A good putting performance can salvage a bad round and turn a potentially good score into a personal best, which is why it's so frustrating when this crucial part of the game lets you down.
Avoiding three-putts and holing out more often from close range are some of the most effective ways to reduce your handicap, but without the right expert tips and practise putting drills this can be tricky to achieve.
In this article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Gary Munro shares his advice on creating a repeatable putting stroke that will allow you to shoot lower scores on the course...
The Variables
There are three variables you must get right – you must strike the ball correctly, control swing length and control tempo. In this article, we will focus on the last two.
I’ve set up a putting mat (see image below) with two tees equidistant from the ball. To start, just work on making sure the putter head travels the same distance back and through. If you can match this with the same consistent tempo, the ball should always travel the same distance.
The Technique Drill
For this drill you need three balls and a flat surface. To start, take the putter back to the inside of the right foot and stop at the inside of the left foot. Hit three putts, pace them out and mark down the results.
Then repeat to the outside of each foot, measure and make a note; then, to one putter head beyond each foot. In future, for any flat putt, you know where your putter needs to travel to achieve the desired distance.
The 'Feel' Drill
Now we’ve worked out how far the ball travels with different-length putting strokes, it's time to turn this into a nice 'feel' drill.
On the golf course, as you set up beside your ball, look at your target and just try and rock your shoulders back and forth to get a sense for how much speed you will need to get the ball to the target.
It’s like throwing or rolling a ball, you look at the target and you gauge how far back and through you need to move your arm. This encourages a more instinctive way of putting, improves your visualisation and dictates your swing length. Then, set up to the ball and pull the trigger. You won't be disappointed by the results!
