Guide to perfecting your putt

It’s the shot no one loves. The pressure builds as the fruits of a great drive and perfect approach play hang in the balance. You’ve managed to conquer water hazards, avoid huge bunkers and even land on the slick green. Now you’ve got just 10 yards to go for that ever elusive birdie.

Head down, eyes up, hands steady. You barely lift your arms back and, in a swift motion, nudge the ball towards the seemingly miniscule hole. As it rolls towards the hole, you start to wonder if the ball will even fit in or whether it’ll sit on top like a blob of ice cream on a cone. But it moves closer and closer and... past the hole, gathering pace as it finds a hill that you’re sure wasn’t there before.

Welcome to the world of putting. And we’re here to help.

Getting a grip

Putting is all about control. Power doesn’t really come into the equation – even for long distance putts. So you need to change your grip from the one you use on the fairway. When you drive, you use fingers to hold the club as this gives your wrists freedom to swing. But on the green, you need more control.

When you hold the club, point your wrists down and slide it so the handle sits into your lifeline on your palm (the line that surrounds your thumb). This makes the putter feel like an extension of your arm, allowing for a fluid movement.
   

Take aim

One of the great difficulties of putting is aiming. On your drive and even approach play, the area you’re aiming for is fairly large. With a putt, you’ve got to hone in your aim to a single hole.

Firstly, take a walk of the green to check the lay. Does it drift off to the right or is there a slightly incline? Get low down on the ball to see its best route to the hole. Once you’re familiar with the lay, it’s time to take aim. Don’t think about how the ball is going to travel the whole distance, just focus on the first couple of feet.

When practicing your putts, draw two lines around your ball about a centimetre or so apart and point them in the direction of the hole. This will help you guide the ball in the right direction.

A fluid stroke

Your putting stroke is hugely important as it controls the speed of your putt. A good rule of thumb, when putting, is that the distance you swing back should be the same as your follow through. Once you’ve got this simple motion mastered all you need to change is the speed in which you swing.

Set yourself so the ball is just slightly forward of centre with your forearms in line with one another and parallel to your target line. When you swing, try and keep it smooth whilst also keeping your arms straight and steady. The lower half of your body shouldn’t be moving.

After you’ve struck the ball, you should try and keep the line of the swing as straight as possible. You’ll arc back on the back swing but try and keep the initial post impact swing straight to prevent pulling the putt. 
   

Mental strength

While adjusting your technique is all well and good, many putters miss these vital shots not because of a bad swing but because they’re not focussed – or are too focussed.

The two most important mental aspects are to be calm and to believe that you’re going to make the shot. Ideally, visualising a successful putt will help keep you calm.

To help your confidence, make sure you’ve practiced your putting drills beforehand. The mastering of this shot comes through repetition. Once you’ve got your eye in and know the right speed of swing for certain distances, the rest is just fine tuning.