How To Putt

The putter is used much more often than any other club during a round of golf, but it is the least practiced part of most people's golf game.  By implementing a few putting fundamentals, and with adequate practice, most golfers can learn to like putting, enjoy putting success and improve their overall golf scores. Here are some putting fundamentals that will help every level of golfer.

1. Find a good grip. Although the actual grip (the thing you hold when you pick up a putter) is important, the grip you take with your hands is even more essential to a good putt. Experiment and find a comfortable, secure grip that will allow the putter face to remain square at impact. After finding the grip, ensure that you consistently use it to putt.
2. Ensure an equidistant take away and forward stroke. As with any golf swing, rhythm and a smooth stroke are important. With the putt, rhythm and smoothness are accomplished by having the same length take away (back stroke) and forward stroke. For example, if you take the putter back 10 inches from the ball, ensure that it goes the same length through the ball after impact. Sort of like a pendulum in an alarm clock.
3. Keep your hands out of the stroke. The ony thing the hands should do during the stroke is hold the putter. The large muscle groups of the shoulders and arms should be the main body parts making the putting stroke. Again, this helps create a rhythmic and smooth stroke. Any wrist or hand action during the putting stroke simply invites inconsistency.
4. Keep the head still. During the putting stroke, if the head moves, your putt will go off your intended line. Ben Crenshaw, Brad Faxon and Loren Roberts are professionals that are truly great putters of the golf ball. Their lack of head movement significantly aids in their success.
5. Resist the urge to look up. It's so tempting, but glancing up before or soon after striking a putt will nearly always result in a poor putt.
6. Maintain good posture and balance. Poor balance will result in inconsistent putting. Find a position that will allow you to have good balance, allow your arms to hang freely, and put your eyes directly over the ball. Such a position will let you make a smooth stroke, stay on line, and most easily see the line.
7. Let the stroke arc. If you have good alignment (feet along the target line) and posture, during your stroke the putter will come inside a bit during takeaway, back to square at impact, and back inside after impact. Trying to keep the putter on a straight line is not necessary. Just let the stroke happen.

Practicing and using these putting fundamentals should improve your putting success and consistency. Since putting accounts for so many of your strokes during a given round, your scores should improve significantly.