Putting is arguably one of the most important aspects of Golf. Don’t worry about trying to read the green until you have become proficient with pace of the ball. Getting this right comes from developing a smooth and rhythmic putting style. There are no clear-cut rules about how you address the ball - develop a style which feels comfortable and delivers a smooth and reliable stroke.

Step One

Very few top golfers break their wrists when they putt. Instead they let their arms relax and hang loosely and hold the putter lightly to produce a pendulum action from the shoulders. Ben Crenshaw is one of the world’s finest putters. He holds the club so lightly that sometimes he drops it - but this is how he achieves the ‘touch’ behind a smooth rhythm. Set up with the ball near your front foot, the club face square to the target line and your eyes over the ball. It is advisable to keep your hands level or ahead of the ball throughout the stroke.

Step Two

Move the putter away smoothly, the arms hinging from the shoulders rather than the elbows or the wrists. Keep the putter head as a low to the ground as possible and on a line square to the target as you swing it back and then forwards.

Step Three

Maintain your tempo through the swing, accelerating slightly into the approach. Watch the putter head strike the back of the ball on the upswing, feeling almost as if the palm of your right hand is striking it towards the target. The best putting strokes look smooth and effortless because the club is swung back and forward at the same speed.

Step Four

Follow through to the hole with your club rather than with your eyes. It is good to practice keeping eye contact on the spot where the ball was rather than trying to see where it has gone. Practice counting two seconds in your head before you allow yourself the temptation to see how well you’ve done. Follow these steps and with proper practise you’ll avoid the dreaded yips. Also, If you want to concentrate on any one single piece of equipment, consider the following: you hit your putter approximately 2 ½ times more often a driver during a round. With some basic instruction and a well-designed putter you CAN putt like a pro. Driving like the pros is only a fantasy.

Tags: golf, putting