| When you find yourself missing too many short putts | | | | putts: |
| you may drive yourself crazy looking for a solution | | | | Making the Short Putts Fall |
| that works for more that a round or two. I've seen | | | | Hands ahead - The hands should be positioned slightly |
| guys adjust different aspects of their stance, ball | | | | ahead of the ball. This prevents the hands from |
| position, putter grips and in extreme cases have | | | | releasing too much and helps to keep the putter |
| switched putters all in an effort to make more of | | | | head moving properly through contact with the ball. |
| those putts from five feet or less. It sure is hard to | | | | Begin with shoulders - Start your stroke by pushing |
| be confident and consistent when you have so much | | | | the front shoulder down and away from the hole. |
| change going on. | | | | This is similar to the full swing takeaway. |
| There is a better way. You can fix your short putting | | | | Wrists remain steady - The wrist should not break at |
| issues by focusing on the basics of your putting | | | | all. Keep them in their address position relative to the |
| stroke. A key element of a sound putting stroke is | | | | arms and the putter as the shoulders move them in |
| that the putter head is accelerating through the ball | | | | the backstroke and forward stroke. |
| toward the hole. | | | | Short backstroke - If you are decelerating then you |
| In my observation of fellow golfers I've noticed | | | | are most likely taking the putter too far back and |
| some very unusual putting techniques. Some do what | | | | your brain recognizes that you are likely to putt the |
| I call "The Tap" where the putter faces strikes the | | | | ball too far so it slows the speed of the forward |
| ball and then recoils backwards. This approach | | | | stroke. A shorter backswing promotes the proper |
| requires great eye-hand coordination. Others move | | | | speed in the forward stroke and will enhance |
| the putter up away from the surface of the green | | | | accuracy. |
| as they make contact. This adds top spin but | | | | Follow through - The putter should moves past |
| sacrifices distance and accuracy | | | | impact toward the hole the same distance it moved |
| A more common fault is to decelerate on short | | | | in the backswing. Think about how long your stroke |
| putts. When you are suffering from this fault, | | | | should be as you take your practice stroke(s) and hit |
| somewhere in your thinking, whether consciously or | | | | those marks in both the backswing and forward |
| unconsciously, you become concerned with striking | | | | swing. |
| the ball too hard and you "correct" your stroke by | | | | Keep these tips in mind when you are struggling with |
| slowing down as you move the putter head forward. | | | | short putts. There is a better chance you will get |
| If this becomes a habit your short putting game will | | | | things straightened out this way than if you start |
| disappoint you for sure. | | | | making radical changes like some others have done. |
| Key these five tips in mind when preparing for short | | | | |