Do You Wish You Could Hole More Putts?

How many of you actually love putting? Well, you should. It is the simplest stroke in golf and can quickly turn a bad round into a good round. Hands up everyone who has Knocked it straight right into the trees, managed to somehow get the ball to the greenside bunker, thin your bunker shot and then hole a 30 footer for par. A bit extreme I know, but we have all done it. Your putter should be your best friend. It can get you out of trouble in a hurry.

Whether it is a 15 footer for birdie, or a downhill 3 footer for par, holing a few putts is going to make a big difference to your scorecard. Lets have a look at the fundamentals of putting. For today, we will concentrate on the set up. Once we are in the correct position, it is a lot easier to promote a good stroke.

First things first. The stance should be shoulder width apart. Think of yourself as the a building. You need a strong foundation. A wider stance will also stop you from being blown about in the wind. From here, you want to bend at the waist and flex your knees until your arms hang vertically. This will allow you to use a pendulum-style method, which is one of the most consistent and easiest to repeat.

The Grip! Gripping the putter in the lifeline of your left hand will reduce the ability of the hands and wrists to takeover the stroke. It will also keep the putter face squarer throughout the stroke, reducing your misses significantly. By placing the grip in the lifeline will create a straight line between the shaft and the forearm and the putter will feel like an extension of your arm. Your right hand should be placed on the club parallel to your left with your pinky overlapping the middle finger of your left hand. The index finger of the left hand should be extended down the grip and resting on top of the fingers of your right hand.

If you follow this, then you will put yourself in a great set-up position. Once you are here, it is easy to make a good stroke. We will talk about the stroke next week. For now, get parciticing.