Everyone wants to know how to make every putt. How do you do it? Well, it my opinion there are three keys. That is it. The is no right way to hold a putter. Do what ever makes you feel comfortable. I suggest trying out a bunch of them before you settle. Take the relationship with your putter to the next level. Try new positions, why not? Spicy up your putting life a little. Ok, ok, on to the keys.
Key #1- Ball Placement
How it Works: Make sure your eyes are directly over the ball. You can check this very easily. Set up to the ball like you were going to putt. Then drop a ball from your nose, and if it hits the ball, then your eyes are over the ball, if not, continue the drill until they hit.
Why it Works:
This is important because you can feel the line better. This may not make sense. But you can feel the putter going back and through on line because it is going under your head. Your head is the center of the putting stroke and putting it in the physical middle helps center the golf ball. All good putters do this. They may have a crazy grip, but even Briny does it and he has a crazy stance (see photo)!How to ensure you will always do it: After you find the spot where your eyes are over the ball, you measure it with your putter. Measure from the ball to your feet line in terms of putter length. For me it is one and half putters. So, each time you dress the ball, you measure out from the ball your special distance and then that is where you put your feet.
Key #2- Hands Forward
How it Works: Make sure your hands are ahead of the ball
Why it Works: It is important because you want to start the ball rolling. Dribbling is good for basketball, but bad for putting and makes it extremely difficult. So by keeping your hands ahead of the ball, you have a better chance of getting the ball off to a rolling start
How to ensure you will always do it: Well, look down and check. This is easy. Just make sure your hands are ahead of the ball
Key #3- Confidence
How it Works: You will never make a putt if you don't think you will make it. So each time you stand over a putt, you need to think that you are going to make it.
Why it Works: The putting stroke can easily be changed by your mind. It is short and slow. Your mind has plenty of time to mess with it. If you think your line is wrong, or that the speed (draw weight for you curlers in the crowd) will be wrong, you will instinctively change your line mid-stroke!
How to ensure it always happens: This is tricky. Confidence comes from success and success comes from confidence. But, there is a way around it. Start with short putts. I used to putt 100 three footers a day. Once I made them all everyday, I knew I was a good putter. Allow your practice to set you up for success. Let it give you confidence, whether than means 20 straight two putts from 80 feet or making 20 2 footers in a row, do it.
That is it! You must feel like a better putter now! It is okay, I don't either. Good putting is like fine wine. Great taste is in every grape, but it just needs the proper nurturing and aging to become great wine. Everyone can be a good putter, you just have to coax it out of yourself (don't try snake charmers, didn't work for me). You will get really frustrated through the 4 putts, but you will celebrate the 40 foot birdie putts that are holed. Putting is not something that can be tackled in one blog post, but this is a start. Fall in love with putting. Lord knows its hard falling in love with humans, but putting will always be there, sometimes too much.
~ An Italian Hogie on Rye
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