Putting Tips Pro » Putting

How To Use Golf Training Aids To Improve Your Putting

ryan — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:27:00 +0000

Drive for show, putt for dough. Relax the nerves, trust your line. Eyes over the ball, smooth take away. Accelerate through the ball, and…
Klinka tinka tinka—yes! The sweet sound of a birdie putt, or even a 6-footer for par, dropping into the cup. It’s a great feeling, especially if you just finished the 18th for a personal best round. Or if you just won 5 skins to make your buddies shell out some serious coin. A hot day with the putter can make you feel like a million bucks. Actually, in the case of a PGA tour pro, it can earn you a million bucks.
Too bad that for the average golfer those days seem to come so infrequently. The average Joe uses up anywhere between 32 and 40 putts per round, while the best pros average around 30. Tour pros make just under 90% of their putts from 4-5 feet, while average guys make around 50%. That’s a lot of shots to give up! Think about this: if you are a thirteen handicapper, your average score is around 85, and you average 36 putts per round, then 42% of your shots are putts! And what do you spend most of your time doing at the range? If you’re like most guys (and gals) then you spend most of your time beating balls with your driver or mid-irons. Yet, according to the numbers you should be spending almost half of your time on the putting green.
So how can busy people with little time for golf practice still improve their putting game without doubling practice time or drastically reducing the amount of time spent practicing their full shots? Golf training aids are the answer. Many training aids exist that can quickly improve your putting stroke and green reading without spending hours on the putting green. Just 10 to 15 minutes per practice session is required for most golfers to drop strokes quickly. Here are some tips for finding right training aids or a combination of training aids to maximize your results:
1. Look for training aids that allow you to easily see the following things: square clubface, shoulder alignment, eye placement (over the ball), foot alignment, and stroke path. Some devices use mirrors, some use low-power lasers. Most training aids have physical barriers that keep the putter on the right path during the stroke.
2. For eye alignment you can always do this: line up the putt and address the ball as if you were going to hit the putt. Then take a ball from your pocket, put it between your eyes, and allow it to drop straight down. Wherever the ball lands is where your eyes are lined up. They should be directly over the target ball.
3. Whatever device(s) you choose, make sure that they are not too large and/or awkward. My experience is that you don’t use the device unless it is convenient.
4. Follow through is also important, so make sure that the training aid gives you feedback for the whole stroke. You need to see that your stroke path is straight and putter face releases properly after contact, otherwise you will have consistency problems.
5. Use the golf training aid consistently, every time you practice. You need to groove the stroke and you can’t do that unless you keep at it. Also, if possible, use the device at home or at the office when you have a spare minute. This extra practice time really helps.
I wish you good luck and a hot blade!

Mike Gelhaus, once racquetball professional and published author for Racquetball Magazine, has turned his attention back to the game of Golf. With the use of golf training aids, he achieved a handicap of 3 only weeks before back surgery. Check out his site at http://the-best-golf-training-aids.com

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Use These Free Putting Training Aids

ryan — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:22:20 +0000

Why do individual scores always go up in the club championship and only a few players can shoot their handicap in the Championship flights? Is it the pressure? For some it is. I think it is partly due to the fact that suddenly the player is asked to putt out all putts including the short ones. Below are some putting drills that will make sure you can make the short putts whether it is in the club championship or to win a big nassau bet in your regular foursome.

Perfect Alignment

This simple drill will give you a great visual aid during address that will assist your putting alignment. With proper alignment putter head will have a better chance to consistently hold its path better allowing the ball to start on the correct target line.
When you place your golf ball on the putting green prior to picking up your ball marker, align the brand name or some manufactures are now providing lines on the side of the golf ball so that it points down your target line. Now as you address the putt, use the line on the golf ball as a back up to what you see with your eyes. You should feel that the line on the golf ball is parallel with your eyes and target line.
As the golf ball rolls, note how the label or line is traveling in relation to the target line. If the golf ball is rolling end over end then you struck the putt on the correct line. However, if the golf ball begins to roll on the right or left side of the ball, the putter head path was heading in that direction instead of at the target. Holding your finish will also give you a clue to where your putter path was during your stroke.

Putt to a tee

Why would you do this? You know how some days the hole looks smaller than others. What would you do if the hole always looked bigger to you? You would be able to become to be more confident and to make more putts.

