How To Improve Putting Video

It's important to take a number of approaches when attempting to read greens in golf. Learn some techniques for using your feet to lower your scores in this golf video.

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Get behind ball
Feel with your feet
Read green
Adjust for length

About this Author

Jay Golden has been a PGA Member since 1982 and was selected for the PGA National Teaching Committee in 1988. He has taught golfers of all levels ranging from stark beginners to professionals on the PGA and LPGA Tours. He has written hundreds of instruction articles and a book with the all-time winningest golfer of official tour events, Kathy Whitworth, entitled "Kathy Whitworth's Little Book of Golf Wisdom." He has also made numerous appearances on TV, has lectured on the topic of "How To Teach Golf" to PGA Members, and is an accomplished golfer and long driver.

JAY GOLDEN: Wouldn't it be nice if every putt was a straight putt? Well, you could make every putt a straight putt by doing this. Let's say that on this length putt, I want to aim at the left lip, because the putt is going to break left to right, an inch and a half or 2 inches. Instead of thinking it's going to break and having that in my mind, and maybe I'm saying, "Oh left to right putts, I'm not as good in left to right as I am right to left," or any other thought that could distract me or be negative, I tell myself that it's a straight putt at the left lip of the hole. So I'm not thinking of the middle of the hole, I'm not thinking about anything except the left lip of the hole. And it is a straight putt at the left lip. So I line up at the left lip and I'm looking at it, and that's where I try to hit it, a straight putt at the left lip. Sometimes I'll play a little game with myself. I'll say, "There's a little buzzer on the left lip and I'm at an amusement park. And if I could hit the buzzer, I'm going to win a prize." So I'll put that buzzer right here on the left lip and I will aim at that buzzer, and I'll tell myself it's a straight putt at that buzzer, and I will try to hit that buzzer. If I read the putt correctly, the ball will curve that way. Now, if I was on the other side of the hole and had to putt that broke right to left, I might put that buzzer on the right lip. Sometimes a putt can break this much, this much, this much, a long putt could break. At the Masters, some of those long putts broke 20 feet. So what would I say? Aim 20 feet left or 20 feet right, depending on which way it's going to break, and it's a straight putt. Let's say it breaks left to right, I'm looking 20 feet left to the hole and it's a straight putt, 20 feet left to the hole. You could make every putt a straight putt with that simple method. Read the break and putt to that point, and tell yourself it's a straight putt. Every putt is a straight putt.

How to Improve Putting Video

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