PUTTING PRACTICE

A reliable, consistent putting stroke is recognised by all golfers as a major factor in achieving low scores. And putting practice is the key to becoming a consistent putter. You may be the best driver in the world or a genius from around the green, but if your putting lets you down then all the effort you put into reaching the green will be wasted. You need to master the art of putting and this article brings you five putting practice tips to help bring you success on the greens.

1)  A good putting practice drill is to place five balls a distance of one foot from the hole. Try to hit them all into the hole and if successful with all five move to two feet away and go through the same procedure. Then try from three feet away and so on. If you miss a putt at any time go back to the one foot distance and start again.

2)  Do your putting practice with your eyes closed. With your sense of sight “turned off”, you will become more aware of how the rest of your body moves. You can tune in to the way your torso twists and your shoulders sway. Your body becomes a pendulum when you swing your club. This may sound a little “Zen”, but try it and you may be surprised how much your putting improves when you open your eyes again.

3)  You can carry out your putting practice easily at home if you can’t get to the golf course. Putting mats and putting cups can be purchased inexpensively from places such as Ebay, so you can do your putting drills any time you want.

4)  On days when you have a round of golf make sure you arrive at the course early enough to spend ten or fifteen minutes warming up on the practice green. This will help loosen you up and get a feel for the speed of the greens.

5)  Finish your putting practice sessions with shots from under a foot to solidify the control of your swing – and always make your last putt. That sound of the ball hitting the bottom of the cup will give you confidence for the round ahead.

These are just a few of the many methods and tips which can help you become an expert putter and putting these into practice will certainly help you become more consistent. But regular putting practice is the key to better putting, so make sure you practice, practice, practice in order to become the putter you want to be.