No matter how far you can drive a ball, even the masters know that it all comes down to how many strokes it takes to put that ball in the hole. It you can’t putt accurately, long drives – even good ones – don’t mean much.
Although picking out the right putter is important, it’s even more important to use a putter consistently. I know everything about my putter, the familiarity of its weight and how it plays is integral to my game – and has been for fifteen years.
For most of us, we might drive a ball 18 times in a game, but to know how much we putt, you’d have to double that number. As such, shouldn’t we practice putting twice as much as we practice
driving? Practice at home on your carpet if you can’t get out to the green on a regular basis.
And remember, if the ball doesn’t have enough power behind it, it won’t make it into the hole. Study the course and the path you want your ball to take; does the course slant? Is the course going up or down hill?
Standing with your feet spread, balanced well, line up your putt. Keep your hands, arms and shoulders still calm; imagine yourself as a bobble head that moves only below your chest. Keep your head aligned with the ball. Pull the club back with your hands, wrists, arms and shoulder steady, moving from your chest. Hit the ball and follow through with your stroke.
Remember the lessons you learn from each putt you make.