GOLF IS HARD
putting is harder
All great putters master the fundamentals first. Here’s our guide to getting yours in order.
When putting from inside three feet there is a small margin of error. When putting from outside three feet there is very little margin for error. In fact, the further away you are from the hole, the smaller your already very small margin of error gets.
To consistently make putts from three-20 feet, this list of things have to happen.
1 - You need to be aiming at your intended target (most people are not).
2 - You need to have read the green correctly (how will the slope of the green affect ball path).
3 - You need to have judged the pace/speed of the green (uphill, downhill, into grain, with the grain).
4 - You need to balance/calibrate your read and your pace (too much speed and the ball will not turn as expected on the slope, to little and it will turn more than you expected).
5 - You need to hit your putt from the middle of the putter face, the sweet spot (otherwise your judgements on pace and line will be wasted).
6 - You need to get the ball rolling end-over-end (otherwise any imperfection on the green will move your ball off line).
And even though all of the above are essential to getting the ball in the hole, they mean nothing if your putter face is not square at impact.
7 - The putter face must be square at impact.
So yes, golf is hard, but putting is harder.
There is a new school of thought among putting coaches that the putting stroke itself doesn't matter, all that matters is that the putter face is square at impact. While that is true, a simple putting stroke will make it easier to get the putter face square at impact more often. So, whenever you drop a couple of balls on the putting green, don't just fire them at the hole. Work on your fundamentals. Always, be working on the fundamentals.
Putting Fundamental 1
Ball position: the ball should be slightly forward of the centre of your stance and directly under your leading eye.
In this way, the putter will strike the ball after it passes its lowest point. Catching the ball as the putter rises will help the ball to roll end over end.
Putting Fundamental 2
Keep still: your head, hips and feet should be still until well after you hit the ball.
Once set up to the ball, shift your weight on you feet and feel yourself connect and anchor to the ground. Maintain that feeling until well after the putter strikes the ball.
Putting Fundamental 3
Shoulders only: keep the arms and wrists quiet and just rock the shoulders back and forth.
When arms and wrists dominate, the putter comes off its natural path. When shoulder rotation controls the stroke, the putter head passes naturally through its original start position.
Obviously, there's a lot more to a great putting stroke than the three fundamentals above, but there is no point worrying about them until you have these three locked in. Practice them at home. Practice them on the putting green. And if you want to know if you are getting them right, practice with a Middler.
Meet the Middler, the world's simplest putting training aid.
The Middler
putting training aid
The Looker
putting training aid
Three-20 Golf APS
Copenhagen, Denmark
Tax ID: DK44286440
Contact:
moreputts@three-20.com
