The putting game is the most important of the 4 short games in golf because it comprises almost half (and sometimes more than half) of all the strokes we take in a round of golf. The fastest way to reduce your score in golf is to take fewer putts per hole, this has been an accepted truth in golf instruction for as long as I can remember, and I can't disagree with it. Building a solid, confidant, putting game will certainly take your golf game to the next level.
If you already have a good putting game, think for a minute what your score would be if you were a poor putter. I think in order to create a good putting game you can rely on; you have to understand the way we think when it comes to our ultimate target, the hole. In the game of golf, the definition of "par" on a hole allows an expert golfer 2 shots on every green to complete the hole in the allotted number of strokes. That's 36 putts per round to shoot an even par score if you hit every green in regulation. Now we already established how many greens in regulation the average golfer hits, not many, so let's say we had a great ball-striking day and we hit 9 greens in regulation.
If we took our regulated 36 putts to complete the round, we would shoot 81. Not bad, but if we converted 6 of the missed greens into 1 putt greens we would shoot 75, big difference. So the question is, how do we convert 1/3 of the greens we miss into 1-putt greens? If we take 1 putt on 1/3 of the greens in a round of golf, we lower our score by 6 shots. That's the simple math, and it should put into perspective, the task we have at hand. When broken down, the job doesn't seem so daunting. Taking 1 less putt, every 3 holes is an achievable goal for everybody who plays this game. First, let's think about our target.
We have been taught either through Professional instruction or personal experience to be very cautious and careful when putting. I can remember being taught to putt to an imaginary 3-foot circle around the hole when I was 15 - 20 feet away. I think this style of putting breeds a tentative putting stroke that doesn't flow like the great putters you see on any Tour. This is the very reason we leave mid range and short range putts short of the hole, we're scared of the 3 foot putt coming back if we miss.
A very smart golf coach once said, "If you're not trying to hole every putt, you're going to get beaten by someone who is." Let's face it, most Tour Events boil down to a putting contest, they all hit it great, and they can all chip it close, it's the putter that makes the difference between 1st and 10th place on the leader board. If a Tour player adopted the attitude we have in the putting game, he, or she wouldn't be a tour player for long. So the first thing we have to do is change out attitude about putting, how do we do this, first we have to build a confidant putting set up and putting stroke.
The Set-Up:
The putting set up is very important in a few aspects; the most important is that you are comfortable. I find a lot of golfers are trying to force themselves into a position they see a player do on TV or that their teaching Professional wants to see and they are not comfortable standing over the ball. If you're not comfortable standing over a putt, you will tend to freeze over the ball questioning yourself on line, speed, etc, this is disastrous. I don't care if you stand with your feet together, apart, or on 1 foot, as long as you are in a comfortable position to execute the stroke. Being comfortable is the first and most important part of a confidant putting stroke. The only "rule" I have is I like to see your eyes directly over the ball at address. This gives you a "down the line" perspective of the putt and allows you to see the line better.
The next Step is the proper fitting of your putter. Most putters today come in one or two standard lengths, a proper fitting putter will allow you to get comfortable over the ball with the blade flat on the ground square to the line you pick. Be sure to seek Professional help when picking, and fitting your next putter, it makes all the difference. Always remember, on the green, you are only in control of two things; initial direction, and initial speed, after that you can only cheer for it on the way to the hole. Concentrate on the things you can control and your putts will start to fall.
For more on Putting, visit me at www.cogolf.ca
If you already have a good putting game, think for a minute what your score would be if you were a poor putter. I think in order to create a good putting game you can rely on; you have to understand the way we think when it comes to our ultimate target, the hole. In the game of golf, the definition of "par" on a hole allows an expert golfer 2 shots on every green to complete the hole in the allotted number of strokes. That's 36 putts per round to shoot an even par score if you hit every green in regulation. Now we already established how many greens in regulation the average golfer hits, not many, so let's say we had a great ball-striking day and we hit 9 greens in regulation.
If we took our regulated 36 putts to complete the round, we would shoot 81. Not bad, but if we converted 6 of the missed greens into 1 putt greens we would shoot 75, big difference. So the question is, how do we convert 1/3 of the greens we miss into 1-putt greens? If we take 1 putt on 1/3 of the greens in a round of golf, we lower our score by 6 shots. That's the simple math, and it should put into perspective, the task we have at hand. When broken down, the job doesn't seem so daunting. Taking 1 less putt, every 3 holes is an achievable goal for everybody who plays this game. First, let's think about our target.
We have been taught either through Professional instruction or personal experience to be very cautious and careful when putting. I can remember being taught to putt to an imaginary 3-foot circle around the hole when I was 15 - 20 feet away. I think this style of putting breeds a tentative putting stroke that doesn't flow like the great putters you see on any Tour. This is the very reason we leave mid range and short range putts short of the hole, we're scared of the 3 foot putt coming back if we miss.
A very smart golf coach once said, "If you're not trying to hole every putt, you're going to get beaten by someone who is." Let's face it, most Tour Events boil down to a putting contest, they all hit it great, and they can all chip it close, it's the putter that makes the difference between 1st and 10th place on the leader board. If a Tour player adopted the attitude we have in the putting game, he, or she wouldn't be a tour player for long. So the first thing we have to do is change out attitude about putting, how do we do this, first we have to build a confidant putting set up and putting stroke.
The Set-Up:
The putting set up is very important in a few aspects; the most important is that you are comfortable. I find a lot of golfers are trying to force themselves into a position they see a player do on TV or that their teaching Professional wants to see and they are not comfortable standing over the ball. If you're not comfortable standing over a putt, you will tend to freeze over the ball questioning yourself on line, speed, etc, this is disastrous. I don't care if you stand with your feet together, apart, or on 1 foot, as long as you are in a comfortable position to execute the stroke. Being comfortable is the first and most important part of a confidant putting stroke. The only "rule" I have is I like to see your eyes directly over the ball at address. This gives you a "down the line" perspective of the putt and allows you to see the line better.
The next Step is the proper fitting of your putter. Most putters today come in one or two standard lengths, a proper fitting putter will allow you to get comfortable over the ball with the blade flat on the ground square to the line you pick. Be sure to seek Professional help when picking, and fitting your next putter, it makes all the difference. Always remember, on the green, you are only in control of two things; initial direction, and initial speed, after that you can only cheer for it on the way to the hole. Concentrate on the things you can control and your putts will start to fall.
For more on Putting, visit me at www.cogolf.ca
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