Putting is the most crucial aspect of golf because it is the shot with the least margin of error. You can afford to miss a drive or fairway shot by a few feet, but not a putt. Proper putting involves lining up your ball, reading the green and factoring in distance and elevation, skills that take time and practice to develop.
Mark Your Ball
When you come to your ball on the green, mark it. The rules of golf say that green is the only place where you can mark your ball and touch it in order to rotate it, clean it or for another similar purpose. Marking your ball will allow you to lift and clean it in order to remove any grass or dirt that could cause it to roll differently. Place a small coin or ball marker directly behind your ball, then you can legally lift it from the putting surface.
Read the Green
Once you're marked and replaced your ball, crouch behind the ball and get a good read of the contours of the green. If you're lucky, your ball has landed on a flat spot of the green and you'll just need a straight putt to the hole. But in most cases, you'll need to read the curves of the green to predict where your ball will go. You can crouch behind your ball as well as on the other side of the cup to get multiple angles on your putt. Getting as low as possible is best of reading the green. Also, take into account whether the hole is uphill or downhill from the ball.
Line Up Your Putt
To line up your putt, stand with your feet about a foot from your ball and rest your putter head behind the ball. Line your body up so your putter is facing in the direction you want to hit the ball. Get your feet and lower body set--they shouldn't move at all during your putt. Relax your body and take a deep breath to get rid of the jitters and anything else that could affect your putting stroke.
Hit the Ball
You're ready to hit the ball. Grip the club and keep your arms straight and locked at the elbows. Move your arms, upper body and the putter shaft together as though they were one object. Move the putter head back and use enough force to get the ball to the hole if it is uphill. If it is downhill, you'll want to adjust your stroke so you don't hit the ball too far past the hole. Keep your head down through your swing, then look at the ball once you're done following through.
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