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