Find a flat spot on the practice putting green and simply stick a tee into the ground. Start hitting putts from two feet and move back one foot when you hit the tee three times in a row. You can make this a game with others and have fun while you are improving your putting!

Max Johnson writes golf articles for Wireless Golf Coach. Click to find a full golf swing lessons and tips or putting tips that will work for you.
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Switch Hands on Your Putter to Sink More Putts

ryan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:22:41 +0000

Is your putting a weak area in your game? Utilze this putting drill to really solidify your putting game, take several strokes per round off your score and stop mishitting the ball.

It’s called “left-hand-low”. Both Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer felt they would have been better on the green if they had learned this way and it’s not too late for you to experiment with it.

If you’re serious about winning, you need to roll the ball in the hole consistently. The pros never leave anything to chance. They understand that the relationship between pace and line is crucial and by experimenting with this putting drill you may just get a better handle on both pace and keeping your ball in line.

If you miss a lot to the left or the right, chances are you’re not thinking much about how you grip the putter or, if you’re like me, you’ve been gripping your putter the same since your dad showed you how all those years ago.

If you grip your putter like most people do, the same or similar to how you grip your woods and irons, than its just far too easy to let the clubface rotate open or closed and push the ball right or left.

Follow this popular technique used by many pros and you’ll notice the difference in control right away.

Take your normal grip with your left hand on top and now reverse it so that your left hand is now on the bottom. It may not seem it at first but this is most ergonomically correct and natural way to grip the putter.

Now do the following to set up and put correctly every time:

1. Get your feet at least shoulders-width apart, knees pointed slightly out. Bend from your hips, relax your arms and make sure your head is just inside the ball. The ball should be about an inch in front of center with your putter in the center of your stance.

2. Your forearms should make a triangle and your wrists should never move. Your grip should be tense but low on the tension scale – don’t choke it to death! Pressure chokes off feel.

3. Locate a spot a couple of feet in front of you on your line – a bleached spot perhaps. Now follow this exact routine every time – look at the spot, the hole, the spot and now…stroke.

4. Understand that the putting stroke is one complete movement. Bring the putter back ¼ and forward through the ball ¾ for a nice, sooth roll with good feel. Obviously, bring the putter back farther on longer shots and try to maintain that 3-1 ratio.

Now you have a great set-up and by utilizing the “left-hand-low” grip, your lead hand will do the work, keeping yourself from “pushing” the putter into the ball or “stabbing” at it which will make the ball skip around.

Try it on the practice green or in the hallway or kitchen at your home until you get as comfortable with this hold as you are with your full-swing grip, then go and putt the lights out.

Thanks for reading. Good luck, good hustling.

Big Freddy

Golfing finally turned on its head. Learn the secrets to longer drives, a dynamite short game, perfect putting and more. Get free lessons, golf drills, swing tip, and learn the most popular golf hustling games and more in a free report at http://thegolfhustler.net
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Putting Out of Your Mind (Hardcover)

ryan — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 13:26:52 +0000

Amazon.com Review

Bestselling author Bob Rotella, the guru-cum-sports psychologist of choice among the world’s top golfers, lines up a perfect double entendre with Putting Out of Your Mind. To putt out of your mind–to master this crucial part of the game–you’ve got to get putting out of your mind–to make it so second nature that you’re not actually thinking and stressing once you’re standing over the ball. As Brad Faxon, a Rotella devotee and one of the best putt (more…)

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Want to Know More About Long Putters?

