Improving Your Putting Skills

← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Short Game Mastery

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Quick Answer

• Nail your setup: grip, stance, and posture are your foundation for consistency.
• Develop a smooth, pendulum-like stroke with a consistent tempo.
• Practice with purpose, using drills that mirror on-course situations.

Who This Is For

• Any golfer, from weekend warriors to aspiring pros, looking to shave strokes off their scorecard. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to putt better?
• Beginners who need to build a solid, repeatable putting stroke from the ground up.

What to Check First

• Your Putter’s Fit: Is it the right length and lie angle for your body? A poorly fitted putter is like trying to paddle a canoe with an oar that’s too short. You’ll fight it all day.
• Your Grip: Is it comfortable and consistent? You don’t want a death grip that kills feel, nor do you want it so loose it slides. Find that sweet spot.
• Your Stance and Posture: Are you balanced and stable? You need a solid foundation, like setting up a good campfire. Your weight should be balanced, and your eyes should be over the ball.
• Your Alignment: Are you aiming your putter face and body correctly? This is often overlooked but critical for hitting putts where you intend.

Step-by-Step Plan to Become a Good Putter

Alright, let’s get down to business. You want to be a good putter? It takes work, but it’s totally doable. Follow these steps, and you’ll start seeing the difference.

1. Assess Your Current Setup: Before you even think about swinging, check your grip, stance, and posture. Are they repeatable and comfortable? You want to feel like you can get into the exact same position every single time you stand over a putt. This is the bedrock of consistent putting.

• Action: Stand over a putt. Notice your grip pressure. Is it too tight? Too loose? Then, check your stance. Are your feet shoulder-width apart? Is your weight balanced? Finally, look at your posture. Are you bending from the hips, with a slight flex in your knees?
• What to look for: A relaxed grip, balanced weight distribution, and a posture that allows for a free-flowing stroke. Your eyes should be directly over the ball, or slightly inside it.
• Mistake to avoid: Neglecting a proper setup leads to inconsistent strokes. If your foundation is shaky, your house will fall. This is like trying to start a hike with untied boots – you’re setting yourself up for trouble.

2. Evaluate Your Stroke Mechanics: Now, let’s talk about the swing itself. Observe your backswing, the transition from backswing to downswing, and your follow-through. You’re aiming for a smooth, pendulum-like motion, where the putter head moves back and through in a consistent arc.

• Action: Take a few practice strokes without a ball. Feel the rhythm. Try to keep your wrists quiet and let your shoulders drive the movement. Then, hit a few putts, focusing on that smooth transition.
• What to look for: A consistent tempo throughout the stroke – not too fast on the backswing, not too slow on the downswing, and no deceleration at impact. The putter head should feel like it’s moving on a consistent arc.
• Mistake to avoid: Hitching the putter back or decelerating through impact. This is a classic killer of distance control and accuracy. It’s like trying to throw a ball and stopping your arm halfway – it just won’t go where you want.

3. Practice Alignment Drills: This is where you ensure you’re actually aiming at your target. Use alignment sticks or tees to confirm your putter face and body are square to your intended line. This is huge for hitting putts where you intend them to go.

• Action: Place an alignment stick on the ground, parallel to your target line, with another stick pointing directly at the hole. Set up to your putt, ensuring your putter face is square to the target line and your body is aligned with the second stick. Hit putts, focusing on keeping your putter on the line created by the sticks.
• What to look for: Consistently hitting putts on your intended line. You should see the ball start on the line you aimed at.
• Mistake to avoid: Relying on visual cues alone without confirming alignment. Your eyes can lie, especially on the greens. You might think you’re aimed correctly, but without a physical reference, you’re just guessing.

4. Work on Distance Control: This is often the most overlooked aspect of putting, yet it’s crucial for lowering scores. Practice hitting putts to different distances, focusing on the length of your backstroke and the tempo of your swing.

• Action: On the practice green, place tees at various distances from you (e.g., 10 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, 40 feet). Putt to each tee, focusing on making your backstroke longer for longer putts and shorter for shorter putts, while maintaining the same tempo.
• What to look for: Being able to leave your putts within a 3-foot radius of the hole, regardless of distance. The goal isn’t always to make it, but to leave yourself a tap-in.
• Mistake to avoid: Only focusing on making putts and ignoring distance control. This leads to a lot of long second putts and dreaded three-putts. It’s the difference between a birdie and a bogey.

