I know you probably don't like putting and that's ok, i don't either. It may feel unnecessary, but it is arguably the most important part of golf. You can think of it as a silent assassin that can significantly improve your game with little to no practice. In this blog I'll go through the 5 most important putting tips that will instantly lower your scores.
1. Consistent stroke
The most overlooked part of putting is the tempo of the stroke. It plays a huge part in your ability to control speed on the green. Finding your tempo is crucial and can be done easily with a metronome. There are multiple apps and websites where you can change your tempo. I personally use the "Tempo" app and have found it extremely easy to use. The avarage on the pga tour is 76 beats per minute, but feel free to try around and see want suits you.
2. Get a grip
There are a lot of different grips when putting. If you have a putting grip that fits you good your chances of putting straighter. This is because the club face will be more square when playing with the correct grip for you. Now to the different grips. The most popular grip is the conventional putting grip. Since it mirrors the grip for regular clubs, it feels the most natural to most golfers. Coming in at number two is the Left-Hand-Low putting grip. It is basically the reverse of the conventional grip and is therefore very easy to do. Then there is the claw grip. There are several variations of the claw, but the basic are to grip the left hand as usual and holding the handle between your thumb and the index and middlefinger on top. I will not go indept on who should use which grip in this post but I will write about it in another post coming soon.
3. The start line
Making that 4 footer on the last hole to break your record is the best feeling ever. Well I think you can do it, you just need to put in a little bit of practice. I think the start line is the most important part of putting. If you can't start the putt where you want it to it doesn't matter if read the putt correctly. Starting the putt where you want it to can be a challenge, but with the two tips above and my final tip you will guarantied to putt better. The FINAL tip today is to use a line on the golfball. You will then aim the line at your starting point and set your putter in line with the golf balls line. Doing this will help almost every golf player. You can mark your line with a line marker, which you probably can buy at your local golf club
4. How to read the green
Reading the green can often be hard and tricky. Knowing exactly how much it is going to break is a hard task, but I'm going to try to make it easy for you. I will break it down to 3 steps. Step number one is to observe and read the general slopes and contours. I would recommend to do this before you step foot on the putting green. This is a crucial tip and can improve your putting significantly. Depending on where you are in the world the next tip might not matter to you. Some greens are grainy, meaning that the grass grows in a specific direction. Depending on the direction the grass grows the ball will roll differently. For exaple if the grain is towards you it will roll slower. Having this into consideration will help a lot on the greens. The last tip is to read from different directions. Always remember to read the green not only from behind the ball, but also from diffrent directions to see if you can see the break clearer.
5. Practice stroke
Should you take a practice stroke when putting? The answer is actually no, well at least for most golfers. Most golfers have some sort of routine when it comes to any shot in golf, whether your saying something to yourself in your head or waggeling your club before hitting your shot. Well when it comes to whether you should have a practice stroke before a putt studies says not. According to a study made my Dr. Izzy Justice doing practice stroke will result in a worse putt 95% of the times. If you are still determined to do a practice stroke I have a tip for you. Make one stroke when looking at the hole. This is to get the feel of the distance. But as I said, if you're not that 5% you should NOT do a practice stroke.
More putting tips?
Read my most recent post about putting
Great post!