ryan — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:00:20 +0000

If you are looking for an opportunity to choose from some of the best putters that is out there in the market you should check out one of the sales that display putters. The range, style and size found here include everything that one needs for in a putter. In fact with better variety of greens the short putters are out; most people are opting for the long putters nowadays.
The long putters are better than the shorter ones mainly because they help to control wrist movement by concentrating the force on the stomach or the chest. These long ones are provided with what is known as a split grip for better support. Therefore, the wrist does not interfere with the swings. There are three main kinds of putters normally found these days:
Regular- These are around 36 inches long
Long- The length of this variety ranges between 38 to 45 inches
Extra Long- These are of course the longest at 52 inches
Long putters focus the grip and the swing on a single central point so that it relieves the fine motor muscles of the hand and prevents it from being de emphasized. It is best to indulge in trial sessions with these putters on the green to get the hang of it. These putters allow one to swing the shoulders freely like a pendulum which is prevented by short putters which only allow average quality handsy strokes.
The correct way to take grip of a long putter is to use your left hand to control the grip and your right hand to hold the handle as you normally would with any other club. Ideally the putter height should be till the chest pocket of your golf t shirt while you are standing at a slightly bent posture. You should also go ahead with any other kind of grip that you are comfortable with, with the putter. A lot of people hold it like they would hold a pencil.
There are two ways of pressurizing the head of the putter:
You can either pull or push you right arm holding the handle of the club at all times while doing this in order to strike the ball.
You can also use your shoulder in a rocking motion to do the same.
The idea is to keep the torso of your body unmoving so that it can act as a pivot for your swing. Using the shoulders to rock the motion and hit the ball keeps the right hand rigid. Both techniques ultimately provide the same result: to keep the upper body unmoving and using the limbs or the shoulders for the swing.
You can use the long putters instead of the short ones so that the wrist movement is restricted to the minimum. Extra long putters also serve the same purpose; both using a particular center point of the sternum or the stomach. However, one needs to practice regularly in order to get a hang of this new technique of taking a shot. Without practice it is quite a task to get rid of one’s golf handicap.

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Find Out How to Choose and Use Belly Putters

ryan — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:37:50 +0000

Belly putters have longer shafts as compared to ordinary putters and reach up to the navel of the golfer. The putter stays in touch with the body of the golfer through not just the grip of the hands but also through the contact at the abdomen of the golfer.
This reduces chances of a faulty stance causing the putt to go awry and improves the game. Further, this putter can be used to improve your confidence and go back to the traditional putter which requires more skill to use.
A putt must be made using your shoulders and not the wrists. Further, the legs should not move and the body must swivel at the hips. Having the putter fixed to your abdomen will not allow any sudden movement of your body. If moved, the putter will break free and interrupt the shot.
Choosing The Right Belly Putter
Keep the following points in mind when choosing this putter:
A very cheap putter will probably be a poor quality putter. However, do not presume that an expensive belly putter will be a good quality putter. There are many who fall for this scam. Use the price as one of the many factors to judge the quality of the putter.
The very purpose of this putter is to fit into your abdomen when you are making the putt and thereby reducing mistakes in your stance. In such a scenario, what is the point of opting for a putter which is too long or too short?
How to determine whether the putter is of the right length or not? The best way to ensure your investment does not go waste is to try it before you purchase it. It is not necessary to try out the putt at the golf course only.
Just assume the right stance and determine whether the putter snugly fits into your abdomen or not. Try putting an imaginary ball as well. If you find your imaginary putt to be a lot smoother than your normal putt, then you have found the right putt.
If you are investing a big sum in your golf clubs, it makes sense to request your golf expert friend or golfing instructor to accompany you to ensure you do not make a wrong decision.
How To Use Your Belly Putter?
Always remember that golfers use belly putters because they are not comfortable with traditional putts. This discomfort may be caused by any of the following:
a. Sudden sub conscious jerking of the twist at the point of impact of the putt with the ball. This phenomenon is known as ‘yips.’
b. A weak back.
In both cases, you end up with a flaw in your technique and stance. Use your belly putter to restrict all unnecessary movement. The putter is designed in such a manner that it shall slip off your abdomen and prevent you from completing the shot until you adopt the correct stance.
When using belly putters, do keep in mind that the grip plays a very important role. The way you hold the club and the thickness of rubber used in the grip attached to your putt makes a huge impact on your playing style.
Choosing and using the putter in the right way is the only way to solve your putting problems permanently. It is up to you to use belly putters as a remedial tool or as a permanent addition to your clubs.

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Improve Putting by Using a Balanced and Fitted Putter

ryan — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:02:38 +0000

Having a balanced putter leads to sound putting. If the putter itself can pass the simple spin and push test, a foundation for good putting can be made. If a putter is not balanced, it will torque at address and during the stroke; the putter will become a variable along with speed, slope of the breaks, greens condition, and length. Confidence in the putter will lead to a solid putting stance and more success.

