| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | relaxes you and helps build confidence in your |
| No one's shocked anymore when Tiger Woods | | | | putting. |
| drills a 20-foot putt to win a championship. He's | | | | Worry about Outcomes |
| one of the best clutch putters in the game. But | | | | Weekend players worry too much about the |
| did you know that when he practices putting | | | | outcome of a short putt. What if I miss the putt? |
| Tiger spends more time working on short putts | | | | This places a lot of pressure on the golfer. Since |
| than long putts. That's right. One media sources | | | | the pressure of outcomes is tied directly to the |
| estimates he spends about 65 percent of the | | | | hole, try eliminating it when you practice to relieve |
| time he spends practicing putting working on short | | | | the pressure. Next time you're on the practice |
| putts. | | | | green, work on drills that improve your putting |
| Most putts are from 5 to 15 feet. These short | | | | accuracy without using the hole. For example, |
| putts probably make up about 25-30 percent of | | | | place a scorecard over the hole and try to roll the |
| your total score. You don't need a golf lesson to | | | | ball over the card, so that the ball ends about two |
| figure out that if you sink more of these short | | | | feet past the hole. These drills will improve your |
| putts, you'd lower your golf handicap by at least a | | | | accuracy without the added pressure of sinking |
| couple of strokes. Unfortunately, weekend golfers | | | | the putt. |
| tend to commit too many mistakes when facing | | | | Choking the Putter |
| short putts. Here are some common mistakes | | | | A common mistake I see in my golf instruction |
| golfers make when putting and some drills on how | | | | sessions on putting is players gripping their putters |
| to eliminate them. | | | | too tightly. Some players grip their putters so |
| Confidence is the Key | | | | tight, their hands almost turn white. A soft and |
| Many golfers flinch when they putt. Or, they rush | | | | constant grip pressure is vital to maintaining a |
| the putt so much their stroke becomes choppy | | | | smooth, free-flowing stroke and creating better |
| and uneven. You can become a great putter if | | | | "feel" when putting. For players who think they |
| your putting stroke is smooth and free flowing. | | | | may be choking the putter, try holding an |
| Creating good rhythm in your putting stroke is | | | | uncooked egg between your right index finger (or |
| the best way of eliminating flinching and rushing. | | | | left index finger, if your left-handed) and the shaft |
| No matter what style of putting you use, if you | | | | of your putter. Now drop a few balls and stroke |
| flinch or rush you'll probably miss lot of putts. | | | | some putts. If your grip is too tight, you'll soon |
| Unfortunately, most golfers concentrate more on | | | | know. |
| sinking putts than working on developing a | | | | Too Handsy |
| smooth stroke. | | | | Another common mistake I see in golf instruction |
| Next time you're on the practice green, make | | | | sessions on putting is players using too much of |
| some smooth pendulum strokes with your eyes | | | | their hands in their putting stroke. Being too |
| closed. As you make your stroke, count out a | | | | handsy eliminates the true feel of a smooth, |
| simple cadence "one-two." "one-two." Once you | | | | free-swinging pendulum and cause jerky |
| feel a good flow, have a friend place a ball at his | | | | inconsistent putts. One remedy is to use a belly |
| discretion in the path of your putter head. No | | | | putter. Simply anchor the putter to a comfortable |
| knowing when the ball is coming helps eliminate | | | | point on your midsection and swing away. Add a |
| the flinching or rushing that can cause you to miss | | | | "one-two" count to the stroke to improve |
| those short putts. | | | | rhythm. This approach reduces the amount of |
| No Putting Ritual | | | | movement in the smaller muscles in your hand |
| Another common mistake in putting is a lack of | | | | and keeps the blade on plane. |
| putting ritual. If watch Tiger Woods, Fred Funk, or | | | | Eliminating these common mistakes from your |
| Sergio Garcia putt, you'll notice that they all have | | | | putting will not only build rhythm in your putting |
| a putting ritual. Their rituals are all different. One | | | | stroke, they'll also help increase your confidence in |
| player walks all around the putt before stepping | | | | your putting. That's big. Ask any professional |
| up to hit it. Another takes his practice strokes | | | | golfer what the key to great putting is and he or |
| behind the ball. But the one thing that's not | | | | she will probably tell you it's confidence. Great |
| different is that they use the same ritual every | | | | putters are shocked when they miss a short putt. |
| time they make a putt, regardless of the length | | | | That's how confident they are. To improve your |
| or difficulty. Develop your own putting ritual. Base | | | | golf handicap, you need to work on things that |
| it on sound putting techniques and what makes | | | | build confidence and increase accuracy your short |
| you feel comfortable. And use it every time you | | | | putting. |
| have a putt. You'll find that a ritual not only | | | | |