Putting is often overlooked by weekend golfers… but always respected by low handicappers.

Why?

Because the the best golfers know what the hacks don’t.

Putting is one of the most important parts of golf.

If you’re serious about shooting lower scores, put down your driver and learn how to putt like the pros.

A 300-yard drive counts for the same amount of strokes as a 3-foot putt.

So take a break from learning how to increase your distance and get serious about improving your putting.

These putting drills will give you confidence with your putter and turn you into golfer you want to be. Stop wondering how to make more birdies while smashing drives on the range…

Start practicing your putting.

Read on to discover the best putting drills that will have you pouring in more birdies.

(For golfers that are looking for ways to practice at home or in the office, here’s one of our favorite products to use):

1. The Clock Putting Drill

If you want to shoot lower scores you have to be able to make the short ones, this putting drill will help.  There’s nothing more frustrating than having a 3-foot par putt and walking away with bogey.  It happens to everyone, but the more you practice and learn how to putt consistently, the more you’ll see the ball fall into the hole.

The clock drill is one of the best ways to improve your consistency on 3-8 foot putts.  It’s been claimed that Phil Mickelson completes this drill (along with similar chipping drills) at least once during every one of his practice session.   You’re guaranteed to have these putts throughout your round and seeing them drop can make all the difference.

How to do the Clock Putting Drill

 Take 12 balls to the putting green and place them around the cup in 2-3 foot intervals.  Start with the 4 closest to the hole and work your way outward.  Every time you miss, restart the drill.

This will not only work on your rhythm and confidence, but also give you practice putting in pressure situations.  By the time you get to the 11th and 12th ball it will feel like your on the 18th trying to make a 9-foot putt to win the club championship.

2. The 1-2-3 Putting Drill

Rhythm.  Possibly the most important aspect of being a great putter.  The 1-2-3 putting drill will help you develop a steady, consistent, putting stroke.

How to do the 1-2-3 Putting Drill

Place three balls in a row along the same line at equal distances.  I suggest 3, 6, and 9 feet to start.  Roll putts starting from the ball closest to the hole and moving outward.  This is a great drill to find rhythm before heading out on the course, or when you’re finishing up your practice for the day.

80% of your putts are going to be within 3-10 feet of the cup.  Having the confidence to make these will have you making more birdies and shooting lower scores.

3. The Meter Stick Drill

A great drill to make sure you are getting the putter-face square at impact and putting a good roll on the ball.

How to do the Meter Stick Putting Drill

Get a metal meter stick and place it six feet away from the hole (or any target) on the line where the ball should start off the putter face.  Set the ball on the end and hit your putt.  If the ball stays on the meter stick the whole way, it means your putter face was square at impact and you put a good roll on the ball.  This is also a great putting drill that you can do at home.

4. The Manilla Folder Putting Drill

This is one of the best putting drills to work on controlling the speed of your putts.  Putting speed drills are crucial for lag putting and avoiding the dreaded 3-putt.

How to do the Manilla Folder Putting Drill

Set a manilla folder on the practice green 6-10 feet away from you on a level surface.  Roll putts and try to have them stop on the folder.  The fast surface of the folder is difficult to hold, making you have to focus on the speed of your putt.  This drill really comes in handy on the slippery short ones.

5. Tiger’s Gate Putting Drill

Made famous by Tiger Woods, this drill is guaranteed to help you develop confidence on your short putts.

How to do Tiger’s Gate Putting Drill

3-4 feet away from the hole place two tees just wider than the head of your putter, creating a gate for your putter to swing through.

Alternate hitting 12 putts with your right hand only (right handed golfers), then 6 putts with both hands.  Set a number of putts that you need to make in a row before ending the drill.

For Tiger it was 50 or 100 depending on the day.  The key for this drill is to make sure that your putter head is going straight back and straight through to the hole.  Seeing the short putts drop over-and-over will build your confidence and not let you give away any strokes on the course.

6. Pull Back Putting Drill

The Pull Back Putting Drill is well known and for good reason.  It’ll take the stress out of your knee-knockers and have you staring at the bottom of the cup.  Everybody knows the feeling of missing a 6-foot birdie putt… this drill can make sure you never feel it again.  Play this 9-hole pull back putting drill with some friends and you’ll be consistently rolling in 6-8 footers in no time.

