It doesn't take long for most golfers to realize how important putting is to their golf score. A golfer who understands putting and putting theory will look forward to getting their ball on the green and going for birdies, pars and bogeys. Those who don't understand how to read a green or stand over a putt will dread that part of the game.
Function
When you can put the ball on the green, you are close to finishing the hole. You have done the hard, physical work on the golf hole, taking the ball from tee to fairway and getting the ball on the green. To finish the hole, you have to develop a putting stroke. Good golfers look at putting as an opportunity to take advantage of the work they have done or an opportunity to save what has been a tough hole. Taking a decisive stroke at the ball with your putter as it lies on the green is primarily about confidence and experience.
Read The Green
The first thing you must do as you prepare to putt is to read the green. This is done in two stages. As you walk toward the green, get a big-picture look at it. Is the green relatively flat or is it undulating? Is there a mountain or a hazard in the area? Then once you are on the green, get about 8 to 10 feet behind the ball and study your putt. Try to determine the breaks your ball will have to negotiate as it winds its way toward the hole. Once you have read the green, you can determine your plan of action.
Weight on Your Front Leg
When you are swinging the club from the tee, the fairway or a bunker, you want your weight equally distributed between both legs. That is to affect an easy transfer of your weight between your back leg and your front leg. When you are putting, you don't want your weight to transfer. You want to remove that variable from the equation and you want all your weight on your front leg and you want to keep it there from the beginning to the end of the stroke. This will give you a better chance of hitting the putt straight.
Pendulum Approach
When you putt, you do not want to jab or stab at the ball with your putter. You want to take the putter back to about midcalf level and bring it forward an equal distance. This is called the pendulum approach and it will give you the best chance to strike the ball evenly. Golfers who stop their putting stroke immediately after contact will usually see the ball squirt off to the right. Having too much follow-through will likely cause you to pull the ball.
Eye On The Ball
When you prepare to putt, you should take one practice swing before you hit the ball. As you move into your stance to putt, take one final look at the hole and make your final mental calculations of how hard you have to strike the ball to get it to the hole. After that is done, look down at your ball. Keep your eye on the ball throughout your putting stroke. Many players are understandably anxious when putting and they tend to look up to see their putt roll toward the hole. Resist the urge and keep your eye on the ball.
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