Consistent Putting :(

Hi all, I really struggle to putt consistently, can anyone offer a method of practicing a consistent putting stroke practice technique that has worked from them.... Ta Bruce

Not sure what you mean by inconsistant putting. Are you struggling on all types of putt, long and short? Are your stats varying greatly between different rounds? I liked the advice given to not look up at the putt, but to listen to to the ball drop, particularly on the shorter putts. The tendency to look up too quickly could be changing your delivery. I'm no expert but as you've had no replies I thought I'd offer this. Good luck Bruce..

Thanks Michael, By inconsistent I mean exactly that. Short, long it doesn't matter. I now have a more complete approach but length of putt can be 6ft short on a 12ft putt or 4ft past on a 4ft putt.... Or occasionally I am on it and do ok. Stats are consistent at present but I really need to lower this number. Practice green is always 80% better, could it just be pressure? Bruce

It probably comes from pressure as you say Bruce. If you lack confidence in your putting at any particular time the brain can transmit that concern to your muscles. I am usually a pretty solid putter when playing with chums, but get me in a match situation and I know I don't putt with the same enjoyment, expectation or fluency. They do say practice, practice and practice again. I enjoy putting round the clockface and slowly increasing the distance until I miss. I then start again. Of course now I'm retired I have more time to give to this exercise. I hope you find the secret Bruce. Mike.

Someone once said, "Putting is a game within a game" and how right they were. Experience is a big thing here, and working out what is your 'Gimmie' distance (the length you will hole 90% of the time) and aiming long putts to inside that length is a good thing to work on. Also, even good golfers will feel different each day, one day they will think they can hole every putt and aim to, and on other days struggle so just aim to get close and not 3 stab.

That's sound advice David. 3 putting can be so mentally debilitating, particularly when it occurs in a situation where a 2 putt should be routine. Having a mental discipline over how you go about each putt and what your aim for that putt is (whether to go close or hole it) can only be a good thing in my opinion.

I swear by practice for putting, i go to the local golf club spend half hour on the range and then an hour putting and chipping, all different types of length and just try and get the length right. Also always have a good 10 to 15 mins of putting practice on the practice green before each round as that hones in the speed of the greens you're about to play on. Putting can be overlooked when it comes to practice but can be 30 or 40% of shots played in a round of golf so is a major part of the game. Couple of tips i use are always take the time to look at a putt from all angles i have three to four practice swings to guess the speed i want to putt and then don;t take much time to then take the putt on. i also mark my ball with a line and align that up with the line i see the putt. But the best tip is like i say practice on the practice greens weekly, it soon becomes natural and i am currently reaping the benefits of this having just posted my best ever round 73 and havent putted better than i am right now.

I would consider working on the length of you backstroke to control the distance of your putts.

Have a nice gentle follow through, finishing in the same place each time.

For myself, at my golf club, a six foot putt means me taking the face of my putter back to the big toe on my back foot. Then I swing the putter through at a steady pace, all the way to my finish.

A twelve foot putt is simply a matter of increasing the length of my back swing. In this case, the face of my putter would go to the back of my back foot.

For longer putts, increase the distance between your feet. Do the same stroke, but because your feet are further apart you will do a longer stroke.

There is nothing more frustrating than getting to twelve feet from the hole and then having the ball go nine feet past on your first putt. If you could leave the ball three feet or closer then there is every chance you will make that next putt.

I was always taught to have the golf ball just in front of the middle of my stance. The face of my putter would be right in the middle of my stance at address.

Swing your shoulders and don't break your wrists. Make certain that you push the ball towards the hole. A practice drill is to address the golf ball with your putter face a couple of inches behind the ball. Don't make a back stroke, simply push forwards with your putter and listen for the ball going in the hole.

There is nothing better than practice to improve your putting. I have one of those six feet putting mats that I can use at home. I used a marker pen and put a cross every foot from the hole. Then I practiced putting from each of the marks. It certainly does help.

Russ

Guys thanks. I have put several of your suggestions into action and am practising more than ever. It is certainly paying off. I now have a good consistent swing with no wrist break and am use a dip and rise of the left shoulder to maintain consistency. Lets see how it goes....but so far it is looking like a good start to a solid putting technique. Thanks again Bruce

Putting has always been the weakest part of my game, but over the last couple of years I have found a way to putt better and more importantly with less three putts. I pick my line and then a find a spot about half an inch to an inch in front of the ball directly on my target line, I then focus on that spot and just roll the ball over it, I like to see the center of my putter go over the spot before I look up, I found it helps me take all the pressure off the putt, once I have picked my line I only need to think about pace , I find it is also great for short puts because it stops you peeping at the hole during the stroke, just focus on the spot in front of the ball and think about the pace not the line, I also believe pace is more important than line, I played with a relatively high handicap player over the weekend and he was reading the putts from all angles then leaving the putts 6 feet short or 6 feet past the hole, the line he was hitting them was ok, if he had not read the putts and just gone straight at the hole with the right pace most of the time he would have been tapping in from a foot or so, my advice is to pick the spot in front of the ball, concentrate on the strength, trust your stroke, and just hit the putt over your mark, if the pace is right you will either hole it or leave a tap in. hope this helps.