Putting Strategies

9:28 am June 2, 2009

Long putts can turn into rewarding & anticipated challenges for
those who are well practiced. If there is one thing that many great
putters have in common, it’s that they have a natural sense of feel for
the speed & distance needed to make their shots.

This feel isn’t something that you can easily discern from a “how to”
booklet.

It must be learned by instinct & then practiced repeatedly.

A. The Proper Speed

As a beginner, you may be tempted to try to putt from 8 feet out or
even farther. However, this shouldn’t be the first goal.

Great golfers realize that it’s best to lag the ball a little. They’ll try to
get it as close to the hole as possible & leave themselves a very easy
final shot using only 2 – 3 feet of distance.

Of course, knocking the ball into the hole from a distance can hypercharge
your self confidence…. But, you want to still avoid the
dreaded “3-putt shot” which can arise more often than you’d like it
to….

Therefore, pick your shots carefully….

Many beginner golfers have trouble with this concept…. Their ball
may be situated 15 to 20 feet away from the hole, so they put too
much speed & distance into their shots. The next thing they realize,
5-6 shots have consumed a par-3 hole.

B. Mastering Long Putting

What you want to strive for is the “perfect lag” on your ball when
trying a long-distance putt. You want your ball to always land safely
near the hole, regardless of whether it breaks too early or too soon.

You want your ball to end up so that an easy putt will finish the hole
on your next swing.

C. A Simple Practice Exercise

As with any maneuver, practice makes perfect when learning the feel
for speed & distance on the green.

Try this simple exercise to become a better putter:

1.Place four to five balls in a line approximately 10 feet apart from
each other, evenly distributed toward the hole. Now, you should
have a line of balls evenly spaced out between each other. All
leading toward the hole, starting at about 40 to 50 feet out.

2.Now start the exercise. Try putting the ball closest to the hole first
& slowly work your way back. Putt down the line until you reach the
farthest ball. Try to imagine yourself playing in a real game.
(Because you know it’s not a real game, you should be more
loosened up & not stressed about making a perfect lag shot.)

3.Guess what will happen? You’ll play well! That is the ironic part
about golf. When you are in the middle of a good game, worry &
doubt can tense you up, causing poor shots.

*You should strive to take this relaxed mindset with you during a
real game.

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Putting Like A Pro

11:47 am May 19, 2009

Good putting can make or break a decent score. After all, we all
want to get our score as low as possible. Let’s run through some
quick putting tips to get that score down ASAP!

The Way the Grass Grows

Every golf shot combines two basic elements:
1.One is judging distance and the effects of the terrain and wind on
the ball.
2.The other is a complete execution of your swing. (When it comes
to putting, the mental gymnastics count more for this shot than any
other one that you’ll attempt).

There are ways to help you putt better. In fact, ways that your fellow
players might not be aware of & that you can use to your advantage.
Many golfers simply pace the distance to the cup.

Instead, try this:
1.Stand over the ball & look at the line heading straight towards the
hole and…
2.At the same time measure the distance in 5 or 10 foot intervals.
3.Then check the texture of the grass.
4.Then, Take notice of which direction the grass is growing!
You obviously do not have to hit the ball as hard when the grass is
growing towards the hole, as opposed to away from the hole. But,
the trick is that the grain can be a little difficult to see unless you
look closely.

So, take a moment and use the direction of the grass growth as a
indicator to judge how much power you need in your putt.
And, don’t tell the people you play with this tip either. You don’t
need the competition!

III.Clear Your Head
Because the major contributors to the “yips” are tension, anxiety, and
lack of confidence, one way to help rid yourself of the them is to
empty your mind. (”Yips” are what golfers generally use to describe
the twitches, staggers, jitters & jerks associated with putting.)

Let the subconscious take over – forget about the stroke, forget about
the results, and forget about the circumstances. Just play like a child
would play. Forget the outcome. This is recreation after all, right?
Imagine it’s a Friday afternoon. You step inside your local bar to
shoot some pool. Do you worry about “technique” when you set up
for your corner shot?

I sure don’t. Why should golf be any different?

You may want to win the game, but the balance of the world isn’t
hanging on your shot, right? Shooting pool & playing golf shouldn’t
be all that different.
So what if you miss!

Try to put yourself into the same relaxed mindset when putting. Just
let it happen. Let your instincts take over.

Trust in the hours of practice that you have put in so far.

Just step up & make the shot. Put in the “subconscious.” Sounds
hokey, doesn’t it? I’d rather have a lower score and be hokey than be
“too cool” to try.

IV.Focus Your Eyes

If you want a sure way to miss a putt, look up or peek to see if the
ball goes into the hole before it does.
Don’t do it.
Resist the temptation to watch the ball.

The best thing to do is keep your head still over the ball and just
stare down at the empty spot the ball he used to occupy long before
you hit the putt.

Use your ears instead. Listen to hear if the putt falls….

Don’t allow your eyes to follow the putterhead during the stroke.
To help focus, pick a small, noticeable mark on the ball to focus
upon. Keep your eyes fixated on the brand name, printed logo, a
simple dimple, or an identification mark throughout your stroke.

If you are still having trouble, try to put your putterhead on the ball,
stare at a spot on the ball, & then stand perfectly still for five
seconds….

During these five seconds, let the gaze of your eyes slowly go out of
focus. Your eyes will still be fixated on the spot of the ball you were
staring at, but everything else will become fuzzy and soft.

Go ahead and putt with your eyes and mind in this blurry, meditative
state. Slip into an altered state & just let it happen.

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