Golfers have been
tricked to believe touch and feel in their putting stroke and on the
putting greens is something hard to achieve. In golf, we are told
that putting distance control is something that is supposed to be
difficult. Realistically, putting is no different from throwing a ball
or opening the door in the morning. Learning how to putt a golf ball
better with proper technique shouldn’t be a mystery any longer.
Learn How To Putt Better For a Lifetime
You use this skill everyday and there is no reason why distance
control on the putting green should be difficult or any different. You
already posses the ability required to be a great putter.
The closer you get to the hole, the more important putting speed
control becomes. The counterpart to distance control is direction, which
is more important the farther away you are from the golf hole. Scoring
well in golf requires a rock solid performance within 100 yards and how
well you putt on the greens. This makes distance control one of the most
important aspects in golf as it relates to scoring. As a keynote, the
less loft you have on a golf club, the more side spin you can impart on
the golf ball. This is why direction control is more important off the
tee just as distance control is the closer you get to the green.
Typically within 100 yards you have a sand wedge in your hand, which has
a lot of loft, making it hard to put much side spin on the golf ball.
This causes the ball to naturally fly straighter putting more emphasis
on distance control.
Thankfully, on the putting green side spin isn’t an issue. The ball
turns because of the contours of the putting green and speed. Even if we
put side spin on the ball, it is quickly removed from the friction
between the green and the ball.
Putting comes down to controlling distance and starting the ball on a specific intended line.
Learn how to roll the ball a specific speed to make the hole the biggest and make more putts.
Changes In Putting Green Speed
No two golf courses are alike, the speed at which the ball will roll
is dependent upon the green speed which is out of our control.
To measure the green speed, most golf courses use a stimpmeter to
specify how fast or slow they are by assigning a number to them.(the
higher the number, the faster the green) To make matters more
complicated, there are several types of different grasses with different
grains, all affecting the speed and how the ball will roll. The same
green can even experience a degree of change throughout the day because
of the grass growing. Add spike marks, imperfections, uphill, downhill
putts, and wind to putting and you can see why putting speed control
becomes difficult. Perfect your attitude, control what you can, and you know how to improve your putting.
Learn The Speed Through Your Putting Stroke
Unlike hitting a wedge shot to a specific distance, your feel for a
specific distance on the putting green will be different day-to-day.
Before playing a round a golf, make a few putting strokes from several
different distances to get acclimated to the speed of the greens. Be
sure to putt a combination of uphill and downhill lag putts and short
putts. Also, do not forget to take in wind speed and direction. Just
because your golf ball is on the ground doesn’t mean wind will not
affect how the ball rolls.
Putting Tips For Distance Control – Proper Stroke Techniques
Solid Contact
If you want to know how to putt better, the first step is making sure
your hitting your putts solid. A putting stroke that yields an end over
end role, caused when clubface matches path, struck in the sweet spot
of the putter face consistently. A putt hit with the same force off the
toe will not travel the same distance if struck in the center.(same for
anywhere else on the club) You can test to see where you impact the golf
ball with a small strip of impact tape placed on your putter.
Lock your lower body
Any extra movements (laterally) in the body will
cause the ball to travel inconsistent distances. Develop a putting
stroke with the fewest moving parts. Using just your shoulders and arms
to create the power. As a drill toe in both your feet at address to feel
this sensation or a stable lower body. You can also imagine your shoes
being stuck in cement.
Feedback is Key
Your hands are an incredible source for both touch
and feel. The stronger you grip the club the less feel you will have.
Grip the club as light as you possibly can without it falling out of
your hands. The best way I can describe it would be having a light
pressure in the hands and fingers. The club is very secure because of a
stable and tight grip while the pressure is light.
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