Most putters will fail one or both of the simple check tests. The first is the spin test. With the grip pointing down, hold the putter just below the head between the palms. Spin the club. The more waggle it has the more unbalanced it is. The second test is the push test. Place the end of the grip on the floor and hold the club with one hand just below the head. With a finger of the free hand, push where the “sweet spot” is marked. If the head moves there is no real “sweet spot.” If the putter fails one or even both, how is the putt going to be accurate?

A proper length of the putter is also a major factor in putting. A proper stance will dictate the proper length of the putter. A solid stance will begin with having the eyes over the ball; this allows the seeing of the desired putting line. Feet should be about shoulder width. Players should place their hips over the heels; this will build the foundation. The arms should drop below the shoulders to allow for a natural pendulum motion. Now the player should grip the putter; this grip will be the proper length for the club. With the off-the-rack putters many players might be gripping the steel shaft. The length should be adjusted. This fitted putter will help dictate a solid stance time after time.

With a balanced and fitted putter, the player’s thoughts such as … the hole is up hill and goes right to left … if I shift into second gear quicker, I can improve gas mileage … the green is a little wet … I wonder if the guys at the office understand my report … can be addressed without the worry of the putter itself or even the stance being a problem.

The secret behind golf is to be comfortable and eliminate as many variables as possible.

For more information about putter design visit ARC Golf Tech at www.arcgolftech.com.

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Short Game Swing Simple By Scott Barrett Golf Instruction DVD Video Putting Chipping Pitching Sand Shots

ryan — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 18:57:56 +0000

Swing Simple Short Game goes into detailed instruction on how to putt, chip, pitch and hit different kinds of sand shots. The instruction is illustrated very clearly and is said to be one of the easiest golf instruction dvds to understand on the market. The instruction is straight to the point and does get noticeable results for the students. No gimmicks or false promises like some golf dvds these days .Learn how many of todays top tour players and top amateurs are putting, chip (more…)

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How to Choose the Right Putter

ryan — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 07:20:53 +0000

Go to any pro shop or golf store and take a look at the range putters for sale. There is a bewildering array of club shapes, lengths and styles. There are more types and variations in putters than any other club in the bag.

If you were to quickly look at what is on display you may come across any or all of the following (and possibly a few more)

Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of what you may find:

Long putters

Short putters

Heavy putters

Light putters

2-ball putters

3-ball putters

Cylinder head putters

Mallet head putters

D-shape putters

Blade putters

Face balanced putters

…and the list goes on!

With all this choice, how do you know if you have a putter that will work for you? Well, first and foremost, don’t get overwhelmed by all the choice. Here are my recommendations on getting a putter:Invest in a decent putter!

You can spend many 100’s of dollars on a driver which you may only use 10 times a round. Remember that you hit almost 50% of your shots with the putter, so get something you are going to be comfortable with. As with most things you get what you pay for, so if you buy something really cheap the chances are it just won’t help you in the long run.Choose a relatively ’standard’ putter

Shoulder high putters, ‘belly’ putters etc. are not standard and do not promote learning proper technique. Standard putters have a length in the range 33 to 35 inches (84-90cm), and research actually shows that statistically the shorter putters perform better.Test the putter

You must actually try the putters out to see how they feel. This is just as important with putters as it is with all clubs. Choose 3 or 4 putters that you think are going to be the ones you like and test them against each other. Preferably take the putters onto a real green (or synthetic green) as opposed to putting on the shop floor carpet. Hitting real balls in to real holes on a real green will give you a real feel.Get the putter custom fitted

Chances are that any putter you buy may still not be quite right for you. After all we are not all the same height, weight and shape, so it would be a bit much to assume that an off the shelf putting would be right for all of us. Have the professional check the length and lie-angle for you and adjust it if necessary. This should be part of the service when buying a putter at any decent golf store or pro shop.

If you bear these tips in mind when buying your next putter you will be confident you have the right putter for you. Confidence builds success.

MARK PEARSON has been playing golf for over 25 years, and teaches and plays golf professionally in the UK. Mark is the author of “How to Master Putting and Putt like a Pro – a guide to golf’s game within a game”www.masterputting.com
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Golf Gifts & Gallery Electric Putting Partner

ryan — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 15:55:22 +0000

Electronic putting system – a high quality unit with numbered scoring zones and a wide entrance

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Wally Armstrong – The Putting Lesson (Includes: Comprehensive Video & 4 Easy to Use Learning Tools,)

ryan — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 13:57:29 +0000

Wally Armstrong teaches the proper putting stroke through improved swing plane, alighment and tempo. Includes 4- Easy to Use learning tools & a comprehensive instructional VHS video.