How to do the 9-Hole Pull Back Putting Drill

1.  Start with one ball 10 feet away from the hole.  Roll your best putt.

2. Wherever the ball ends up (if you make it move to number 4), pull it one putter length further away from the hole and putt again.

3. Repeating this process until you make the putt.  Keeping your score as you go (1 putt = birdie, 2 putts = par, 3 putts = bogey) and so on.

4. Next move back to 20 feet and repeat the process.

5. Do this drill from 10, 20, and 30 feet three times in a row.  Playing a 9-hole round, trying to improve your rounds week to week.

7. 100 Straight Putts Drill

“Repetition is the father of learning.”

This 100 straight putts drill will teach you how to make short putts consistently and take any lingering stress out of those 2 foot “tap-ins”.  Whether you want to admit it or not, when the pressure is on, those 2 footers can start to look a little longer than they do on the practice green.

How to do the 100 Straight Putts Drill

Find a flat spot on the practice green and stick a tee 2-3 away from the cup.  Line up that short straight putt and knock it in.  Then do it 99 more times.  During this drill make sure you’re focusing on form and alignment.  Not only is this a great drill to work on technique, but seeing the 100 putts drop in a row will give you the confidence to make more putts during your round.

Pro tip: Do this drill with a putting alignment mirror to guarantee you never miss a short one again.

8. Jordan Spieth Putting Drills

Image from Golf Digest

If you’ve watched Jordan Spieth putt you’ve probably wanted to know what he’s doing on the practice greens.  The guy gets in zones where 15 feet almost seems automatic.

To learn about 2 of Jordan’s favorite putting drills check out this segment from Jordan’s interview with Golf Digest about his favorite putting games.

Also if you’re interested in learning how you can get in the zone while you putt checkout NLP anchoring techniques that can be done with products like BoomBoom.

Use these putting drills and shoot lower scores…

There’s nothing stopping you from improving your golf game.  Head to the green with these putting drills and wear them out!  Commit at least 1 hour per week to working on these drills you’ll be shooting lower scores in no time.

Get the confidence to KNOW you are going to make that five footer.  There’s no reason why you can’t be a great putter and improve your game drastically.

You control whether or not you improve your putting.  Put the time in and reap the rewards.

No excuses!

Pro tip: For at least 10% of your practice, putt with just one ball and treat it like you would on the course.  Mark the ball, read the putt, and go through your routine before rolling it.  It will help you find the rhythm that you will use when you’re actually on the course.

August Noble

August Noble was first introduced to golf at 7 years old. In 2013 he started seriously working on his game and was able to reduce his handicap from 19 to 3.4 in less than two years. He’s been helping other golfers do the same ever since.

Source link

Have you ever heard of the immensely popular golf phrase, “You drive for show, but you putt for dough”? That’s because over 40% of your strokes during a round are with the putter! Sadly, lots of golfers never seem to get around to practicing their putting and this costs them dearly on their scorecards.

When I first started playing golf, my PGA teaching professional told me that phrase quite often. He did this to remind me to spend just as much time on the putting practice green as I did on the driving range, if not more. Once I started heeding his advice, my overall golf game improved rapidly.

Is your putting stance keeping you from shooting your lowest score ever? Here are some quick tips to help you improve your putting stance. These are some simple things to remember when you are practicing at the putting green.

1. Find the Proper Stance Width

Two keys to hitting great putts are having balance and stability. In order to maximize balance and stability, spread your feet out slightly wider than your shoulders during your set-up. The best way to do this is to stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart, then move each foot one to two inches away from each other.

Why do we want a wide stance when putting? Not only will you stay more balanced throughout your putt, but a wide stance will help limit your head movement. Any type of head movement before or during your putt will decrease your accuracy.

How wide of a stance is too wide? Well, you never want to feel uncomfortable while putting. If your stance is putting unnecessary stress on your back, hips, or knees, consider standing a little bit more narrow. The ideal putting stance is wide enough to maintain balance but narrow enough to keep you comfortable.

2. Practice the Perfect Ball Position

To sink more birdie putts, you have to make sure you position the ball properly in your stance. The perfect position for the golf ball is right in the center of your stance. This will put you in the ideal position for sinking more birdies and eagles.

It may help to picture an imaginary line right in the middle of your stance. That’s exactly where you want the ball. Keeping the ball right in the middle of your stance will ensure that the golf ball is aligned right between your eyes. The most talented putters in the game keep their eyes directly over the ball.

