How To Master Putting

Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Lau

Putting is the smallest form of the golf swing, but is also the last thing you do to complete the hole. If you master putting, you master the game of golf.

Putting is an art, and it requires a proper tool to express that form of art. The putter is quite different from other golf clubs. First of all, there are many different designs in putters. Generally, putters are the shortest of all golf clubs, and they are designed to roll the golf ball when it is on the green. The most significant difference between the putter and the rest of the golf clubs is the grip: it is flat on the top of the shaft to allow you to place your hands comfortably on the grip without exerting undue pressure on the equipment. To master putting, select the right putter, with which you are most comfortable.

Putting is the simplest golf swing because it requires of you the fewest movements. However, these movements are critical to your golfing success.

To master golf putting, it is important to keep your body still and in a solid position before you start your stroke. Hold your putter around the handle with both palms facing each other, while your thumbs are pointing straight down the shaft to the head of your putter. Your putter has a sweet spot, which is the weighted spot of the club that enables the golf club to spring off the face of the club. Now, rest the flat spot on the bottom of your clubhead flat against the surface of the green, and set your putter on the green such that the sweet spot (indicated by a dot or line on the putter) is directly behind the center of the golf ball.

Focus your eyes directly on the golf ball. Bend comfortably as far as you can, while keep your arms hanging freely. Ease up on your legs and arms with your feet shoulder-width apart. Flexibility of muscles is essential to mastering the stroke.

In a pendulum motion, strike the golf ball with your shoulders and arms moving together. And that is it! It is just that simple!

However, to master putting, you need to remember these golf putting tips.

Always keep your legs, hands, as well as head and torso, still and solid while moving your shoulders and arms to create the pendulum motion in your putting stroke.

In golf putting, distance is more important than direction, because a golf ball rolling with the correct distance tends to come closer to the hole than one with only a correct direction. Therefore, it is important to control the length of the stroke and the contact off the face of your putter. Accordingly, for a shorter putt, do not slow down the motion; likewise, for a longer putt, do not speed up the motion. Learn to master maintaining pace consistency with different distances. Given that the direction of the golf ball is controlled by the face angle of your putter, always align the clubface perpendicular to the target line. Maintain that position when you strike the golf ball.

Putting is a simple game to play but difficult to master. However, it can be done through practice and observation of putting tips outlined above.