Tips On Putting
Golf is a game of inches and attempting to put a 1.68 inch ball into a cup just 4.25 inches in diameter can be one of the most frustrating tasks in sports. However, there are two major keys to hitting a perfect golf putt, so understanding them is absolutely crucial for beginner golfers. Luckily, CoachUp has put together a handy guide for accurately measuring distance and reading the break in the green. Once you’re enlightened in way of the small game, you’ll see the game in a completely different way! Take these tips with you for your next practice round and you’ll start seeing improvement in no time!
Measuring Distance
Even before stepping foot on the golf course, try spending some time on the practice green. You’ll have to putt on eighteen different greens over the course of a round, so the practice green is where you can get comfortable with the speed and angles. Find a flat putt and get comfortable with five, ten, and twenty foot putts. Use these distances as marker points for all of your putts during your real round. Additionally, remember not to use your hands to effect the speed of your putts. Maintain soft hands and make sure that your follow through is the same distance and speed as your backswing. Finally, make sure you’re compensating for the elements. Many golfers tend to forget that the rain and wind will dramatically change the necessary speed of your putts.
Reading the break
Since every putt you’ll hit over the course of a round is going to be different, learning how to properly read the break is extremely important. Remember that speed is as much of a factor with break as the slope itself. The harder you a hit a putt, the less the it will break and vice-versa. Try hitting putts hard enough so that it will break as little as possible. Once you decide how hard you’re going to hit your putt, choose a spot above, below, or beside the hole, lining your feet and the center of your putter up with that location. For our full entry on reading the break, click here.
Putting it together
Even the best golfers in the world will putt 25 to 30 times over the course of a full round. If you’re putting outside of ten feet, make sure you’re are putting
yourself in a situation for a two-putt at the very least. Don’t get overambitious with any shot and put yourself in an even worse follow-up position. It’s incredibly key to continuously evolve and put things in perspective. It may be tempting to try and nail a twenty-foot putt, but hitting it hard could put you right back into a difficult position. Always weigh the positives and negatives of an attempt and realize that setting yourself up for an easy tap-in can often be the smart and mature way to approach a hole. Make it your goal to place every putt inside of ten feet. Simply put, mastering your putting is the fastest way to cut strokes off your score.
(Related: Read about choosing the right putter here.)
Huddle Up
Most athletes are able to drive the ball pretty well even if they don’t have much golf experience. However, once it comes to putting, all your preconceived notions and beliefs go out the window. It might be annoying and aggravating at first, but try to stick with it! Once you’re sinking putts on eighteen, you’ll be a happy golfer.
But if you’re still struggling with putting — whether it’s your form, release, or power, consider booking one of CoachUp’s private trainers. They can help you master the break, dominate the green, and start winning tournaments with absolute confidence! What are you waiting for?