When you line up with the ball in the center, you ensure that you’ll make contact with the ball at the bottom of your swing arc. This will get the ball started with the necessary amount of speed. Speed is the most important factor to having more success on the putting green. 

If you play the ball too far towards your back foot, you’ll often hit the ball with too much force and it’ll run by the hole. If you play the ball too much toward your front foot, you’ll catch the ball at the end of your putting stroke and it likely won’t have enough speed to get to the hole. Obviously, neither one of these results are what we’re looking for on the putting green.

3. Aim for a 50/50 Weight Distribution

When working on your putting posture, aim to keep your weight equally distributed. This means you want the same amount of weight on each leg. This will lead to better balance, increased stability, and less head movement. 

If you put too much weight on either leg, it will change your swing path and decrease your consistency. If you have too much weight on your right foot, the bottom of your swing arc moves too far back. If too much weight is on the left foot, the opposite is true.

Remember, we never want the swing arc to change. Try your best to maintain that perfect 50/50 balance throughout your entire stroke. Your scorecard will thank you for doing so! 

4. Don’t Forget to Practice Your Putting Grip

We’ve discussed in great detail how important your grip is when making normal golf swings. Having the proper grip is also crucial to reaching your full potential with the flat stick! Here’s a quick drill you can perform to make sure your grip is correct.

• Let your arms hang naturally out in front of your body
• Hold the putter shaft with both of your palms facing each other
• Practice hitting a few putts while making sure that the back of both your right hand and left hand are following through with a straight line toward your target 

Also, make sure your grip pressure is correct. Just as with your normal golf swing, you never want to grip the shaft too tight. If you can see white on either of your thumbnails, your grip is too tight. Loosen up and don’t choke your putter.

5. Check Your Alignment

Having the proper alignment is critical to putting success. If your alignment is off by the slightest of margins, you’ll find yourself pulling or pushing putts just outside the hole. Work on keeping the shoulders square towards your intended line.

The best way to make sure your shoulders stay square at impact is to putt cross-handed. Lots of players on the PGA Tour employ this method when they’re in the midst of a putting slump. If you’re right-handed, simply practice some putts with your left hand lower than your right hand on the shaft. (If you’re a leftie, it’s obviously the other way around)

It may feel a bit weird at first so it’ll take some time to get used to the feel of it. Once you feel more confident in your alignment, you can always go back to your normal putting stroke with your left hand on top. 

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

Source link

The 2023 Masters and 2023 Open Championship grew by a spot on Sunday as Harrison Crowe (-13) of Australia won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship by one stroke over Bo Jin (-12). That sounds like a straightforward outing for the 21-year-old, who was set to turn pro after this tournament until those Masters and Open bids waylaid his plans, but it was anything but simple.

Crowe needed a 33 on the back nine — including four birdies in five holes at one point — to surge past Jin, who led by three at the turn, and claim the trophy. Even that doesn’t fully describe the drama.

Jin, still leading by one Sunday as he teed it up at the 17th hole at Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand — a true island hole where players have to take a boat to the green — hit his shot in the water on the par 3 and disappointingly finished double bogey-par to slip from 14 under to 12 under. Crowe, on the other hand, closed par-par on the last two holes to stay at 13 under and win by a stroke.

Crowe’s par at the last was an up and down that itself nearly went in the water and could have cost him invites into perhaps the two biggest golf tournaments of 2023. He hung on with a nervy putt at the last that touched off a massive comeback over Jin.

On Saturday after Round 3, Crowe did a bit of foreshadowing when the No. 43 amateur in the world openly discussed how he was going to turn pro but wouldn’t do it if his final round went like the first three. (He opened 69-67-67.)

“I would turn pro almost as soon as I get back home,” said Crowe after taking a two-shot lead entering Sunday’s final round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. “… I would love to delay that decision.”

While round No. 4 wasn’t quite as stellar, his even-par 72 was enough to make a dream come true. Now, he will as he’ll have to wait six months for the Masters and nine months for the Open.

“It means so much. I played a lot of really good golf early in the season, but towards the middle of the year when I traveled overseas, I didn’t play very good golf at all. So, I came out here this week with something to prove, and I’m just really proud of myself the way I handled myself on and off the course,” said Crowe.

The Australian joins an impressive list of former winners of this tournament.

