Putting Made Easy Blog

Let’s face it – even Tiger Woods loses a ball every now and again. Some golf courses have holes with tricky areas in the rough and out of bound that can make your ball disappear, no matter how hard you look for it.

If the unthinkable happens and you find yourself sighing and tapping into your precious supply of Nikes or Titleists, get over it, refocus, and do the following:

1. Look for a spot on the course that gives you total relief, which means your feet and the golf ball are both clear of the hazard. The area could be as short as a few inches away, or even several feet. Mark this sweet spot with a tee.

2. Now measure outwards one or two club lengths from the area away from the hole you are shooting for (based on what the rules of the hazard allow). For example, if you ball went for a swim in a water hazard then you get two club lengths for relief, while a cart path or water sprinkler are greedier and only allows one club length. Take out another tee and mark that spot as well.

3. Now, when you measured the course forward, backward, and sideways, it’s finally time to drop the ball. Stand where the marker tee was placed, bring the ball out at the length of your arms at shoulder height and drop it straight down to the ground without tossing or spinning the ball. You are now ready to make a shot with the new ball.

One concept you should keep in mind when you are putting is that every putt you make should always be a straight shot. Okay, may be your shot will not end up going in a straight direction, but that’s not the point I am making here.

When I say that each putt should be a straight shot, I mean that you should stroke every putt straight down the target line.

If you want to hit a straight putt, visualize a straight line going from the back of the ball directly down your target line. This line should stretch all the way to the hole or least to a point where you expect the ball to break to the hole.

To further increase your chance of success, choose a spot on the target line at which you can aim. Remember that the target doesn’t have to be the actual hole. It can be any point on the green between your ball and the hole as long as it allows you to get your ball rolling in the proper direction toward the hole.

If you’re looking for more putting tips to prepare you for the new golf season check out the free report about the emotional side of putting.

Many novice golfers that struggle with putting all have one thing in common: they tend to grip the putter the same way that they grip all the other clubs – they use an overlapping grip or an interlocking grip. These golfers have no clue that holding the putter differently can drastically improve their results.

The Reverse Overlap Grip

One of the best possible grips for putting, favored by amateurs and PGA professionals, is the “reverse overlap grip”. This type of grip will help keep the putter face perfectly square to the arch of your stroke. Also, the face will pass right down through the target line. The grip and the putting swing are best explained using the following simple 4-step drill.

Step 1: Take your putter and hold it upside down so that the clubface is pointing towards the sky. You should hold the grip with both hands right in front of your face, just like you would hold a baseball bat before a swing.

When you hold the club this way it is easy to learn the proper set up for the reverse overlap grip. If you grip the putter when it is on or close to the ground you might find it difficult to properly adjust your hands.

Step 2: Now take your left hand and place it on the putter handle. Check the position of your thumb - it should be pointing down the shaft. Also, keep your index finger off the handle for now.

Step 3: Next, put the fleshy part of your right hand on the flat part of your grip. Your thumbs should be pointing down. If you have correctly followed the instructions so far, all of your fingers should be neatly wrapped around the handle of your putter, all except for your left index finger.

Step 4: The last step is to take your right hand and slide it down the shaft just until your left thumbnail is covered up. Both of your thumbs should be pointing straight down the shaft, and your left index finger will overlap the fingers from your right hand.

Once you get used to putting with this grip, your shots should improve significantly. If you are wondering why it is important to hold the putter like this, the reason is because your standard grips (overlapping and interlocking) will cause unwanted rotation of the clubface, which is obviously disastrous when you need a dead-on straight putt.

When you shop for a perfect putter, you can start by trying the various kinds and brands of putters by visiting as several golf specific accessory stores in your area.

However, if you don’t have the time or desire to travel around town and prefer one-stop shopping, you might find some of the best selections and advice at the golf shop located inside your local golf course. Shopping in such a location is ideal because you can grab a few putters and spend the afternoon trying each one out on the putting green. The prices might be somewhat higher but you will make up for it by saving time and the variety is likely to be as good if not better than at the golf specific stores.

So, what should you look for during your practice swings when you hunt for a putter? Simply go through the following tips:

1. Try making shots of different length with your putters. Give each one a fair chance to prove itself by hitting a few long putts as well as some short ones.

2. Everyone preferred style or look on the golf course is different and, believe it or not, feeling good about your style and clubs that you like can influence your game. So take into account the style of putters and find one that best fits your character.

3. Close your eyes and try to hit a few putts. This will help give you to get a better feel for the putter’s weight and to how it feels when the club head makes contact with the ball.

For more ways to improve your putting, check this free report.