The golfclubs4cash guide to perfecting your putting shots
Is there anything more frustrating than hitting the shot of your life down the fairway, only to mess it all up with a bad putting shot or two on the greens? You may have bought yourself a fantastic second hand putter, but that’ll only get you so far without working on your technique, too.
Golfers tend to spend a lot of time analysing and perfecting their golf swing, but less time looking at their putting technique and how it could be improved. With around 40% of your shots being putts, you may be missing a trick if you don’t work on those minor improvements that make the difference.
The truth is that improving your putting is a surefire way to bring your handicap down over time, so it’s well worth spending some time considering what you can do to improve your putt and lower your scores - and with a bit of time and effort you will revolutionise your short game.
The five main areas to address
There is a lot that goes into putting techniques, and we’re going to look at the five main areas for you to consider here. Often, breaking things down like this means that things have to get a little worse before they get better as you unlearn some bad habits you picked up as a beginner. But trust us - it’ll be worth the effort and in time you’ll be rewarded with a much more satisfying game!
1. Your alignment
Your alignment when you take a putt is really important, but often golfers forget to think about this as they approach their putting shot. Your feet, hips and shoulders should be parallel to the line, and a putting alignment stick can help you with this. If you have a friend or a caddy with you, you could ask them to appraise your stance and recommend any adjustments.
The best way to achieve a smooth, consistent stroke is to get your alignment spot on, and then keep your body still and calm while you take the shot. This can be easier said than done when the pressure’s on, but practice makes perfect. The more used to putting shots your body is, the more you will refine your fine motor skills so that muscle memory kicks in without you having to overthink every single element of the shot.
2. Your stance
Closely linked to your alignment is your stance - the way you stand as you approach the putting stroke. You should feel comfortable and balanced, with feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Then, keeping your spine in a neutral position, lean slightly forward from your hips to achieve the ideal putting stance. Because bodies and preferences are always different (and you may have an injury that you need to compensate for), golfers tend to experiment with different stances, making tiny adjustments until they find the perfect one for a smooth, fluid stroke.
There are lots of different ways to grip a putter and you’ll find the right one for you. The most common grip is to use your fingers to take hold of the putter handle, using your strongest hand at the bottom of your grip and your other hand above. Your thumb should be pointing down towards the floor, and you can allow for a little overlapping. Whatever you do, make sure it’s comfortable and that you’re not gripping on too tightly or too loosely. You’re aiming for what’s called a ‘neutral grip’, that’s free of tension and strain.
Take a moment to review the condition of your grip, too. Even the greatest stance and alignment won’t help you if the grip isn’t in good condition. Upgrading your putter with a replacement grip is a very cost-effective way of making some swift improvements.
If you find that you are constantly missing easy putting shots, then it might be a good idea to experiment with different ways of gripping your putter. And if you’re a left-handed golfer then you’ll need to adapt your stance and grip accordingly. (We’ve got an amazing range of used left-handed putters that you’ll love).
3. The mechanics of your stroke
A putting shot is a fairly simple motion, but a lot can go wrong along the way! When you grip the putter, you’ll need to grip it slightly more firmly than you would with a normal club for a full swing. It will help you to align the putter face if your eyes are directly over the ball. Once you’re lined up well, keep your head still and your eyes firmly fixed on the ball.
It can help to clean the ball off, and/or align the graphics on the ball with the hole to help you set up your shot. You’re allowed to lift your ball from the green (unlike anywhere else on the course), so you can pick it up and mark its place while you make any necessary adjustments. Using a ball marker (or a Sharpie pen will do the trick, too!) is fine, as long as you put the ball back down exactly where it was before.
You’re aiming for a smooth, fluid shot that’s pendulum-like, consistent and confident. Take a backswing and gently stroke the ball forward. It’s helpful to focus on rolling the ball, as opposed to ‘hitting’ it.
You could step away from the ball and take a few practice strokes before you actually hit the ball (but make sure you’re standing far enough away that you don’t accidentally hit the ball as it will count as a shot!).
Without a doubt, it will help to use a putter that you’re comfortable with and that suits your body. We’ve got a great range of second-hand putters that you can try out in-store - often it takes a bit of experimentation to find the perfect golf putter for your needs, so pop in and try a few out for size.
4. Your speed control
Obviously, the speed at which you hit the ball is going to make a huge difference in putting, and just a little too hard or a little too soft can make you miss your target altogether. Lots of time on a practice green will help you refine your stroke - start with close shots and gradually build up the distance. You’ll find that this practice will help you get a good feel for how hard or soft you need to hit the ball on each particular shot. And once you get confident with the shorter shots, you’ll also feel more able to take on the longer ones. Remember, you’re rolling/nudging the ball, not hitting it - less is more with putting!
5. Your ability to read a green
As with all golfing techniques, there is both an art and science to getting it just right. Your ability to read a green falls far more into the ‘art’ category than the science one, and it takes time and practice to develop. It’s often just down to instinct, but you can give yourself the upper hand by paying attention to the grass and the direction it’s going in - this will affect the way your ball rolls. The grass on putting greens is intentionally kept very short, so your shot won’t be slowed down by longer grass.
