Putting tips
posted in Instruction |The most efficient, effective putting stroke is one in which the putter swings like a pendulum, back and forth, smoothly and rhythmically. But the stroke doesn’t come naturally. You must train your body to produce a perfect pendulum-like motion. Once trained, you must practice regularly to maintain your stroke’s fluidity and rhythm.Here are 6 keys to making a smooth, pendulum-like putting stroke:
1. Keep your grip pressure light
2. Maintain a steady head
3. Keep the front shoulder down
4. Strike on the upstroke
5. Keep the wrists firm
6. Accelerate through the stroke
Keeping your grip pressure light and maintaining a steady head throughout the putt are two “musts” in putting. A light grip provides more feel when putting, and feel is a big part of putting. A steady head—with your eyes directly over the ball—keeps the putter square to the target line. Moving your head throws your putt off line.
The takeaway is a one-piece action. Move the arms, shoulders, and putter away from the ball together, with the hands remaining passive. If you think “front shoulder down,” you’ll produce the correct motion. Make a smooth, rhythmic stroke and accelerate the putter through the ball. If your ball position is correct, the pendulum action enables you to strike the ball on the upswing.
In addition, keep the wrists firm through impact and follow-through—one of the most important moves in putting. Try imagining them encased in plastic casts. Accelerate the putter-head through the stroke, even on short putts, and make sure your follow-through is as long as the takeaway.
A useful putting drill that builds fluidity into your swing is to start by taking a normal practice stroke, using a smooth, rhythmic motion. Then address the ball, close your eyes, and repeat the motion—letting the ball get in the way of the stroke. This drill helps make the real stroke more like a practice stroke, and improves putting accuracy.
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