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Tips to improve your putting

ryan — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:48:28 +0000

Step One

Line Up Your Golf Ball

Tiger Woods does it. And the only reason Jack Nicklaus never did it is because nobody had thought of it yet. I don’t know who first thought of it, but they are a genius.

Think about like this. If you do not use a line on the ball to line up on your target line, there is no other visual reference. The line doesn’t exist and you are left to a mental picture that is vague at best.

Fortunately, most ball makers are putting a line of sorts on their balls. But still, the more visible the line, the better it is. So get out your Sharpie and put something on that ball that really jumps out at you.

And it will help if you practiced lining up the ball a little bit. You don’t have to be at the golf course. Just point it at something on the carpet at the house. But don’t let the word practice scare you. I just mean work on it for about five or ten minutes and you will have it mastered and ready for use at the golf course.

If you are missing a lot of putts to one side or the other once you start lining the ball up, you may need to adjust your aim a little.

And, this is important, if you are not comfortable with the alignment of the ball once you get over the putt, back off a look at it again. Nobody is going to care and it only takes 10 seconds to do it. And most likely by the time you stand back up to the putt it will look right. If it still doesn’t look right, then it is wrong and you should realign the ball.

There is nothing that will improve your putting quicker than to create a physical visible reference to what has, up until now, been an imaginary line.

Step Two

Focus on the Speed

Speed is KING! Put it in its proper place.

I work at a golf course and play with players of all levels. I myself shoot in the mid 70’s. In my experience, speed is the biggest problem for most players when it comes to putting. The same players who spend a lot of time on the line hit the ball way to hard or too easy.

You should think hard about the speed and make a couple of practice strokes while you are standing behind the ball. I also find it helpful to look at the hole as I do this.

It is a matter of feeling the arm stroke required to get the ball into the hole. And you have to get feeling for the speed before you ever step over the putt. If you are trying to figure out the speed after you step over the putt, it is too late.

You have to commit to the speed before you get over the ball, and then establish the feel for the speed from your putting position with two or three practice strokes. Don’t make the mistake of worrying about the path or anything else on your practice strokes. They are only for the speed.

Always remember that speed is crucial and should be your primary concern. You can’t really read a putt if you don’t have an idea of the speed to base the read on. And that’s just another reason for speed to be on the top of your list of putting concerns.

Step Three

Follow the Line

You have lined up your golf ball, and committed to your speed. Now it is time to approach the ball and get set up to hit the putt. Most people just waste the approach to the ball, when it can ,really be a beneficial few seconds.

The only thing that comes close to speed in importance is line, and it is a close second. By the time you have gotten behind the ball for a final look at the read, you should be comfortable and committed to the speed. As you take that final look at the read, follow the line on the ball for a final visual check.

You will likely have a few little steps to make as you walk up to take you stance. As you do, follow the line on the ball out to the area directly in front of the ball for a foot or so. Do this repeatedly until it is time to get lined up.

When line up time comes, you will be very familiar with the line in front of the ball that it will eventually roll over on the way to the hole. It reinforces your perception of the line on the ball by extending that line in your minds eye.

It also allows you get comfortable with the line so you will not have to second guess yourself while you are aiming the putter.

Basic Rules of Putting

I have chosen to add this section because it seems that most golfers are unaware of something that seem common knowledge to me.

1) Faster greens break more than slower greens.

2) Downhill putts break more than uphill putts.

3) If in doubt, play more breaks.

Most players miss short putts by underplaying the break when going downhill and overplaying it going uphill. If that describes you, next time you play double the break you play on your downhill puts and cut it in half for uphillers.

Conclusion

Putting is the most challenging part of golf. It makes all the difference in the world as far as your score is concerned.

To me, it is also the best part of my game. I rarely miss a putt inside of five feet, and I make more than my share in the 5 to 10 foot range. I have many days when I don’t miss at all inside of ten feet.

I am not telling you that to brag about my putting. I am just illustrating what a chronic

yipper that can’t make a three footer to save their life can achieve if they forget about making a stroke and start looking at the things that will help them make putts. I was once that chronic yipper.

