How To Putt Better: 10 Key Strategies And Techniques

If you’ve consistently missed golf course putts, you’re not alone. Putting is one of the trickiest parts of golf because it takes skill and accuracy. Learning how to putt better requires time and effort. It’s all about identifying the appropriate technique and establishing a consistent stroke.

Let’s take a look at 10 strategies and techniques to enhance your putting skills.

1. Focus On Your Grip And Posture

Maintain a neutral and comfortable posture during your putt while using a relaxed but solid grip. Position yourself with your shoulders and hips in line, and your arms and hands relaxed at your sides.

Before every putt, follow a specific process — positioning your body and the putter’s face with the goal line. This way, you’ll be able to control the club more effectively and keep your stroke consistent. You can also become more accurate and uniform on the green by honing these core skills.

2. Build A Consistent Pre-Shot Routine

Follow a regular pre-shot routine that helps you stay composed and focused. To begin, visualize the putt horizontally and the pace you wish to use. Breathe deeply for a few seconds to release any body tension and help you focus. Take several practice swings as you approach the ball to help you get comfortable with the stroke you want to use.

Then, advance to the ball and line up the putter’s face and your body with the target line. Before you make a stroke, take one last glance at the hole. This exercise will help you develop a feeling of rhythm and consistency in your putting stroke, leading to better outcomes on the green.

3. Read The Green Effectively

Reading the green requires focusing on the slope and any minute variations in the grass. Keep an eye out for slight variations in the grass’s texture or color that could suggest how the ball will roll. Note any risks or impediments, such as sand traps or hills, that might impact the trajectory of your putt.

By examining the green, you can make a more informed decision on the putt’s pace and line. Keep in mind to follow your gut and adapt as necessary while taking a shot. Improving your confidence and putting skills with training and dedication is possible.

4. Maintain A Steady Tempo

When you’re putting, try not to move too quickly or slowly. A steady, fluid pace helps to increase control over direction and distance. You can do this by keeping your arms and torso in rhythm throughout the stroke while maintaining a loose grip on the putter. Keeping your motions smooth and unhurried is crucial to your rhythm and putt precision.

Also, pay attention to your alignment and posture. Assume a square stance with your feet shoulder-width apart and make sure your eyes are immediately over the ball. By doing this, you’ll be able to keep your stroke path steady and avoid making any unneeded adjustments.

5. Practice Distance Control

Practice making accurate judgments about the force needed to strike each putt, depending on its length. Having this ability is essential to hitting the green with consistency. Setting up a sequence of putts on a training green with varying sizes is one technique to work on distance management.

At first, make short putts before working your way up to larger ones. With every putt, concentrate on executing fluid, deliberate strokes and watch the ball’s roll distance. This will help you understand how much force to apply to each shot. You can also practice distance control with a ball and a cup in your living room or on a putting mat.

6. Use Proper Alignment Aids

Proper alignment is essential to consistent putting. You can ensure your putts are on target by training your eyes to see the correct line, which is often when alignment tools come in handy. A common technique is to mark your golf ball with a line and align it with the desired target line. This will increase your accuracy and help you envision the proper putt route.

Making a visible alignment guide on the practice green with markers or alignment sticks is another helpful technique. You can also improve the consistency and repeatability of your putting shot by practicing with the appropriate alignment help.

7. Develop Touch Through Feel Drills

Practice striking more putts with varying backswing lengths to hone your sense of touch for distance management. The ladder drill is a popular feel drill. All you need to do is position many tees at varying distances from the hole. Then, attempt to shoot each putt with the right amount of backswing required to reach each tee.

This exercise enhances your ability to assess how much force is necessary for each putt. It also helps you gain a better feel for distance management.

Another feel exercise is the “gate drill”, in which your ball must travel through a tiny gate by positioning two tees or alignment sticks on either side of the hole. By forcing you to hit the ball on the proper line, this training helps you become more accurate and focused.

Including these putting drills in your golf practice program will improve your touch and boost your self-assurance in managing distance.

8. Embrace Technology

Consider using putting aids, such as putting applications or laser alignment systems. Putting applications offer real-time data on the face angle, swing path, and stroke tempo. Laser alignment devices can help ensure your putter face is square to the target line.

With the use of this information, you can pinpoint your areas of weakness and modify your approach accordingly. Using these tech tools in practice sessions may hone your abilities and improve your consistency and confidence as a putter.

9. Seek Professional Guidance

The best putters work with a golf instructor to improve their putting technique. They are skilled and knowledgeable enough to see minute errors in your stroke mechanics that might impair your performance.

A coach can offer an individualized putting lesson based on your unique skills and shortcomings. They can also assist you in becoming a more efficient and consistent stroker. This will help you regulate the distance and accuracy of the greens.

10. Track Your Progress

Use a monitoring tool or keep a putting log to document essential metrics. These include the:

• The number of putts made per round
• The precision of your distance control
• Your percentage of successful putts at various distances

This information will help you monitor your progress over time and pinpoint areas requiring more attention. For example, if your distance control accuracy needs to be improved, you can spend extra time practicing that part of your golf game. Additionally, when you watch your statistics rise over time, tracking your progress may give you a sense of drive and success.

FAQs 

How can I improve my number of putts per round in a golf game?

Work on building a steady putting stroke and practicing distance management. Working on your alignment, grip, and pace can help you achieve this. You can also improve your putting accuracy by researching the greens before each round and learning about their speed and slopes.

What strategies can I use to improve my distance control accuracy on a golf course?

You should start practicing your lag putts to increase the precision of your distance management. This puts less emphasis on making every putt and more on getting the ball near the hole.

Improve your lag putting technique to have a better sense of the pace and distance of your putts. Furthermore, experimenting with different lengths and stroke speeds might help you become more adept at controlling distance.

How can I increase my percentage of successful putts from different distances?

Increasing your proportion of successful putts at various distances requires improving your alignment and aim. You can boost your chances of making the putt by ensuring your putter face is square at impact and lined up with the target. Experience with varying green slopes and breaks can also help you improve your ability to read greens and modify your aim.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when improving putting skills?

Not taking enough time to set up your shot and hurrying your stroke properly are two frequent faults to avoid when honing your putting stroke. Grasping the putter can also hinder the natural flow of your stroke, so be careful not to make this error. Also, keeping your body from wobbling or moving too much as you putt is critical since these actions might impair your accuracy and balance.

Final Thoughts

Improving your putting technique necessitates a combination of technical methods and mental focus. Implementing these 10 methods and approaches can improve your accuracy and consistency on the course. Remember to train often and keep a positive mindset, as these variables influence your success. You will significantly improve your putting game with focus and patience.