Make More Putts

It’s pretty simple. You putt well – you shoot a low score. You don’t putt well, no matter how good the rest of your game is, you’re not going to post the low scores you should.

As Dave Pelz has made every serious golfer aware, regardless of their skill level. It is physically the easiest part of the game to improve. You don’t need Tiger’s strength or Freddy’s tempo to improve your putting. So why don’t golfers improve their putting?

The answer is simple,

To improve your putting, the first thing that you need to do is to solidify your stroke mechanics. Everything that you need to know about a great putting stroke can be summed up in two words:

See how our Golf IQ Putting Package can help you achieve both.

According to the Oxford dictionary stability can be defined as firmly fixed or established, not easily moved.

To allow your arms and the putter to work as one unit you need to make sure that you have a stable hold on the club. Many of putting’s most common problems include pushes, pulls, and the yips can be traced back to an unstable hold on the club.

Unlike the full swing grip, which is designed to create speed, the putting grip is designed to promote stability throughout the stroke. Unlike conventional putting instruction, I believe that and not in the lifeline of your palm as recommended by most instructors. Holding the club in the fingers promotes better feel for the putter head which will ultimately promote more stability throughout the stroke. You should know that a finger grip on the putter is preferred by two of golf’s best putters: Dave Stockton and Tiger Woods and it is tough to argue with their success.

Step 1 – - The handle of the putter runs under the heel pad of the left hand. Many instructors recommend that the grip runs straight up the palm so that the shaft is parallel to the forearm. The unique “finger grip” that I recommend gives a little extra feel for the club head and frees up the putting stroke.

Taking the grip in this manner, places the left hand in a “weak position” so that the back of the hand is facing the target and the thumb is resting directly on top of the grip.

Step 2 – - I recommend the reverse overlap grip. In this grip the left forefinger rests between the index and pinky fingers of the right hand. This grip unifies the hands and prevents the right hand from dominating the stroke. )

Step 3 - - Position the right hand parallel to the left hand which keeps the hands unified. Like the left hand, the thumb should rest on the top of the grip and the handle should be held primarily in the fingers.

- When talking about the putter and how tightly it should be held, one golf axiom definitely holds true: . A soft hold on the club enhances your feel for the club head which will help to promote a . When history’s greatest putter Ben Crenshaw was asked about his grip pressure he said: “The lighter you hold the club the better you will be able to feel the weight of the putter head”.

For most golfers of average strength, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being as tight as possible and 1 being as light as possible, I would say that the correct grip pressure is a 5. You should have the club firmly in your hands but there should be no tension in your wrists or forearms.

Stability is the most important factor in the putting stroke at the address of the ball. If you follow this simple 4 step routine you will be certain to have a stable address position.

Step 1 – Place your feet somewhere between hip and shoulder width apart. The width of your stance will vary based on your height, your flexibility and your putter length. If your stance is too narrow you will tend to move your body in the stroke and if it is too wide you will tend to lose feel and will have trouble “seeing the line”.

Step 2 – Bend from your hips so that your arms hang about 6 inches from your hips and are directly underneath your shoulders.

Step 3 – Soften your knees so that your weight is on the arches of your feet. You also need to be certain that your weight is evenly distributed between both your left and right foot.

Step 4 – Keeping your arms soft and extended take your grip on the putter. (NOTE: If you find yourself gripping at or near the bottom of your putter grip chances are that your putter is too long.) Be sure to keep your arms extended. Do not bend your arms or alter your posture to fit your putter, make sure that your putter fits you.

For a stable putting stroke it is key to have the arms and the putter act as one unit throughout the stroke. To get a feeling for how the arms and the putter can work together as a unit, try the following exercises:

1. Hit 5 putts with your right hand only and you will get the sense of the putter swinging through the ball as long as your grip pressure is not too tight. (Be sure to keep your body still throughout the stroke)
2. Hit 5 putts with your left hand only and you will feel the importance of stability through the ball.
3. Hit 5 putts with both hands feeling the unit of both arms and the putter working as one.

Repeat regularly

For a stable putting stroke the golfer must realize that the stroke is a swing of the putter and the arms. Many amateur golfers try and help the ball down the target line by turning their body through the stroke, like they do in the full swing.

Other golfers cannot wait to see if the ball is going into the hole. The tendency to look up too soon causes inconsistent contact and poor distance control.

To ensure that your body is stable throughout the stroke, try these exercises.

1. The Follow Through
   : Make a circle of balls 3 feet from the hole. Take your normal grip and stance and keeping your body still push a series of 10 putts into the hole. Be sure to keep the putter low to the ground and do not rotate the club face. If you turn your body the ball will come off the putter face and you will miss some of these short putts.
2. Eyes down
   Circle the hole with 12 balls 6 feet from the hole. Strike each putt and listen for the ball to go in the hole. Your ears will tell you when you make the putt, you should not see it go in.

Nature’s most stable and consistent motion is a pendulum. That is why it is used to keep time. The key components of a pendulum are - the arc is the same length on the way back and through - it moves at the same pace on the way back and through - and the maximum speed is obtained at the bottom of the arc. That is the also the best description of a pure putting stroke.

To make sure that your stroke represents a pendulum, try this drill:

1. Ball Mark drill: Position two ball markers or coins on the ground 18 inches apart. Place your putter head right in the middle of the coins and make some putting strokes so that the putter stops over each coin. Repeat several times to get a true feel for a pendulum.
2. Once you have this mastered vary the distance between the coins and repeat several times to get a feeling for this critical motion.
3. For those looking for a challenge repeat this drill while hitting some putts and make sure that each ball rolls the exact same distance. Once you can do this you know that you have what every golfer looks for, a stable putting stroke.
4. A great way to accomplish this is to practice your stroke on the Golf IQ S-Factor

Get more stability in your putting stroke with Golf IQ’s Putting Package.

Squareness is the second key to great putting. According to the Oxford dictionary square is having shape of parallel lines and right angles.

The first element of squareness relates to your body. A stable and balanced set up will virtually ensure that you are lined up square to the target line, but it is always wise to double check your alignment. Great putters make sure that their shoulders feet, hips, forearms, and eyes are all parallel to one another and to the target line.

Use the grip and address position as described in the stability section of this page to virtually ensure that your body lines will be square to the target line. But it is often useful to practice with an alignment aid or have a good set of eyes to monitor your address position.

The second part of squareness is to make sure that the putter head is square to the path throughout the stroke.

Step 1 – Square the putter head at address. Draw lines on your ball as shown to make sure that the putter face is square to the target line.

Step 2 – Make sure that the face stays square throughout the stroke. This may sound difficult but all you have to do is make sure that your hands and forearms are not rotating at any time during the stroke. A great way to accomplish this is to practice your stroke on the Golf IQ S-Factor making sure that the entire heel of the putter head is always on the board.

Find out more about the Golf IQ S-Factor.

Improve your stroke with the Golf IQ Putting Package.

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