Almost all putting instruction I see is pure BS. Putting is not a science. It is a game. More specifically, it is a target game. Focusing on technique will never help you get better as a putter. If you want to work on your stroke, do it on the practice green.

And if you want to make more putts on the course forget about making a good stroke.

Good putting doesn’t take a good stroke. It takes a stroke that consistently hits the ball on the correct line at the correct speed. And I have seen some pretty shaky looking strokes that made a lot of putts.

I have given some valuable insight that will help you putt better because it will remove your mind from the physical stroke and focus on what is really important. Line and speed.

If you would like to learn how to apply the fundamentals of every other target game to your putting so hitting the ball on line will be as instinctive as throwing a ball, I recommend you look at Target Putting. You can do that right now by clicking on the book cover below.

It will change the way you look at putting and make you a significantly better putter within about 15 minutes.

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How to Win at Golf – Improve Your Putting

ryan — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:46:41 +0000

Putting is probably the single most important golf technique in the game, never forget that half of all strokes allowed for in a par score are putts. The Putting Green is an almost sacred place for golfers. It is where games are won and lost. It looks so easy – there are none of those careful fine points to tune in your swing to achieve the long low drive or the stunning iron shot. Some of the best putters produce astounding strokes with an indifference that suggests disdain to us lesser mortals who struggle with our putters. Improving your putting is a great way to improve your scores quickly but how do you do that – and why should you?
As to why, there is a simple answer which is best illustrated by going back to the last time Tiger Woods won The Open. Sergio Garcia hit almost 80% of the greens and 66% of the fairways, striking the ball well throughout the tournament, but his putting let him down. Even though he hit most of the greens in regulation, Sergio averaged nearly two putts on each of those greens. Tiger won the tournament, he hit far less greens than Sergio but made almost a quarter less strokes on each of those greens. Taken over the entire tournament, this difference is why it was Tiger’s name on the trophy!
Putting makes up over 40 percent of your game, so its importance cannot be over-emphasized. You should devote at least that percentage of your practice time to it. Nothing spoils a good round more than weak putting so when you practice make sure you work on both the mechanics of the stroke and the feel. Putting has often been described as more inspiration than technique and there is no doubt that some good putters simply cannot explain it, they are, as it were, born to it. But the poor putter needn’t give up. Working hard to pick up some essentials, along with a sensible practice regime, will result in steady improvement and the results will soon show – remember that old golfing adage – drive for show and putt for dough! Once your score is consistent and you have developed your game it is time to start thinking about developing feel. Putting feel is an acquired skill, your brain needs to determine how the length of your stroke relates to distance. This begins by ensuring you always make solid contact with the ball, and that comes from those good fundamental techniques you should be practicing. The basic stroke motion is a pendulum action. When putting, your hands should always be slightly ahead of both the club head and the ball. Your arms and shoulders should form a triangle that moves as one during your back swing and stroke – exactly like a pendulum.
There are many different grips demonstrated by the pro’s when putting but it really doesn’t make much difference as long as you know what you’re doing with the putter head. As long as you can keep the edges of the putter square to the target during the stroke you will be OK. For example, keeping your left-hand low tends to keep the face angle more square as it swings up like a pendulum. The ‘up’ motion gets the ball rolling earlier, which creates a straighter line, reducing the potential for break, almost like taking the bottom of the ball and rolling it up over the top. Try experimenting with different grips and see which one works best for you. Putting with your rear arm can give a feeling of acceleration through the putt, which is critical for creating a smooth, end-over-end roll. Rear-arm putting accomplishes this mainly because of the weight of the putter, with two hands it’s easier to make stabbing or decelerating strokes.
You should never aim to get the ball just as far as the hole, especially if you are off the green. Putting from the fringe or even just off the green is very different to putting on the surface of the green. More often than not putts are not hit with enough power and can end up getting bogged down in the longer fringe grass. Even if you are on the green you must hit the ball hard enough – a ball that doesn’t reach the hole has no chance of going in! Any competent golfer will tell you that a properly struck putt should roll approximately seventeen inches past the hole, as if the hole wasn’t there. This definition is based on the work of Dave Pelz, a professional golf teacher and Ex-NASA Physicist who has written may books on the subject, such as ‘The Putting Bible’ and who is widely regarded as the greatest putting coach working today. Of course, this distance is approximate, depending on specific grass types and environmental conditions, it may vary a little either way, but the seventeen-inch distance is the best rule of thumb for overall conditions.
Stance is less likely to be a consideration in putting than in any other stroke. No hard and fast rule can be established, no two golfers follow the same style. A still and steady body position with a motionless head is, however, one of the essentials that all coaches agree on. Putting is much too delicate a process to withstand any body motion. How you stand is a matter of trial and error, if you feel comfortable that is as good a guide as any. An open stance with the right foot well up to the ball can to be a good position, your body should rest easily on your legs. The length of the club will dictate any bend in the knees but always remember the three golden rules of golf when making your putt – keep your head still, keep your head still, keep your head very still!
Sometimes your putting goes wrong in the middle of a round – but with just a few seconds of concentration you can generally get it back on track – provided that you do your practice. Step off to the side at a time when it won’t delay play and just close your eyes for a few seconds. Swing your arms the way you do on a putt, just like you do when you practice – is your body balanced? Is your head still? Are you achieving the pendulum motion? Check these simple things and you will soon get your putting back on track.
Putting is the greatest test of skill on the golf course and requires regular, high quality practice sessions, ideally on a putting green or with something that represents an actual hole as nearly as possible. Most golfers typically practice putting whenever they can find a suitable surface either outdoors or indoors. It is the most neglected part of the practice routine of many amateur golfers and yet it is the one thing that can reduce your score overnight. If you want to improve your golf techniques quickly and get your handicap down- practice your putting.

