Play Better Golf: 10 Tips to Better Putting

If you’ve been around the game of golf for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the saying, “You drive for show, but you putt for dough”. That saying is so popular because there’s a great deal of truth in it.

While driving the ball a long way off the tee is a huge boost to the ego, learning how to sink more putts will help you shoot your lowest score ever. Here are 10 tips to perform better on the greens.

1. Control Your Speed

The most important aspect of putting is learning how to control your speed. There’s nothing worse than knocking it on the green in two on a long Par 4 and then running the ball 15 feet past the hole on your birdie putt. Now you know you’ll be fortunate just to make par.

The PGA teaching professionals at Bird Golf Academy constantly stress the importance of speed control while putting. These accomplished folks know that getting their students to put the proper amount of speed on their putts is the quickest way to lower their respective handicaps.

2. Take Your Time When Making Reads

One of the biggest mistakes most golfers make on the greens is rushing through their reads. Before lining up your putt, take plenty of time to study the green and how your upcoming putt will break.

Remember, there’s never a reason to be in a hurry. This is golf, not basketball. There’s no shot clock on the green.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice

Just like any other endeavor in life, you can’t become excellent at putting without lots of practice. Set aside an hour or two each week to hone your stroke. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can improve your putting with just a small investment of practice time.

4. Grip the Putter Lightly

Here’s a great tip if you’re constantly hitting your putts too hard. Practice making putting strokes with a light amount of grip pressure. Remember to keep your fingers, hands, and wrists relaxed throughout the entire stroke.

5. Get Fitted for a Putter

Plenty of golfers spend the necessary time and money to get fitted for golf clubs. However, most golfers ignore getting fitted for the correct putter.

This is a critical mistake because you make more strokes with your putter than any other club in your bag. Get with a professional who will set you up with the correct putter for your size and natural stroke. Also Read – A Guide to Career Opportunities in the Golf Industry

6. Position Your Eyes Directly Over the Ball

When putting, make sure that your eyes are placed directly over the golf ball. Make sure you aren’t standing too far away from the ball.

This will give your brain the information it needs to make an accurate stroke at the perfect pace. Getting your eyes into the correct position will help you sink more putts.

7. Don’t Stand Over Your Putts Too Long

While you never want to rush on the green, make sure you don’t stand over your putts too long. Staring down your putt for too long of a time will only make you start to think too much.

Too much thinking is never a good thing on the golf course and usually leads to awful results. Make your read, line up your putt, take a deep breath, then GO! Don’t overthink it!

8. Be Prepared For Different Weather Conditions

Even the slightest drizzle of rain can slow down the greens dramatically. On the other hand, the greens are usually much faster on extremely windy days. Be sure to practice in all types of weather conditions so that you’ll be ready when Mother Nature strikes on the course.

9. Keep Your Head Still

We’re sure you’ve heard to always keep your head down while putting. While this rule is true and must be followed for optimal putting performance, be sure to also keep your head as still as possible throughout your putt.

Putting is such a precise endeavor and it’s almost impossible to putt well if your head is moving. If you struggle with keeping your head still during putting, try focusing like a laser on one single dimple on the golf ball. This simple trick often works like a charm for most golfers. Also Read – 5 Golfing Tips for Beginners to up Your Game From the Start

10. Don’t Get Frustrated With Misses

We hate to break this to you, but you aren’t going to make every putt! Misses are part of the game so don’t get frustrated or upset by it. Anger is rarely a good thing on the golf course and it often leads to worse performance.

If you made a good read and hit the ball with the proper amount of speed, you’re probably going to end up pretty close to the hole. Remember, a tap-in two-putt is never a horrible thing!

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