Golf Instruction
Putting
Golf Instruction — Putting
Here's a list of what you can find in this section.
Check back often for some great ideas on improving your game. We are researching practice tips full swings, touch shots, and putting.
- 3 Putting Tips for the Weekend Golfer NEW!
- 50 Putts in a Row NEW!
- Eyes Over Ball
- The Virtual Hole
- Don't be a Jerk
- Tap Tap!
- No Peeking
- Speed Kills
- Sir Isaac Newton
- The Quarter Drill NEW!
- Tap Ins
Check back often for some great ideas on improving your game. We are researching practice tips full swings, touch shots, and putting. If you know of a great practice tip, send us an e-mail and we will check into adding it to the list.
Tap-Ins
I don't know if you are like me but I don't think too much about tap-ins, putts that are about one foot or less in length. I just step up to the ball, align my putter for a square stroke, and make my stroke. In the hole!
But, have you ever thought about how far the ball would roll if the hole wasn't there? You might be surprised to see the ball actually roll about four or five feet with that "tap-in" stroke. Check it out for yourself, you can even do this inside if you live in a place where it isn't golfing season.
Make yourself a "virtual hole" from a piece of fabric and test your stroke. Try to immitate an actually playing situation. Have the ball about a foot from the hole, line it up, and take your stroke. How far did the ball roll? Three feet, four feet, or maybe five feet.
You might just have found a stroke for making putts that are within this distance. Practice making putts for about five feet using your tap-in stoke and you will see a jump in your confidence and you will begin to lower your score.
Sir Isaac Newton
There is a popular story that Newton was sitting under an apple tree, an apple fell on his head, and he suddenly thought of the Universal Law of Gravitation. If he played golf he would certainly have used gravity to its best with this key thought.
Better players will always aim a bit to the high side of the hole instead of the low side when lining up a breaking putt. When a putt is breaking near the hole gravity can work to help the ball fall into the hole if it is above the hole. If the ball is below the hole it won't "fall" up, or against the pull of gravity.