One problem I see frequently with a lot of amateur golfers is their lack of effective putting practice before a round of golf. They often make the same putting mistakes over the opening 6 holes of a round. Mistakes such as the following:
Putts that barely make it 50% of the way to the hole Putts that take a trajectory away from the hole Putts that run past the hole leaving difficult second putts
For all amateurs, the value of spending some time on the practice green can pay huge dividends by saving you shots over the first six holes. Here is a five minute drill to be performed before a round of golf that will help you zone in on your putting alignment and gauge the speed of the greens.
Alignment
Line up for a long put using whatever preferred technique you regularly use. Place a short iron against the toes of your shoes then step away from the club and look down its line. Is it the line you had intended in your setup? This line is going to show the starting trajectory of your putts so you want to have this as accurate as possible. If the line is off then maybe your technique for lining up shots is a little off. Try picking a point closer to the ball instead of closer to the hole to start lining up your shot.
Distances
You can practice putting at several distances but it's generally easier to recall the feeling of putting a short, medium and long distance putt. Here is the putting drill you should do.
Start with a long putt. Try to make a dozen of these long putts and try getting the distance of your putt correct. Get the rhythm of your swing consistent and just vary the distance you pull the putter head back.
Next, pick a medium distance that is somewhere around the 10 to 12 foot distance. You should pick a distance which you personally experience regularly. For better players with greater pitching accuracy this distance could be shorter. Again, try to take up to 12 putts and aim to get within a meter of the hole, and preferably not short of the hole. The accuracy of the putting line is important with this drill - you want to see some putts going in.
And lastly, perform some short putts close to the hole so you get a high number of putts going. This is good for your confidence and will be good practice for the large amount of one metre putts that happen in any round of golf.
These simple drills can benefit all players and save you shots in the early part of the round so always try to put in some practice before a round to establish a confidence in your putting accuracy and distance control.
Putts that barely make it 50% of the way to the hole Putts that take a trajectory away from the hole Putts that run past the hole leaving difficult second putts
For all amateurs, the value of spending some time on the practice green can pay huge dividends by saving you shots over the first six holes. Here is a five minute drill to be performed before a round of golf that will help you zone in on your putting alignment and gauge the speed of the greens.
Alignment
Line up for a long put using whatever preferred technique you regularly use. Place a short iron against the toes of your shoes then step away from the club and look down its line. Is it the line you had intended in your setup? This line is going to show the starting trajectory of your putts so you want to have this as accurate as possible. If the line is off then maybe your technique for lining up shots is a little off. Try picking a point closer to the ball instead of closer to the hole to start lining up your shot.
Distances
You can practice putting at several distances but it's generally easier to recall the feeling of putting a short, medium and long distance putt. Here is the putting drill you should do.
Start with a long putt. Try to make a dozen of these long putts and try getting the distance of your putt correct. Get the rhythm of your swing consistent and just vary the distance you pull the putter head back.
Next, pick a medium distance that is somewhere around the 10 to 12 foot distance. You should pick a distance which you personally experience regularly. For better players with greater pitching accuracy this distance could be shorter. Again, try to take up to 12 putts and aim to get within a meter of the hole, and preferably not short of the hole. The accuracy of the putting line is important with this drill - you want to see some putts going in.
And lastly, perform some short putts close to the hole so you get a high number of putts going. This is good for your confidence and will be good practice for the large amount of one metre putts that happen in any round of golf.
These simple drills can benefit all players and save you shots in the early part of the round so always try to put in some practice before a round to establish a confidence in your putting accuracy and distance control.
About the Author:
Are you an amateur golfer looking to perfect your golf swing, then visit Tom's site to find out exactly why the Simple Swing eBook by David Nevogt has helped thousands of golfers.
