Effective Golf Putting Tips

Putting is the most important part of the game because of how much time is spent on the final stages of each hole. Of all the clubs in your bag, the putter is the one you will be using the most. It’s very important to learn and master putting, without this skill you won’t reach your full potential. Even if golf isn’t a serious sport to you but only a fun activity, you should aim to reach your full potential, you might be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to achieve a great gold score when you put your mind to it.
The four basic skills of putting:
• See the path
• See the distance
• Hit the path
• Hit the distance

This means you have to know when to select the putt, how to choose a target and then how to aim to ensure you reach the target.
How to improve your putting:
• By keeping your eyes directly over the ball you will see the line of the putt better.
• Some experts feel when putting a long distance you shouldn’t aim to make it – rather aim to get the ball closer.
Another group of experts feel this is a mistake and their reasoning makes a lot of sense. If you putt to make it you might just end up doing it or at least then get your ball in a nice position. If you aim to get the ball closer then you are just randomly aiming for a 3-4 foot circle around the hole and it could easily cost you strokes.
• Read the greens carefully before you putt but never beat yourself up over a mistake. It’s not worth losing the next few shots due to frustration over one shot you made previously that ended badly.
• Before you choose the putter you plan to use, first establish which stoke you need. If you want a square-to-square the blade of the putter appears to open on the way back but that doesn’t truly happen because it stays square to the path. Open to closed means the blade will open quite a bit on the way back and it will close on the way through. Many great putter such as Lee Trevino use this method. Closed to open means the player keeps the face of the club pointing at the target throughout the stroke.
• Keep ball position in mind. You want to stroke the back of the ball with the putter and not the centre.
• Hold the putter relaxed in your hand, enough strength to control the putter head but don’t become stressed and grip it too tightly. Too little power will mean you won’t have enough control over the putter.
• Focus on your stance. If you stand too upright your weight will be directed towards your heels, keep the top half of your body in a horizontal position. Look straight down over the ball and now out of the lower part of the eye.

Practice, practice and more practice. If you are learning to golf for the first time now all the clubs and techniques will feel strange. The more you practice the more comfortable you will get with the clubs, positions and techniques.

By: Mike Murray

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Mike Murray is a keen golf enthusiast. He owns and maintains The Golf Pro Online, a professional resource for all golf players and where you can find more great putting tips and other professional golf advice.