Trevor Ng
Golf putting is often considered the ultimate test of precision and patience in the game. It involves propelling the ball into the hole using a putter, typically done on the flattest and smoothest part of the golf course. There is no single correct stroke for putting, and different golfers have their own unique pre-shot routines. However, there are some universal techniques and tips that can help improve your putting game. These include improving your posture and stance alignment, reading the green, managing your shot speed, and practising your grip.
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What You'll Learn
Reading the green
Start Early and Take Your Time
The process of reading the green begins long before you reach the putting surface. As you approach the green, take in the entire landscape, including any hillsides, ridges, valleys, or water bodies nearby. Use your walk up to the green as reconnaissance to spot subtle slopes and gather crucial information about the lay of the land. Once you're on the green, take your time to observe and analyse the terrain. Don't rush, as this can lead to mistakes. Effective reading takes practice and patience.
Identify the High Point
Every putt has a "high point," which is the spot on the green where the ball starts to break toward the hole. To find this point, crouch down behind the ball and examine the green from a low angle. The high point is where you should aim your putt to start the ball on the correct line.
Understand Grass Grain
Grass grain refers to the direction in which the grass on the green grows. It can affect the ball's roll and the break of your putt. Look for clues in the grass, such as lighter or darker patches, which can indicate the direction of the grain. Putts into the grain tend to be slower, while putts with the grain will be faster.
Visualise the Path
Before taking your putt, visualise the path the ball should take to reach the hole. Pick a specific spot or line on the green to aim for and commit to it. This mental picture will help you stay focused and execute your putt with confidence. Imagine a line tracing how the ball will roll into the hole, and consider how any slopes will affect its trajectory.
Consider Your Surroundings
Be aware of environmental factors such as the position of the sun and the presence of shadows. Shadows can exaggerate slopes, making breaks appear more significant than they are. Take these factors into account when reading the green to make more accurate assessments.
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Stance and posture
When it comes to golf putting, stance and posture are key. The stance is the foundation for your swing, and a correct stance ensures your body is in a natural and comfortable position, reducing the risk of strain or injury.
To begin, get into a balanced athletic posture. Rock back and forth slightly to find your centre of balance, ensuring you're not leaning too far forward or backward. Bend forward from your hips while keeping your spine straight and avoid slouching or hunching your shoulders. Your knees should be slightly bent—not locked or overly bent—and your arms should hang naturally from your shoulders with a slight bend in the elbows. Your hands and arms should be in a relaxed, neutral position, and you should grip the putter where your hands fall. If your putter is too long, consider getting it shortened.
The width of your stance should be roughly hip-width with the feet pointing forward (not splayed out). Your feet should be placed shoulder-width apart, with the ball positioned correctly in your stance based on the club you're using. The golf ball should be positioned slightly ahead of the centre of your stance, similar to the position you'd address it with a 6-iron. This allows for a player to strike the ball at the bottom of the arc to slightly on the upswing, giving them the possibility of the best roll.
Your body and feet should be aligned parallel to the intended line of the putt. It can be difficult to see if your alignment is open or closed relative to your target line after you've addressed the ball, so it's helpful to use an alignment rod on the ground to check your stance.
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Hand placement and grip
There is no universal "best way" to set your hands on the handle. Every player has a unique natural motion, and a good grip accentuates this. A poor grip limits the player's natural motion and can cause inconsistency and injury. The ideal grip will depend on the individual player's body and range of motion.
To find your natural grip, stand erect with your arms dangling freely at your sides. Grip the club with your lead hand—this is your most natural lead-hand position. With your new lead-hand hold, point the club out in front of you at a 45-degree angle, then begin rotating the handle back and forth. You should feel an increased range of motion. Now, add your trail hand to your grip. Slip it on, placing the grip through the base of your fingers, not your palm. Hold the handle in your trail hand like you would hold a suitcase.
There are several different types of grips, including the conventional, pencil, cross-handed, left arm-lock, the claw, the saw, and the butterfly. The 10-finger grip is achieved by interlocking the index finger on the left hand with the pinky of the right hand. This grip is recommended for players with small hands or those who tend to grip the club tight.