• 2021: Keita Nakajima
• 2020: N/A
• 2019: Yuxin Lin
• 2018: Takumi Kanaya
• 2017: Yuxin Lin
• 2016: Curtis Luck
• 2015: Cheng Jin
• 2014: Antonio Murdaca
• 2013: Chang-woo Lee
• 2012: Tianlang Guan
• 2011: Hideki Matsuyama
• 2010: Hideki Matsuyama
• 2009: Chang-won Han

Source link

Amateurs I speak to spend insane amounts of time worrying about the tiniest equipment specifications. Mostly, their aim is to maximize distance. However, these same players struggle around the green and neglect their short game. That is why I have compiled 7 tips to help your putting stroke.

I will explain how your golf ball, grip, and hosel influence the accuracy and distance control of putts. But, more importantly, I have compiled tips to help you improve your putting stroke. If you can dial your performance with the flat stick, you will start to consistently shave strokes off your handicap.

You should also learn about the 8 best putting drills to card more birdies. These exercises will increase your consistency on the dancefloor for fewer 3-putts and more birdies.

What is a Putting Stroke?

In simple terms, a putting stroke is your swing with a flat stick. It refers to when you take your putter head back and through to connect the golf ball.

There are 3 predominant putting strokes, including the straight, straight-arc, and arc. The straight stroke occurs when players take the putter head away on a straight line and follow the same path through to the ball.

The second putting stroke is often displayed by PGA Tour professionals. This is a straight-arc stroke. As the same suggests, players induce a combination of straight back and arc motions for a square face at impact.

Finally, an arc stroke occurs when golfers produce increased face twisting between takeaway and impact.

It is vital to understand what putting stroke you have to identify the correct putter specs. Otherwise, you will experience inaccuracy and erratic distance control on the green.

Does The Ball You Use Matter for Putting?

The ball you use does not matter for the average golfer. I say that because you probably do not strike it consistently in the center of the clubface for it to impact your result. However, GolfWorks shows how the position of your ball at set-up can influence the direction that it rolls off the putter face:

GolfWorks explains that when the weight of the ball is positioned to the left or right, it veers off in that direction. When weight is positioned upwards, it produces a purer roll to remain on its target line.

Now, if you strike the ball off-center, it will miss on the left or right-hand side of the cup. Even the weight of the ball is facing up. That is where the majority of us average golfers sit.

7 Tips to Improve Your Putting Stroke

1. Hosel Selection

The first step to optimizing your putting stroke is to select a putter with the correct hosel for your stroke. Once you know what stroke you have, you can identify the ideal hosel to increase stability and limit face rotation.

Golfers with a straight back and through putting technique tend to excel with a double bend hosel. This shaft construction helps balance the club face, keeping it square through impact. Another option for straight strokes is a center shaft, which is also face-balanced.

Conversely, players with an arc putter path are better equipped for a short hosel. It also works for those who work their wrists excessively during the stroke. These hostels create toe hang in the face, which mitigates face rotation to square it up through impact.

Furthermore, a plumber’s neck is built for those with a slight arc and straight swing path. These putters feature some toe-hang to get your face square for a straighter shot.

2. Shaft Length

The next step is to consider the length of your putter shaft. Employ a posture where you are completely in control of your stroke. Some players find that bending over and getting their eyes directly over the ball is the best way to ensure the correct alignment. A standard 34 or 33-inch shaft may do the trick in this instance.

However, taller golfers who prefer to stand more upright at address may opt for a 35-inch shaft. The length of your shaft impacts the angle that your face strikes the ball through impact. If it is too long for your setup you may struggle to square up the putter face in time for contact.

On the other hand, a short shaft might lead to a closed face at impact, resulting in putts missing to the left of the cup.

3. Putter Grip Setup

Try a few different putting grips to find the one that produces the best control and feel. One option is the claw grip. Tommy Fleetwood is an excellent claw putting stroke teacher. He provides a simple explanation of the technique in the below video, but I will touch on the basics:

Effectively, your grip locks between your thumb and index finger on your strongest hand. That means right hand for right-handers and left for left hand golfers. This boosts the stability of the club and limits face rotation.

Another option that I use on the practice green is left-hand low and right-hand above. As a right-hander, it reduces my ability to move the wrists. Therefore, it keeps the face straight through the stroke.

My actual setup is the conventional grip. I keep the hands connected to encourage the palms to work together. It feels more comfortable for me and provides optimal feedback. Unfortunately, it can cause my wrists to rotate during the stroke.