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How to Win at Golf – Improve Your Putting is a post from: Putting Tips Pro

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Izzo Golf Kick Back Putting Mat

ryan — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:47:49 +0000

Putt Returns That Bring The Ball Right Back To You! Automatic Return Kick Back Putting Mat: Battery operated putter cup automatically returns your golf ball Sand traps catch missed shots Slight incline develops firmness of stroke Smooth surface simulates grass to give authentic feel for line, speed & slope Practice chipping like a pro when you chip onto the green from far or near Non-skid back – rolls up for easy storage (more…)

Izzo Golf Kick Back Putting Mat is a post from: Putting Tips Pro

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Lower your Golf Score – Guaranteed – Master the Mundane

ryan — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:59:27 +0000

Master the Mundane. Say What?!! I’ll probably lose most of you at this point because the “big secret” is so boring that it couldn’t possibly take you from an 88 to a 75 golfer. Run for cover if you must, because after you read this article, the truth of it will dog you every time you are walking to the next tee box for the rest of your golf life (or until you accept it and act on it). I am assuming of course that you have at least a little “game” already. If you are just starting out in golf, most of this won’t make much sense to you until you get good enough to have a “bad day” on the course. If you want to reach the next level of scoring, read on — You have been warned!Mastering the mundane is fundamental to success in any sport. In basketball, it’s the layup, baseball the bunt, football block, tackle and catch. In golf, it is the dreaded “Three Foot Putt”. You know the one. When you bury it to take a high dollar double press, it was a “5-footer”, but when you miss it, you would have won if it hadn’t been for that “16-incher” you missed on 18. Don’t panic! This is not a “How to make short putts” article. The focus of this piece is on the benefits of making the 3-footer every time. This one skill is so critical to your game that nothing else seems to matter until this piece is in place. I am the “A” player on our foursome and we are the reigning Base Champions (and there is some pretty stiff competition). I only mention this to make this point — I’m not very good. Our “C” and “D” players are both better golfers than I am. So why do I play “A”? Because I make 3-footers…always. During the latter stages of the playoffs (when the pressure mounts), we get to watch players with games that far out-class mine, fall to pieces because they have zero confidence in their short putting.

What I am talking about is developing a habit of making short putts. When you go to a Major Golf Tournament, what do you see Tiger and Phil etal. do when they first come out? They practice short putts. Why? Because they are easy, it calms the nerves, and putts are what is going to win the tournament when all is said and done. There are myriad techniques for making 3-footers. Some of the best are:1. Pick a spot 8 – 10 inches in front of the ball and putt over it (hear it go in – never look up!).

2. Visualize putting to a dime instead of the hole. Say you have a right-to-left breaker; imagine a dime sitting on the front right edge of the hole and try to hit it.

