Putting: Back to BasicsWe're back to putting again. We feel that strongly about it. The average golfer could easily make up 10 strokes a ROUND by putting properly. And it is much easier to practice putting then driving or fairway shots in your house or yard!
The game of golf should be learned from
green back to
tee. That means putting, chipping, fairway shots, and THEN drives. Remember, most shots in a round are from around
green!!!!
The average golfer's tendency, when putting, is to use too much of their wrists and arms, thus breaking down their wrists through
putt. No! No!! NO!!!! DO NOT BREAK YOUR WRISTS!! First it hurts (ok, couldn't resist), second, you LOSE CONTROL!!!
To become a great putter,
perfect combination of shoulders and arms should be used throughout
putt. Any wrist action involved is through
motion of
weight of
putter.
During your putt, concentrate on your shoulders really
putting stroke. On
backswing, your left shoulder moves down and your right shoulder moves up, focusing on your shoulders becoming synchronized. Your left wrist should stay nice and firm throughout.
In order to set up
putting grip, first place
grip in
palm of your left hand, and your entire hand around
grip. Place your right hand underneath your left, in a similar palm grip. Overlap your right hand with your left index finger.
Your palms should be opposite to one another, for a nice locked-in feeling. When setting up to address
ball, make sure your eyes are over
ball, specifically your left eye (if you are a right hand golfer).
Bend your knees slightly, and hang your arms over
ball.
Shift your weight slightly forward on your left foot, favoring
left side of your body. Your hands should also be slightly forward in your stance.
Before making your stroke, make sure your arms, shoulders, knees and feet are all parallel with your target line.