Mastering Technique: Position, Stroke, and Striking Strategies Revealed
In the world of golf, the art of putting is often overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in a player's success. To help you improve your putting game, we've gathered some essential tips and techniques supported by top Golf Monthly coaches, including Neil Plimmer and Alex Elliott.
**1. Develop a Consistent Stroke and Maintain Proper Form**
To start, focus on maintaining a solid stroke and proper form. Keep your head down during the stroke, especially through impact, to avoid pulling putts and enhance consistency. Practice keeping your head and shoulders steady until the putter passes your front foot.
Another crucial aspect is being square at impact. Build two gates using tees, with the first gate wider than the putter head and the second gate wider than the ball. This will help you consistently strike the sweet spot of the putter face, improving accuracy and ball roll.
Drills like steadying your hands with a wedge can also help produce a smooth, controlled roll that transfers well back to your putter.
**2. Master the Putting Stroke Technique**
Practice a stroke where you take the putter back one count and through three counts, keeping the putter face squared to the line through impact. This helps ensure proper speed and improves start line accuracy for both short and lag putts.
The "push drill" can also be beneficial in practice. This drill trains your feel for a straight and firm stroke over short distances by pushing the ball smoothly toward the hole.
**3. Improve Green Reading and Speed Control**
Reading greens effectively is vital for improving your putting performance. Analyse slope, grain, and speed, not just the line. Most breaks happen close to the hole, so focus your reads there.
Control distance as well as direction. Use drills such as the ladder drill to sharpen your speed control so you convert good reads into made putts.
Employ speed control drills like the Symmetry Drill to achieve equal-length backstrokes and follow-throughs, which help develop a consistent pace and result in better ball distance control.
The Sweet Spot Control Drill trains you to strike the ball with the center of the putter face, enhancing roll and reducing speed inconsistency caused by off-center hits.
**4. Practice Targeted Distances**
For amateur golfers, focusing practice on putts between 4 and 10 feet yields the best results. Tour pros benefit more from working on putts in the 8-to-10-foot range, which are challenging but high-value for improving scoring.
By combining these fundamental putting tips—solid stroke mechanics, green reading proficiency, and consistent speed control drills—you can dramatically improve your performance on the greens. Regularly applying these practices during training sessions will translate into more confident and effective putting during rounds.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Dedicate time to these techniques, and watch your putting game soar. Happy golfing!
- To help improve your putting game, it's essential to practice with golf balls and use quality golf clubs, as they contribute significantly to your accuracy and ball roll.
- To master your golf putting technique, regularly incorporate drills with golf balls and utilize golf clubs, such as the push drill or the drill that aims for a square impact position, into your practice routine.
