| No one's shocked anymore when Tiger Woods | | | | your putting. |
| drills a 20-foot putt to win a championship. | | | | |
| He's one of the best clutch putters in the | | | | Worry about Outcomes |
| game. But did you know that when he practices | | | | |
| putting Tiger spends more time working on | | | | Weekend players worry too much about the |
| short putts than long putts. That's right. | | | | outcome of a short putt. What if I miss the |
| One media sources estimates he spends about | | | | putt? This places a lot of pressure on the |
| 65 percent of the time he spends practicing | | | | golfer. Since the pressure of outcomes is |
| putting working on short putts. | | | | tied directly to the hole, try eliminating it |
| | | | when you practice to relieve the pressure. |
| Most putts are from 5 to 15 feet. These short | | | | Next time you're on the practice green, work |
| putts probably make up about 25-30 percent of | | | | on drills that improve your putting accuracy |
| your total score. You don't need a golf | | | | without using the hole. For example, place a |
| lesson to figure out that if you sink more of | | | | scorecard over the hole and try to roll the |
| these short putts, you'd lower your golf | | | | ball over the card, so that the ball ends |
| handicap by at least a couple of strokes. | | | | about two feet past the hole. These drills |
| Unfortunately, weekend golfers tend to commit | | | | will improve your accuracy without the added |
| too many mistakes when facing short putts. | | | | pressure of sinking the putt. |
| Here are some common mistakes golfers make | | | | |
| when putting and some drills on how to | | | | Choking the Putter |
| eliminate them. | | | | |
| | | | A common mistake I see in my golf instruction |
| Confidence is the Key | | | | sessions on putting is players gripping their |
| | | | putters too tightly. Some players grip their |
| Many golfers flinch when they putt. Or, they | | | | putters so tight, their hands almost turn |
| rush the putt so much their stroke becomes | | | | white. A soft and constant grip pressure is |
| choppy and uneven. You can become a great | | | | vital to maintaining a smooth, free-flowing |
| putter if your putting stroke is smooth and | | | | stroke and creating better "feel" when |
| free flowing. Creating good rhythm in your | | | | putting. For players who think they may be |
| putting stroke is the best way of eliminating | | | | choking the putter, try holding an uncooked |
| flinching and rushing. No matter what style | | | | egg between your right index finger (or left |
| of putting you use, if you flinch or rush | | | | index finger, if your left-handed) and the |
| you'll probably miss lot of putts. | | | | shaft of your putter. Now drop a few balls |
| Unfortunately, most golfers concentrate more | | | | and stroke some putts. If your grip is too |
| on sinking putts than working on developing a | | | | tight, you'll soon know. |
| smooth stroke. | | | | |
| | | | Too Handsy |
| Next time you're on the practice green, make | | | | |
| some smooth pendulum strokes with your eyes | | | | Another common mistake I see in golf |
| closed. As you make your stroke, count out a | | | | instruction sessions on putting is players |
| simple cadence "one-two." "one-two." Once you | | | | using too much of their hands in their |
| feel a good flow, have a friend place a ball | | | | putting stroke. Being too handsy eliminates |
| at his discretion in the path of your putter | | | | the true feel of a smooth, free-swinging |
| head. No knowing when the ball is coming | | | | pendulum and cause jerky inconsistent putts. |
| helps eliminate the flinching or rushing that | | | | One remedy is to use a belly putter. Simply |
| can cause you to miss those short putts. | | | | anchor the putter to a comfortable point on |
| | | | your midsection and swing away. Add a |
| No Putting Ritual | | | | "one-two" count to the stroke to improve |
| | | | rhythm. This approach reduces the amount of |
| Another common mistake in putting is a lack | | | | movement in the smaller muscles in your hand |
| of putting ritual. If watch Tiger Woods, Fred | | | | and keeps the blade on plane. |
| Funk, or Sergio Garcia putt, you'll notice | | | | |
| that they all have a putting ritual. Their | | | | Eliminating these common mistakes from your |
| rituals are all different. One player walks | | | | putting will not only build rhythm in your |
| all around the putt before stepping up to hit | | | | putting stroke, they'll also help increase |
| it. Another takes his practice strokes behind | | | | your confidence in your putting. That's big. |
| the ball. But the one thing that's not | | | | Ask any professional golfer what the key to |
| different is that they use the same ritual | | | | great putting is and he or she will probably |
| every time they make a putt, regardless of | | | | tell you it's confidence. Great putters are |
| the length or difficulty. Develop your own | | | | shocked when they miss a short putt. That's |
| putting ritual. Base it on sound putting | | | | how confident they are. To improve your golf |
| techniques and what makes you feel | | | | handicap, you need to work on things that |
| comfortable. And use it every time you have a | | | | build confidence and increase accuracy your |
| putt. You'll find that a ritual not only | | | | short putting. |
| relaxes you and helps build confidence in | | | | |