3. (My personal favorite) Visualize an eight inch tube in front of your ball that you need to accelerate the ball through on its way to the bottom of the cup.

It really doesn’t matter what your technique is. What matters is your mindset when you stand over the putt. You must develop the ability to eliminate all else from your mind except negotiating the golf ball those few feet to the bottom of the cup. It is a prerequisite that you have the ability to make these putts with regularity. Devote the (BORING) time on the putting green knocking down 3-footers until you can make 30, 40, or 50 in a row. You need to have this muscle memory in place for the rest of the strategy to work. Once this is accomplished, the real magic can begin.

Keep a putter in your office and/or at home. It doesn’t have to be your “Billie Barue”. Any old cheapie will do, because what you are attempting to achieve is 100% mental. Don’t stand there and bang away at it for hours. That won’t do you any good. Your goal is to be able to stop what you are doing, and achieve 100% intense focus on your putting routine; under any circumstances, under any conditions, and at any given time. When things are hectic at work, pick up the putter, take a deep breath, and sink a 3-footer. If the kids are making you nuts or the telemarketers ruining your evening, pick up the putter, take a deep breath, and sink a 3-footer. YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE. NO DO OVERS! If you miss it, take a second to consider why. Chances are you didn’t clear your mind and focus on the task at hand. It is the act of stopping to figure out why you lost focus and missed the putt that will revolutionize your short game.

Pretty soon you will develop a habit of “immediate focus”. (I’m sure somebody else said that already but I like to tell myself I made it up). The putter and the entire process of relaxing, focusing, and draining that putt will become like a security blanket to you. What strikes fear into the hearts of your opponent on the course, will become your safety valve (your “happy place” according to Chubbs). No matter how badly things are going with your swing or short irons, that 3-footer will be like coming home to relax after a hard days work. Imagine never having to be “iced” by your opponent sinking a 12-footer (when you need to make a short one to tie). How many golfers do you know breath a huge sigh of relief when their chip shot leaves them a 3-footer for par? Trust me… it makes your opponent nuts.

The advantages of having ultimate confidence in your short putting game are too numerous to list but here are just a few:1. You won’t have to spend time kicking yourself on the drive home for those 4 or 5 strokes you “wasted”.

2. You can make smarter choices on chips and sand shots knowing you can make a little longer par putt.

3. “I just need to get up and down for par” is no longer just a euphemism. It actually means something.

4. You will make more birdies because you don’t have to lag it for fear of the 3-foot “come-backer”.

5. Amazing thing…those 5 and 7 footers start looking much shorter than they did before?

7. You become immune to pressure. You’ve trained your mind to go on “autopilot” for short putts.

The list could go on and on. The point is that if you start thinking this way and practice “immediate focus”, you WILL reap the benefits in your golf game. You don’t even have to “believe” for it to work. Golf season is just around the corner and if you try it, about midway through this Summer, you will realize that you are a “putting machine”. Mark my words. Your golfing buds will resort to heckling you out of frustration, but that will just amp up your focus! Remember, the goal is to achieve 100% focus any time, any where, under any conditions. Give it a shot. What have you got to lose…besides 7 or 8 strokes?

safety

Lower your Golf Score – Guaranteed – Master the Mundane is a post from: Putting Tips Pro

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The Art of Putting: The Revolutionary Feel-Based System for Improving Your Score (Hardcover)

ryan — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:58:45 +0000

A breakthrough approach to putting from the PGA Tours premier short-game guru PGA stars such as Jay Haas, Craig Stadler, Peter Jacobsen, and Darren Clarke have all sought advice from fellow pro Stan Utley about their putting, and have gone on to such immediate success on the green that Utley has become the most in-demand teacher in the game. Now, in The Art of Putting he outlines his unique approach to putting for golfers of all skill levels. In a welcome change (more…)

The Art of Putting: The Revolutionary Feel-Based System for Improving Your Score (Hardcover) is a post from: Putting Tips Pro

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Grassroots Par 3 3′x9′ Putting Green

ryan — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:58:27 +0000

3′ x 9′ 3 holes and sand traps – Great for practice chipping like a pro!

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Grassroots Par 3 3′x9′ Putting Green is a post from: Putting Tips Pro

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