In theory putting is the easiest part of golf:
1. You don’t have to get the ball in the air
2. You don’t have to hit the ball very far
3. There are far less moving parts in your putting stroke – what can possibly go wrong?
4. Your weight distribution never changes – putting is very static
Unfortunately the vast majority of amateur golfers spend far too much time working on their long game and don’t take the time to work on their putting. It is also an unfortunate fact that very few amateur golfers actually understand the concepts of good putting.
The good news is that putting is the easiest area of golf that you can improve, and compared to other parts of the game more quickly as well. And here’s why…
– With the right coaching drills you can find and correct your own faults very easily
– It is easier to practice at home with some carpet or an indoor putting green
– It is easier and faster to make changes to your putting stroke than your main swing
To become a great putter you need to understand that most elements of the putting stroke are different to the main golf swing. Here are just a few examples of what is different.
1. The grip is different. Not only is your grip alignment different but where the club sits in your hands is also different. Your putter needs to sit across the palm of your hands and not in your fingers. In addition to this there are many different grips including left hand below right!
2. The putting stance is very different to your ‘full’ swing. The aim is to get your head parallel to the gouger looking straight down at the ball.
3. The ball position never changes in putting – this is one reason it is easy to work on this yourself. Here is a great putting tip to check your ball position – get into your putting stance and hold a golf ball over your left eye (for a right-handed golfer). Now drop the ball. Where it lands is where your ball should be when you are putting.
4. During your putting stroke there should be absolutely no body movement at all. This includes your head. This sounds easy but is surprisingly hard to achieve. Many amateurs think they are not moving but they are. Here is another great putting tip – work on some really short putts and hit them with your eyes shut. Never open them. This will help you feel if your body is moving at all but more importantly it will ensure you don’t move your head. Listen for the ball dropping into the hole instead of looking, and continue to do this on the golf course as well even when your eyes are open.
5. Golf psychology plays a huge part in putting. You must have felt the pressure of holing a short putt to win a hole or even an important match. You need to be able to control your emotional state when putting – especially when under pressure. This is also true with your full swing, but the pressure when you are putting is even higher since the margins for error are so small.
This is just the tip of the iceberg – there are many more differences between putting and the full swing.
I hope you can see by now just how different they are and that putting is a game within a game (golf!) and that there is a lot to learn about putting.
Anyone who is a good putter will be a formidable opponent on the golf course.