By Pat Livingston, PGA Professional
Concept: Use a pendulum stroking motion from you shoulders.
- Place ball in middle front part of stance.
- Keep your eye on the ball not the putter blade as you stroke the putt.
- Use the “reverse over lap” grip (most top tour players use this grip.”)
- Keep the putter blade low on your back swing and low following through.
- Accelerate through the ball, if you take the putter back one foot then follow through one foot or more.
- Keep your left wrist moving toward the hole after striking the ball.
- Keep you head very still while making your putting stroke.
- Your eyes should be close to directly over the ball when putting.
- Have the brand of the golf ball on line to the hole to help your direction. This is a suggested option.
Common Errors
- Using too much wrist action in your putting motion.
- Moving your head too much during your putting stroke.
- Not following through toward the hole after making contact with the ball.
- Not practicing distance control on you putts.
Pre shot Routine
- Stand behind the ball and “see the line.”
- Visualize the ball going into the hole in “your mind’s eye.”
- Take your putting stance and make one practice stroke to “feel the distance,” then stroke the ball.
Which is more important Distance or Direction? Most students say Direction. However, if you think about it, when you three putt 99% of the time it is because you have hit the putt 5 feet short or 5 feet long. If you are a good distance putter you will rarely 3 putt and on occasion the hole will get in the way of the ball and you will make more putts.
In golf like in life it is the follow through that counts!
– Unknown