke every single time.
2. Roll, Don’t Hit
You have to think about rolling the ball rather than hitting it. This is the key to keeping the ball on a smooth line (rather than hitting it up and having it bounce a couple of times before erratically finding an unpredictable line).
In order to roll the ball, imagine that you’re taking a stroke and the ball is merely in your way. Keep the putter head low to the ground all the way through (and past) impact.
3. Look at a Spot
Most golfers get over their ball, look at the hole, and then stare at their ball for several seconds before hitting it. And while everyone does it, this is a very ineffective approach. Not only is the cup out of our sightline when hitting, but too much focus on the ball can actually have a negative effect on your psyche. Many pro golfers, like Jack Nicklaus, have taken a different approach over the years.
“Try looking at a spot just in front of the ball on your target line and rolling the ball over that spot,” Golf Digest suggests. “Put a tee in the ground in front of the ball when you practice. This gets you thinking about the target line instead of the stroke – the opposite of what most golfers do.”
In other words, line up your putt and then find a spot within your periphery when you’re over the ball. Focus on hitting the ball to the spot. If you read the break properly, this will get your ball on the right line every time.
4. Judge Distance From the Side
Most people judge a putt’s distance from behind the ball. Unfortunately, it’s really hard to get proper depth perception from this angle. It’s better to stand on the side (perpendicular to the imaginary midpoint of the line between the ball and the cup). You’ll get a much better feel for distance here.
5. Putt to an Area
When lag putting (anything 20 feet or beyond), the average amateur golfer has probably a less than 10 percent chance of putting the ball in the cup. They have a far greater chance of leaving the ball six or seven feet from the hole. This instantly brings a three-putt into play.
When putting from 20 feet or beyond, stop aiming for the cup and start aiming for an area. More specifically, your goal is to get the ball within a three-foot radius of the hole. This essentially guarantees a two-putt. But it also gives you a chance to hole the putt.
Lower Your Score Today
Putting takes practice. You can’t expect to show up to the golf course, implement these tips, and suddenly lower your score by five or six strokes. You need to spend time in the practice area on a regular basis. Only then can you get a true feel for what it takes.