4. Strike The Ball On The Up

For optimal distance control and accuracy, your ball must roll purely. This can only be achieved if you connect the ball cleanly. I see many amateurs stab at the ball instead of stroking it. This leads to them striking the ball on a downward trajectory limiting the topspin the low lofted club produces.

Therefore, you should work on striking the ball a moment after the low point of your stroke. PGA coach Todd Kolb recommends an effective drill that requires no fancy training aid. Place a Sharpie 6 to 8-inches behind your ball and stroke away. If you strike the sharpie on your follow-through, it highlights that you are bringing it down too early in the stroke:

5. Gate Drill

To become a great putter, you need to master accuracy. This starts by understanding alignment and reading the slope of the green. Once you know how to read your line, the next step is to keep your ball on the target line for the entire putt.

For optimal accuracy, your clubface needs to remain square through impact. You can work on this by placing your ball between 2 tees and a further 2 3-inches ahead of that. This setup prompts your ball to start on the desired line and roll to the cup.

Alternatively, you can find a friendly device online or at your local golf retail store. One option is the PuttOut Putting Trainer.

6. Follow The Line

This is an easy exercise that you can work on to boost your stroke path consistency. In addition, it improves your rhythm and tempo. Use a ruler or another golf club and practice taking your putter back and forward along the line. You can even use the grout in your tiles as a guideline.

If you prefer the presence of a proper alignment aid, think about the Kingtop Putting Alignment Mirror.

7. Distance Control Practice

Amateurs tend to struggle with distance control, especially on startling longer putts. This tip is simple. When you practice your skills with the flat stick, pick a spot on the other side of the green. Putt 10 to 20 balls to the point, and see how many you get within a 2-foot radius.

Then work it back by picking a spot in the middle of the green, and finally, one within 10-feet of you. This drill helps you understand how hard to strike the ball for each distance.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

Source link

You know your way around the golf course and have improved your golf swing mechanics. Now your mission is to shave strokes off your handicap. This is achieved by carding fewer bogeys and making more birdies.

In this guide, I relay the information shared by 8 experts on how to make more birdies. You don’t need to follow each tip religiously. The idea is to extract the information that makes the most sense to your game and run with it. A large part of increasing your birdie count is improving your putting and chipping.

I will touch on some of these tips below. However, if you prefer to jump straight into a detailed rundown, read our guide of the 8 best putting drills to make more birdies.

Tip 1 – Routine Is Vital (Jordan Spieth)

If you are to card more birdies, you need consistency in your game. One erratic shot can ruin your ability to make one under par on a hole. The best way to produce a consistent swing is to develop a pre-shot routine.

Jordan Spieth says this is vital to start your swing on the correct path and execute your shots as intended.

A pre-shot routine helps you in two predominant forms. Firstly, it ensures that you are comfortable at address. Secondly, it enables you to double-check that your clubhead is set up to strike the ball at the intended point of the swing.

For example, a driver needs to strike the ball on the up for a tee shot. Conversely, an iron should connect the ball at the low point of your swing to optimize compression. Following this procedure gets you into a rhythm and helps you focus and achieve consistent results.

Tip 2 – Position Is Key (Matt Callcott-Stevens)

This is the best piece of advice I can give amateur golfers. The position is everything. You may scramble your heart out and get lucky with a birdie on a par 5 on the odd occasion. However, a wayward drive puts many of us out of birdie contention.

My fairway in regulation record directly correlates to my birdies per round. The fewer fairways I hit, the fewer greens in regulation I achieve, which reduces my chances of making a birdie. Conversely, the more fairways I hit, the better my green in regulation record is on my second shot on par 4s.

Let me use the example of a left-hand dogleg. You need to drive the ball to the right side of the fairway to open up the green for your next shot. Even if you are short, it is better to be on this side than long and left.

As a result, I enjoy a higher ratio of birdie putts, and it is only a matter of time before one or two find their way to the bottom of the cup.

Play for position, and keep away from the hazards. The golfing gods reward this astute strategy. However, your putting stroke needs to fire to capitalize on your positional play. The lack of yardage from this strategy requires

Tip 3 – Aim For The Middle Of The Green On Long Shots (Anne Cain)

I follow golf coach Anne Cain’s advice and aim for the green and not the flag. The diameter of the cup is 4.25-inches, while the average putting surface on the PGA Tour is 6,600-square feet. Naturally, aiming for the middle of the green leaves golfers more room for error than going for the pin.