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Aim and alignment
Aiming and aligning the putter correctly is a challenging aspect of golf, even for PGA Tour players. However, with practice and a consistent routine, you can master the skill and improve your overall score. Here are some tips to improve your aim and alignment:
Aiming Techniques
- Drawing a line on your golf ball can significantly enhance your aim. Top golfers, including Tiger Woods, use this technique. You can draw a complete line around the ball or use the brand name or model name as a reference line, as Mel Sole suggests.
- When using a line, aim from behind the ball, not from the side. This technique helps overcome the optical illusion created by binocular vision, which occurs when you aim with both eyes from the side.
- Use your dominant eye to aim. Place the right side of your finger on the pin and find your aim point on the left side of your finger.
- Consider using AimPoint Express, a popular technique that involves walking off longer putts and averaging out the break to determine your aim point at the hole.
- Practice green reading, which is one of the four essential skills in putting.
Alignment Techniques
- Consistency is key for putter alignment. Develop a pre-putting routine and stick to it to build muscle memory and improve your alignment over time.
- Ensure your right hand is not too much "on top" of the grip, as this can lead to poor alignment.
- Use a club under your armpits to check the position of your shoulders in relation to your feet and target line.
- Position the ball correctly by lining it up with the buttons of your golf shirt and distributing your weight evenly across both feet.
- Place the grip of your putter slightly in front of the ball.
- Avoid over-rotating the face by turning your lead hand so that the knuckles are slightly underneath the shaft.
- Position your lead shoulder slightly higher than your trail shoulder to prevent an upward strike.
- Visual aids can be beneficial, such as single or triple lines, single dots, or triple dots. These aids provide a reference point for aligning your body accurately.
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Speed and stroke
Speed Control Drills
Practising specific speed control drills is essential to enhancing your putting skills. One effective drill is the golf version of leapfrog, where the goal is to hit each golf ball past the previous one, maintaining better control and observing whether you tend to hit the ball too hard or too soft. Another drill is to create a "speed ladder" by using tees, coins, or ball markers to focus solely on how far you roll the ball. Practising lag putting drills and correctly reading the greens will also improve your speed control.
Green Speed Understanding
Green speed, influenced by factors like temperature, humidity, rainfall, and maintenance practices, varies from course to course. Understanding how green speed affects the length of your putting stroke is vital. By practising on different greens and focusing on learning their speeds, you can adjust your stroke length accordingly.
Stroke Consistency
Consistency in your putting stroke is more important than its overall quality. To achieve consistency, maintain a stable wrist angle throughout the impact. Avoid excessive wrist movement by using tools like the HackMotion wrist sensor, which provides feedback on your wrist angles. Keep your lead wrist in a consistent position, ensuring that your lead arm and the putter shaft remain as a constant unit.
Stroke Technique
The ideal putting stroke involves a slight arc, with the putter coming slightly around your body, returning to the ball, and then moving back. As putts get longer, the arc becomes more pronounced. Ensure that the putter face comes into the ball squarely at impact, maintaining a consistent loft long after impact. Avoid the "`straight back, straight through`" technique, as it can cause issues and force last-moment wrist adjustments.
Additional Considerations
Your putting grip and set-up are critical factors in achieving a square putter face at impact. Your grip must be consistent, and your stance should be stable, with balanced weight distribution, to avoid swaying during the stroke. Remember that the ball launch angle is also important—the ball needs a slight positive launch to get up and rolling well.
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Frequently asked questions
Practice makes perfect! Try investing in a cheap putting mat to practice on, or head to your local golf course and use their putting green. You can also try reading some books on putting, such as Dave Pelz's *Short Game Bible*.
You should stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes around 2 to 2.75 putter head lengths from the ball. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward from your hips so that your eyes are directly over the ball. Keep your back straight and your shoulders square to the ball, with your elbows tucked into your rib cage.
There is no one "correct" way to putt, but there are some popular techniques you can try, such as the Plumb Bob Method, the AimPoint Method, or the Book Method. It's important to find a technique that works for you and to practice it consistently.