Take the time to look at the green itself - is there a gentle elevation and how will you need to compensate or adapt your stroke to overcome this? If you’re hitting uphill then you’ll need to address the ball a bit harder, and conversely, if it’s going downhill then all it may need is a gentle nudge.
Squat down to get a better sense of the elevation of the green you’re playing - seeing it from a lower angle will help you appraise the surface of the green and decide on your tactics. You will find that the more experienced a golfer you are, the easier you will find it to read a green.
I’ve worked on all that, what else can I do?
Ok so you’ve worked on your alignment, stance, stroke mechanics, speed control and your ability to read greens, but you’re still not feeling any improvement? Our best words of advice would be to keep practising and be patient.
Often when you’re learning or perfecting a skill, there’s a period of time where you feel like you’re seeing absolutely no improvement whatsoever, and things start to plateau (or sometimes, they get even worse, temporarily!). Fear not, the work you’re doing will consolidate and pay off, and fairly soon you’ll be noticing gradual improvements to your putting technique, without you having to think about it too much.
There are a few other things that you can do in order to make sure your putting practice is as effective as possible. Let’s go through them:
Use a mirror to practise
A great way to analyse your putting technique is to use a mirror to watch yourself on the approach. Does your stance look relaxed and comfortable? Is your body well-aligned with itself, and the ball? Of course, you’ll need to take your eyes off the ball to have a look in the mirror, so this isn’t the best way to analyse your actual stroke. But if you’re making small adjustments to your stance then you’ll be able to see what looks right and what doesn’t in a mirror.
Listen to your body too - if there are areas of tension in your body then this is a sure sign that there is something wrong with your technique.
Film your putting technique
The mirror will tell you a lot, but because you will need to keep your eyes on the ball as you take your shot, it won’t tell you everything. A really great way to critique your putting technique is to film it. This doesn’t need to happen in a fancy golf academy studio; you can do it yourself by setting up a smartphone on a tripod.
Watching your putting technique via video can be a real revelation, and you may well notice little things that you do that you haven’t seen before. If you really want to break it down, try filming it in slow motion - you’ll be able to notice the tiniest of movements that may be making or breaking your putt.
Take some golf lessons from a professional
Your local golf club will have PGA pros who will be more than happy to give you a few lessons that are dedicated solely to perfecting your putting technique. They will have spent years working on their own putt, and analysing the techniques of others, so you will benefit from their experience and gain a few gems of inspiration along the way as well.
Book a few lessons, and make sure you take the time to practise between sessions so that you get value for money from your investment. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it; no professional golfer got to where they are today without some serious input from those more experienced than them.
Watch how other golfers putt
You can learn as much from a bad putt as you can a good one, so watch other players carefully and see what they’re getting right, and what they’re getting wrong. Often, you’ll find that they are open to feedback, so perhaps you can strike a deal where you’ll watch them and give them tips on their putt if they’ll do the same for you.
It’s not just your fellow golfers on the course that you can learn from, either, Watching the professionals putt is a masterclass in how to get it right, so grab every opportunity you can to watch live golf tournaments and celebrity pro ams. You can also watch putting videos on YouTube - there is a wealth of resources available out there, so don’t miss any opportunity to grab a few tips and tricks.
Experiment with different putters
Often, a golfer will be frustrated with his or her putt, and no amount of work they do will improve things. This can sometimes be because - quite simply - they’re using the wrong putter. Whether it’s a poor-quality one, or it’s just not the right fit for them, using the wrong golf putter can really hold you back.
Try practising with lots of different types of putters and see which ones feel most comfortable in your hands. Once you’ve found the best golf putter for you, you could also try making small adjustments like replacing the grip or some golf club maintenance to make sure it’s performing at its best.
At golfclubs4cash we’ve got fantastic second hand putters from leading brands such as Odyssey, Scotty Cameron, PING and TaylorMade. If you’re local to one of our stores, then pop in for a free tryout to narrow down your options. Our experts will help you decide on the perfect used putter for you, at a fraction of the price that you’d pay if it was new.
If you’re not able to pop in, then you’ll find our buying guide for golf putters a very useful place to start. And you can always give us a call and one of our friendly team members will help talk you through your options.
When and where can I practise my putt?
You can take any opportunity to improve your putting technique, whether it’s at the golf club or at home. Most golf clubs have practice putting greens where you can hone your skills, and if you’re at home you can use a putting mat (or even fashion your own putting green using a cup).
You’ll refine your putting technique on every hole of the golf course too, so try not to go into autopilot and instead be really intentional on each shot. Think critically about your stance, alignment and putting motion. You won’t nail all your putts of course, but as the famous saying goes, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take!
Summary
As with all things in life, practice makes perfect! Your putt is one of the most important shots on the course, so it’s a great idea to invest some time and money into making it the best it can be. Be patient, accept that there will be times where you feel like you’re not making much improvement, and over time you’ll start to reap the rewards of your hard work.
Before you know it, your scores (and your handicap!) will be going down, so don’t be surprised if your fellow golfers start asking you for your top putting tips and tricks!