5. Develop Green Reading Skills: Learning to read the slope and speed of the greens is an art, but it’s one you can definitely improve with practice. Practice on different types of putts – uphill, downhill, sidehill, and even putts with subtle breaks.

• Action: Before you putt, walk around the ball and the hole. Look from behind the ball, behind the hole, and from the side. Feel the slope with your feet. Visualize the path the ball will take.
• What to look for: Accurately predicting how the ball will break and roll based on the slope and the speed of the green. You should be able to see the apex of your putt and how the ball will curve towards the hole.
• Mistake to avoid: Guessing on putts instead of making an informed read. Take your time, gather information, and trust your read. Don’t just pick a line and hope for the best.

Mastering Your Putting Stroke: How to Become a Good Putter

Getting better on the greens is a journey, not a destination. It’s about building good habits and then repeating them until they become second nature. Focusing on these core elements – setup, stroke, alignment, distance control, and green reading – will get you on the right track to how to become a good putter [1]. It’s not about magic fixes; it’s about consistent, deliberate practice. Remember, even the pros spend a huge chunk of their practice time on the greens. If you want to improve your putting game, drills and techniques are your best friends [3].

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Inconsistent Setup — Leads to a varied stroke and poor direction. — Establish a repeatable pre-putt routine. Always go through the same steps before every putt.
• Poor Distance Control — Results in too many three-putts. — Practice drills focusing on stroke length and tempo. Learn to associate backstroke length with distance.
• Rushing the Stroke — Causes deceleration and loss of power, leading to misses both short and left/right. — Focus on a smooth, even tempo throughout the stroke. Think “smooth back, smooth through.”
• Ignoring Putter Fit — Makes it harder to achieve a consistent stroke because you’re fighting the club. — Get fitted by a professional or at least check your putter’s length and lie angle to ensure it suits your stance.
• Too Much Tension — Kills feel and smooth tempo, making your stroke robotic. — Relax your grip and shoulders. Think “feel” not “force.” Imagine your arms are hanging loosely from your shoulders.
• Over-Reading the Green — Second-guessing your initial read can lead to indecision and a poor stroke. — Trust your initial read after gathering information. Once you’ve committed, commit to the stroke.
• Not Practicing Enough — You can’t improve without repetition. — Aim for short, frequent practice sessions rather than long, infrequent ones. Even 15-20 minutes a few times a week makes a huge difference.

FAQ

• What is the most important aspect of becoming a good putter?

Consistency in your setup and stroke mechanics is paramount. If you can repeat your setup and stroke, you can then focus on refining your green reading and distance control.

• How often should I practice putting?

Aim for at least 15-30 minutes several times a week. Short, focused sessions are far more effective than long, infrequent ones. You can even practice putting drills at home with a practice putting mat [3].

• What are the best drills for improving distance control?

Putt to different targets on the practice green, focusing on the length of your backstroke and maintaining tempo. Another effective drill is the “ladder drill,” where you putt to markers at increasing distances, focusing on controlling the speed. Also, try putting to a specific point (like a tee) 30 feet away and see how many you can get within a 3-foot circle.

• Should I change my grip?

Only if your current grip is causing tension, inconsistency, or discomfort. Experiment with different grips (like the conventional, reverse overlap, or claw grip) to find what feels most natural and repeatable for you. There’s no single “right” grip for everyone.

• How do I read greens better?

Take your time. Walk around the putt, look from behind the ball and behind the hole, and use your feet to feel the slope. Pay attention to the grain of the grass, as it can affect speed. Practice helps you learn how different slopes affect the ball’s roll. Resources on How to Improve Your Putting can offer further guidance [2].

• How important is my putter’s length and lie angle?

Very important. If your putter is too long or too short, or the lie angle is incorrect, it forces you into an awkward stance and stroke, making consistency extremely difficult. Getting fitted or at least checking these specs can make a significant difference.

• What’s the biggest mistake beginners make on the greens?

Often, it’s not taking enough time to read the putt and simply trying to hit it hard. They also tend to have inconsistent setups and strokes because they haven’t developed a repeatable routine.

Sources:

[1] keyword | How to Improve Your Putting Skills | https://golfhubz.com/how-to-improve-your-putting-skills

[2] keyword | How to Improve Your Putting | https://golfhubz.com/how-to-improve-your-putting

[3] keyword | Improve Your Putting Game: Drills and Techniques | https://golfhubz.com/improve-your-putting-game-drills-and-techniques