Putting is often regarded as the most crucial aspect of golf, where games are won or lost.
The best golfers are often the ones that hole the most putts, even if their long game isn't firing on all cylinders.
Improving your putting can significantly lower your scores and enhance your overall golf game.
So how do you get better at putting? In this article, we'll look at a few putting tips you can use to help hole a few more out on the golf course.
Stance and Grip
One of the most important parts of good putting is solid fundamentals.
Your stance and grip will play a big part in the overall putting stroke.
Stance
Adopt a comfortable and stable stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and the golf ball positioned slightly forward in your stance.
This setup promotes a smooth pendulum swing which is usually the best for a good putting action.
Grip
There's plenty of different putting grip styles golfers can use, so it's a good idea to experiment with different grips (traditional, claw, reverse overlap, left hand low) and find one that feels natural and gives you the most control.
A consistent grip pressure is key to avoiding any jerky or unwanted movements during the stroke.
Focus on Alignment
If you're not holing many putts, it could very likely be that your alignment is all wrong.
If you're not lining up correctly, it's very difficult to hole many putts, without having to severely alter your putting stroke.
Clubface Alignment
Ensure your putter face is square to your target line, otherwise, misalignment can lead to missed putts even with a perfect stroke.
It doesn't matter how your stroke is if your putter head is not pointing on the right line, you won't hole putts.
Body Alignment
With your clubface square to where you're aiming, next you need to make sure that your body is matched up.
Your eyes should be directly over the ball or slightly inside the ball line. This perspective helps in accurately judging the line and distance.
You can use a putting mirror to help show you where your shoulder and eyes are during the stroke, whilst on the practice green.
Develop a Consistent Stroke
Good putting is all about creating a putting stroke that can be repeated on every single putt, no matter what the line or distance is.
Your shoulders should drive the putting stroke, not your wrists, which is where a thick putter grip becomes very effective as it reduces wrist movement.
I like to imagine a pendulum motion for consistency during the stroke.
Practice long putts and short putts. Focus on the tempo of your stroke, ensuring a consistent pace regardless of putt length.
Reading the Greens
Reading greens is perhaps the hardest thing for new or inexperienced golfers to understand and get good at.
Green reading is an art which can be learned, but it's often about having good feel.
Pay attention to the slope and grain of the green. Both of which can significantly affect the ball's path.
It's a good idea to practice on different greens to get a feel for various conditions.
Adjust your stroke based on the green's speed. On faster greens, a softer touch is necessary.
Practice Drills
Like with any area in the golf game, if you want to get better, you have to dedicate some time to practising.
There's plenty of great putting drills that are designed to work on building more solid putting strokes and help you make more putts.
Here's a few good drills for the practice green to help your putting:
Coin Drill
Place a coin on the putting green and set the ball on top of it. Focus on your stroke and try to hit the ball without disturbing the coin.
This drill encourages a steady, controlled stroke and helps in hitting the ball at the centre of the putter face.
Gate Drill
Place two tees on the ground just wider than your putter head and about two feet in front of the ball. The tees form a "gate" through which you must putt the ball.
Focus on making a straight stroke that allows the putter to pass through the gate without hitting the tees. This drill helps in keeping the putter face square at impact.
Ladder Drill
Place markers (like tees or coins) on the green at regular intervals (e.g., 10, 20, 30 feet). Start with the closest marker and putt to the farthest one, trying to get the ball as close as possible.
Then putt back from the farthest marker to the closest. The goal is to leave no putt short and to minimise the distance of your second putt.
It's a really good drill if you're struggling with three-putting and lag putting.
Clock Drill
Place a dozen balls around the same hole at a distance of three feet, positioned like the numbers on a clock face. Try to sink each putt, moving around the circle.
The goal is to make all 12 putts in a row. If you miss, start over. Once successful, increase the distance to four feet and repeat.
This is a great drill because each putt is different and there won't be many straight putts involved.
Mental Approach
Golf is very much a mental game, but that becomes even more important when you get to the putting green.
Putting is all about precision and getting a 4.27 cm golf ball into the hole, so the more your head becomes scrambled, the harder putting is.
Visualisation is key to good putting. Before each putt, visualise the ball's path to the hole and see the ball going into the hole. This mental imagery can boost confidence and accuracy.
It's also a good idea to develop a pre-shot routine, which is consistent and you can stick to it. This consistency helps in calming nerves and allows you to focus on the putt.
Equipment Check
Finally, if you're struggling with your putting, it might be worth taking a look at your putter.
A putter fitting is a good way to ensure your putter is the right fit for your height and stroke style. A putter that's too long or too short can affect how fluid and consistent the stroke can be.
You might also want to look at the putter grip you're using. There's plenty of grips on the market, but our favourite is the Sky Vibe from Welton Golf as it's comfortable and designed for performance.
If you're struggling with feel on the greens, it could be you need to look at your golf ball choice. Use a high-quality ball that provides consistent roll and feel on the greens.
Final Thoughts
Improving your putting requires a blend of technical skills, practice, mental strategy, and the right equipment.
Regular practice using these tips can lead to noticeable improvements in your putting game and help you become a far better putter.
