How To Actually Get Better At Putting

Did you know that putting accounts for approximately 40% of your total strokes in a round of golf? That’s right – almost half of your score is determined by your ability to make putts. So if you’re looking to improve your overall game and lower your handicap, focusing on your putting is a must.

In this article, we will explore effective strategies and techniques to help you improve your putting on the golf course. By implementing these tips, you’ll see significant improvements in your putting accuracy and consistency.

Key Takeaways:

• Putting is responsible for around 40% of your total strokes in a round of golf.
• Improving your putting can have a significant impact on your overall game.
• Implementing effective strategies and techniques is essential for enhancing your accuracy and consistency.
• Focus on the fundamentals, master green reading, work on your stroke mechanics, build confidence, and practice with purpose.
• With dedication and consistent practice, you can become a more proficient putter and see positive results in your golf game.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Putting

Before we dive into specific strategies, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of putting.

Putting drills and practice tips are essential in developing a solid foundation for your putting stroke. By incorporating these exercises into your practice routine, you will enhance your technique and improve your overall putting performance.

Putting drills provide targeted practice opportunities to focus on specific aspects of your stroke. They help improve your alignment, tempo, and distance control.

When practicing your putting, remember to stay relaxed and maintain a smooth and consistent stroke. Here are some effective drills to include in your putting practice:

1. Gate Drill: Set up two alignment rods or tees slightly wider than the width of your putter head or use a putting tutor as your gate. Practice putting through the gate, focusing on starting the ball on your intended line. I recommend getting one of my most used and asked about pieces of golf equipment to help with your gate drill –> Pelz Golf DP4007 Putting Tutor
2. Lag Putt Drill: Place three tees in a line at different distances from the hole. Practice hitting lag putts that stop between the tees, working on your distance control.
3. Around the Clock Drill: Set up several tees in a circle around the hole at different distances. Practice putting to each tee, focusing on your aim and speed.

Additionally, incorporating putting aids like a metronome into your practice sessions. These tools provide an additional layer of game improvement by helping you understand a proper speed to your stroke and increasing your ability to control distance.

Remember, consistency in your practice is key. Regularly dedicating time to putting drills and implementing them into your practice routine will yield significant improvements in your putting skills.

Mastering Green Reading

Green reading is a crucial skill to putting better. Think about it – the best mechanics in the world will only get you so far if you can’t properly read the greens. By effectively reading greens, you can make better decisions when it comes to your putting lines, leading to improved accuracy and consistency and actually get better at putting.

Techniques for Green Reading

Mastering green reading involves a combination of observation, feel, and knowledge. Here are some putting techniques to help you read greens more effectively:

1. Scanning the green: Before approaching your putt, take a moment to scan the green from different angles. Look for any slopes, contours, or breaks that may affect the roll of the ball.
2. Observing the surroundings: Pay attention to factors such as the grain of the grass, the speed of the green, and any visible footprints or ball marks. These elements can provide valuable clues about how the ball will behave.
3. Taking note of visual cues: Look for any subtle differences in color or texture on the green’s surface. These visual cues can indicate slight changes in elevation and help you determine the direction and speed of your putt.

Strategies for Green Reading

Along with the techniques mentioned above, implementing strategies can further enhance your green reading ability. Consider the following strategies:

• Start from the low side: When approaching a putt, position yourself on the low side of the putt if possible. This vantage point will give you a better perspective on the slope and help you visualize the ideal line for your putt.
• Trust your instincts: While reading the green, trust your instincts and go with your gut feeling. Sometimes, your intuition can provide valuable insights that align with what you observe and analyze.
• Practice with a purpose: Incorporate green reading into your practice sessions. Set up different putting scenarios on the practice green and challenge yourself to accurately read the breaks and slopes. With practice, you’ll develop a better understanding of how the ball behaves on different greens.

Remember, mastering green reading takes time and experience. As you gain more knowledge and refine your skills, your ability to read greens accurately will improve, leading to enhanced putting performance on the course.

Improving Putting Stroke Mechanics

Developing a consistent and accurate putting stroke is crucial if you want to improve your putting accuracy and become a better putter. In this section, we’ll explore a variety of drills and techniques that will help you refine your putting stroke mechanics, resulting in more precise and consistent putts.

1. Find Your Rhythm

One of the keys to a great putting stroke is having a smooth and rhythmic motion. To improve your stroke, focus on finding your ideal tempo and cadence (this is where the metronome will come in handy). Practice swinging the putter back and forth with a relaxed grip, ensuring that your backswing and follow-through are equal in length.

2. Maintain a Stable Lower Body

Stability is crucial for a consistent putting stroke. Keep your lower body stable by planting your feet shoulder-width apart and maintaining a slight bend in your knees. Avoid any unnecessary movement or swaying during your stroke, as this can lead to inconsistent contact with the ball.

3. Use Your Shoulders

Your shoulders play a significant role in the putting stroke. Instead of just using your hands and arms, engage your shoulders to create a smooth pendulum motion. Imagine your shoulders acting as the pivot point of the stroke, with your hands and arms simply guiding the clubhead.

4. Practice Distance Control

Distance control is essential for accurate putting. Set up a practice drill where you place different distance markers around the green and try to putt the ball to each marker with the perfect speed. This will help you develop a better feel for different lengths of putts and improve your overall distance control.

5. Focus on Alignment

Proper alignment is crucial for consistent putting. Take the time to line up your putter face squarely to your target line, with your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the line as well. Use alignment rods or other aids if needed to ensure you’re consistently aligned correctly. You can purchase alignment rods like mine here –> GoSports Golf Alignment Training Sticks 3 Pack – 48 Inch Golf Alignment Aid Practice Rods 

Putting is a game within a game.” – Phil Mickelson

6. Incorporate Visualization

Visualization is a powerful tool for improving your putting stroke. Before each putt, picture the desired ball path in your mind and imagine the ball rolling along that path and into the hole. This mental imagery can help you improve your focus and enhance your execution. Sometimes picking an intermediary target a few inches out infront of the ball can help with visualizing the ball traveling down the right path.

