Best All Time Putting Tips

These best all time putting tips will help you improve your performance on the greens.

Playing like a pro is easier than you think when you know what to work on in order to improve. There are many strategies related to a good set up routine, putting techniques, how to read the greens and how to prepare an appropriate pre shot routine.

Here is a summary of some of the best ever putting tips for the game of golf.

Pick the Apex for the Right Set Up

Finding the right line is one of the challenges for great putters. Begin by reading the greens looking for slope changes and undulations. Once you establish the right read, pick the apex of the break and set your target line for it.

Set the clubface at the apex, then set your body perpendicular to the clubface. A common mistake amateur golfers’ make is setting their body square to the hole.

Straight Back and Through or Follow the Arc

According to Mike Shannon, a top 100 putting pro, he suggests 35% of golfers see in straight lines while 65% of golfers see in curved lines. For golfers who see straight lines, the putting motion is straight back and straight through while staying on the target line. For golfers who see curved lines, follow the natural arc by taking your putter back inside the target line and follow through to the inside of the target line for the best success.

Longer Backstroke for Improved Distance Control 

Distance control comes from the length of your backswing and your stroke tempo. Amateurs can have great difficulty judging the speed of longer putts, so try taking a longer stroke back and keeping a nice even pace back and through. Don’t focus on acceleration as much as tempo and pace.

Less Wrists, More Triangle

The key to proper posture in the putting stroke is getting your arms to hang underneath your shoulders and putting the handle of the putter in the palm of your hands.

By doing so, you will be less inclined to be “handsy” or “wristy” in the putting stroke. Poor posture and grip are two of the most common problems why the wrists get involved in a shot that should be controlled by the back, shoulders and core.

Focus on Constant Motion

In your pre shot routine designed for your putting stroke, think more about ‘rolling’ the ball then hitting the ball. Similar to a game of pool, it is the constant smooth movement of the ball that finds its way to the hole with more precision.

Amateurs can have a tendency to place their putter in a stationary position and think too much about striking the ball instead of rolling it into the cup.

Distance over Direction for Second Tier Putts

Moving a long lag putt from one tier to another is among the most difficult in golf. Amateurs tend to make very short choppy backswings with a tightly pressured grip.

However, it is better to take a nice relaxed grip and focus on a longer rhythmic back stroke and equal follow through for solid contact.

Short Putt Success with the ‘Sidesaddle’

One of the popular techniques used by Sam Snead and Gary McCord regarding short putts was to stand to one side of the ball instead of looking straight down the line.

In doing so, this allows them to see both the ball and the target line at the same time. It also helps to take the focus off the stroke and keep the visual of the target line in your memory as you putt.

One of the quickest ways to improve your score and lower your handicap is to reduce needless strokes on the putting green.

Creating a level of consistency is best achieved by producing a repeatable swing, one that mimics your desired tempo and follow your natural tendency to read the greens.