Most golfers quickly learn that the short game is the most important part of golf when it comes to the scorecard. Learning how to putt effectively and with confidence is an essential part of scoring well. Golfers tend to do their best putting when they read the green precisely, walk up to the ball with confidence, take one practice swing and putt the ball. Long delays are almost always disastrous on the green.
Study Your Putt
This starts as you walk up the fairway toward the ball that you've hit on the green. You have a perfect opportunity to get the big picture. Look at your ball as it sits on the green. Notice if the green is flat or has ridges. As you walk up to your ball, get about 10 to 12 feet behind your putt and study the path it will take on the way to the hole. You should be able to see any slope, hill or break that your ball will traverse, and you will have to make adjustments.
Stance and Routine
Walk up to the ball and take a firm stance. You don't want any movement in the lower half of your body or your head when you are putting. Put most of your weight on your front leg. Grip your putter about six inches lower down on the grip than you do any of your other clubs. Take a look at the hole in relation to your ball and make one final assessment. Take one practice swing.
Putting Stroke
A putting stroke needs to be smooth and steady. Think of a metronome and the even back-and-forth action of that musical device. That's what your want to use when you putt the ball. You want to bring the club through the ball and forward as far as you bring it back. This will give you an even stroke. Keep your head down all the way through the ball. Picking up your head before you finish your stroke is understandable, because you want to see the result of your stroke, but it will almost certainly result in a mishit. Do not jab at the ball when you putt; a smooth and steady stroke is what you are trying to achieve.
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