In addition, attacking the flag requires pinpoint accuracy, and a mishit could land you in the bunker or the drink. At least when your approach shot ends on the green, you give yourself a look at birdie. However, if your putting stroke is garbage, you always run the risk of a 3-putt bogey.

Therefore, it is imperative to optimize your practice sessions and dedicate the time to your short game. In particular, hone your skills with the putter and watch those strokes drop off your handicap.

Now, when you play short par 3s, which are 120 to 130-yards, you may as well have a crack at an ace. As long as there is minimal danger surrounding the dancefloor.

Tip 4 – Attack The Flag On Short Shots (Clay Ballard)

Golf coach Clay Ballard agrees with Anne Cain that you should aim for the middle of the green on longer par 3s. However, Ballard believes that safety is not always the best approach. He feels many amateurs leave birdies on the table by not capitalizing on shorter holes:

Ballard suggests that all golfers attack the pin on shorter par 3s to give themselves a look at birdie. The chances are that a mishit will still leave you in the proximity of the cup to attempt your putt for birdie.

The same structure applies for par 5s and 4s, where you can swing one of your wedges. A short approach into the green gives you the right to have a crack at glory. You did well to put yourself into a promising position, and now you deserve to go for the flagstick.

On the contrary, the average golfer should not attack the flag when swinging anything longer than a mid-iron. Under those circumstances, you are too far out to have a realistic shot of sticking it close. Your best option is to employ tip 3 and aim for the center of the green.

Tip 5 – Dial-In Your Short Game (Patrick Reed)

Paddy has not done himself any favors with his outlandish rule interpretations over the years, but you cannot ignore his talents. Reed says that the best way to make more birdies is to master your short game.

You will enjoy a lower average score if you can control the distance of your wedge shots and confidently stroke every putt.

A killer wedge game helps you stick your wedge shots close to the pin, leaving you with a makeable birdie putt. That is especially relevant to your approach shot on par 5s. In addition, a solid putting stroke increases your one-putt percentage, helping your card more birdies.

Tip 6 – Fewer Distractions (Tiger Woods)

At the height of the COVID pandemic, Tiger remarked that players were making more birdies because of fewer distractions. The distractions he referred to was the pressure brought on by cheering fans.

Woods felt that golfers could get into and stay in the zone throughout the round. Although cheering fans offer an adrenaline rush like no other, it can break a player’s focus.

We average golfers don’t need to worry about cheering fans. However, we have other distractions. One issue is that some amateurs struggle to detach from their mobile devices during a round. Instead of focusing on the task at hand, many are distracted by messaging apps and social media platforms.

If you lack self-restraint, turn off the device and bury it deep in your bag. Limit any exterior distractions to maintain your focus.

Tip 7 – Study The Green (Jordan Spieth)

You need to know how to putt if you are to make more birdies. Besides your ability to stroke a putter, you need to possess the knowledge of turf. You cannot rely on your chipping in or holing out from the fairway.

Jordan urges golfers not to overthink their putting stroke and instead focus their attention on the speed and break of the putt. Focus on the point that the green breaks and takes the ball towards the cup. Ensure that alignment aid on your putter points at your chosen target.

When you are putting with the Bermuda grass grain, it produces less break and a faster roll. Conversely, putting against the grain slows the ball down and increases the break. Bentgrass greens grow upright and tend to impact the break of your ball.

It takes time and a lot of practice to master the read of a green. However, this enables you to confidently stroke your putts and increases your ability to make more birdies.

Tip 8 – Learn To Shape Your Shots (Hunter Mahan)

Hunter Mahan is a 6 time PGA Tour winner and knows a thing or two about making birdies. His tip is to learn to shape your shots. This gives you the upper hand in two scenarios:

Firstly, it allows you to work the ball towards the hole and eliminate the risk of water hazards and sand traps. This also enables you to induce side spin that propels the ball in the intended direction upon landing.

The second advantage is that it gives you options to reach the green and position yourself to make a birdie. If your drive ends behind a tree, you can draw or fade it around the greenery and still give yourself a chance. Without the ability to work your ball, your options would be limited.

I recommend reading our guide on 7 types of golf shots to play. This knowledge will help you escape trouble and improve your control.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

Source link