7. Seek Professional Guidance

If you’re struggling with your putting stroke, don’t hesitate to seek professional guidance. A golf instructor can analyze your technique, provide personalized feedback, and suggest specific drills or adjustments to help you improve your stroke mechanics.

By incorporating these drills and techniques into your practice routine, you’ll be on your way to improving your putting stroke mechanics and ultimately achieving greater putting accuracy and consistency on the golf course.

Building Confidence on the Greens

Confidence is essential when it comes to putting. It can make the difference between sinking a putt or missing it by a hairline. In this section, we’ll discuss strategies to help you build confidence on the greens, enabling you to approach each putt with a positive mindset and an unwavering belief in your abilities.

1. Visualize Success: Before stepping up to a putt, take a moment to visualize the ball rolling smoothly into the hole. Picture the perfect line and speed, and imagine the satisfying sound of the ball dropping in. This mental rehearsal will increase your confidence and focus, improving your chances of executing a successful putt. This sounds cheesy, but this is what the best players in the world are doing before each putt.
2. Focus on Past Success: Remind yourself of those incredible putts you’ve made in the past. Reflecting on your past successes will boost your confidence and reaffirm your ability to putt well. Celebrate those moments and carry their positive energy with you on the greens. You’d be surprised how important positive momentum is on the greens during a round.
3. Affirmations: Use positive affirmations to reinforce your belief in your putting skills. Repeat phrases such as “I am a great putter” or “I have the skills to sink this putt” to yourself. This will help build confidence and eliminate self-doubt.

To further enhance your confidence, consider incorporating these additional strategies:

“Confidence comes from hours and days and weeks and years of constant and continuous work.” – Jack Nicklaus

1. Practice with Pressure: Simulate pressure situations during your practice sessions. Set up putting drills or games with consequences for missing putts. By practicing under pressure, you’ll become more accustomed to performing well in high-stakes situations, ultimately increasing your confidence on the greens.
2. Focus on the Process: Instead of fixating solely on the outcome of each putt, shift your focus to the process itself. Concentrate on executing a smooth stroke, keeping your head still, and hitting the ball in the center of the putter face. By focusing on the process, you’ll build confidence in your ability to execute consistent strokes, leading to improved putting performance.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll develop a stronger mental game on the greens, allowing you to putt better golf and achieve improved putting skills. Remember, building confidence takes time and practice, but with determination and a positive mindset, you can become a more confident and successful putter.

Practicing with Purpose

Effective practice is essential for putting improvement. To maximize your chances of getting better at putting, it’s important to have a focused and purposeful approach to your practice sessions. Here are some tips and drills that will help make your putting practice more efficient and productive:

1. Set Specific Goals

Before starting your practice session, identify specific goals you want to achieve. Whether it’s improving your distance control, reducing three-putts, or sinking more putts from a certain distance, having clear goals will give your practice a sense of purpose and direction.

2. Use Targeted Putting Drills

Engage in putting drills that target the specific areas of your putting that need improvement. For example, if you struggle with short putts, create a drill where you practice from different distances within 3-5 feet. This will help build confidence and consistency in those crucial short putts.

“Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.” – Vince Lombardi

3. Incorporate Pressure and Variability

Recreate game-like situations during practice by adding pressure and variability to your drills. Introduce challenges such as putting to different hole locations, simulating uphill or downhill putts, or practicing in different weather conditions. This will help you develop adaptability and enhance your ability to perform under pressure. This is the classic “imaging a putt to win the Masters” practice – try to make them mean just that much more.

4. Focus on Quality, Not Quantity

Remember, quality practice trumps mindless repetition. Instead of mindlessly hitting a large number of putts, focus on each individual stroke and ensure you are executing proper technique. Quality practice with deliberate focus will yield better results than simply going through the motions.

5. Take Advantage of Technology

Utilize technology such as putting aids, training aids, or even smartphone apps designed to analyze and provide feedback on your putting stroke. These tools can provide valuable insights into your mechanics and help you make necessary adjustments to improve your putting performance.

• Try using a putting alignment mirror to ensure your setup and alignment are correct. If you need an alignment mirror, go with the OG brand –> Eyeline Golf Putting Alignment Mirror
• Consider using a putting mat with distance markers to improve your distance control.

By incorporating these tips and drills into your putting practice routine, you’ll be able to practice with purpose and accelerate your progress in becoming a better putter. Remember, consistent and focused practice is the key to unlocking your potential on the greens.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by following the strategies and techniques outlined in this article, you can truly enhance your putting skills. Remember to focus on the fundamentals, master green reading, work on your stroke mechanics, build confidence, and practice with purpose. With dedication and consistent practice, you will become a more proficient putter and see a positive impact on your overall golf game.

Improving your putting skills requires a combination of technique, knowledge, and practice. By understanding the fundamentals of putting and implementing effective drills, you can develop a solid putting stroke that will help you sink more putts with accuracy and consistency.

Additionally, learning to read greens and make informed decisions about your putting lines is crucial for success on the golf course. By honing this skill, you will be able to anticipate breaks and slopes, allowing you to adjust your aim and speed accordingly.

Building confidence on the greens is another vital aspect of becoming a better putter. By employing mental strategies and maintaining a positive mindset, you can approach each putt with a sense of belief in your abilities, leading to improved performance and results. Now that you know how to actually get better at putting, get out there and get at it!