In this video Rich takes you through everything you need to know about putting.
It’s five minutes well spent watching and will help you make more putts
Please note:
Since we recorded the video, the rules of golf changed and the penalty for hitting the flag no longer applies. So you can go ahead and leave the flag in and there will be no penalty if your ball hits it.
The general idea of putting is to roll the ball along the green into the hole using a smooth, unhurried putting motion that generates both distance and direction control.
The Putting technique can be broken down into several areas:
Aim – The putter-head is aimed towards the hole and when it is at a right angle to the target line the putter-head is said to be ’square to the target’
Grip – The Grip pressure should be light and even.
Posture & Stance – Standing upright with feet together and the arms out in front of the chest with the club shaft parallel to the ground, bend forward from the hip. Your back should remain fairly straight , but not tight.
As the club head reaches the floor, allow your knees to flex slightly. To create balance and comfort take a small step with each foot to the side. The feet will be slightly narrower than shoulder width and your chin should be slightly raised from your chest.
Body Alignment – Your shoulders, hips, knees and feet should ideally be parallel to the target line. This will encourage the correct shape of swing.
Ball Position – For a straight putt the ball should be placed in the middle of your stance.
Swing – The lower half of the body acts as a steady base. All the movement comes from the shoulders rocking the arms and putter back and forth. The length of the swing should be roughly the same both back and forward.
The length of the swing together with a smooth repetitive speed should govern the distance the ball rolls.
The direction is mainly controlled by the position of the club face at impact, as well as the direction the club head is travelling in.
Putting is all about repetition of the correct techniques and by concentrating on each of these areas we will be able to achieve a consistent putting stroke which in turn will help us take less putts during a round.
Learn How To Putt For Dough
For a more in depth look at Putting for beginner’s be sure to watch our comprehensive video golf coaching series called Putt For Dough
