Putting Woes

[kiwi]

Someone,anyone out there who can help me putt.As a right handed golfer do I push the putt with my right hand or try to drag with my let hand. Distance control is totally gone

[cct]

Re: Putting Woes

To keep the putterhead going along the correct line try putting in between two parallel club shafts (e.g = ), which are only slightly wider than your putterhead. Try to focus on not hitting the shafts.

Another drill is to putt against a wall. Align your stance as if your line of putt is parallel to the wall and keep the toe of the putter against the wall.

These drills will keep your putterhead going along the correct path through the ball. Try not to think about pulling the left hand or pushing the right hand as the this may cause you to swing across the ball as opposed to through it causing a pull or a push respectively.

Hope this gives helps.

[LowPost42]

Re: Putting Woes

Generally speaking, cct is right, and has some good drills to keep your putter 'in the pipe' when making your stroke. Try not involving your hands at all - use a pendulum motion with your shoulders ding the work, and your wrists firm.

[GregJWillis]

Re: Putting Woes

Try this drill for speed control.

[Easy Ryder]

Re: Putting Woes

A couple of years ago, my putting had mirrored the deterioration in the rest of my game. I was either pushing or pulling my putts, particularly those of 3-6ft. What I did to cure this was to loosen my grip of the putter and to get the feel that I was moving the putter by the shoulders taking my wrists out of the equation and creating that pendulim motion. It worked a dream. Now, particulalry on fast greens, I feel great.

[gord962]

Re: Putting Woes

If you are using your wrists too much, try this:

Grip the putter about 1/2 - 3/4 down the grip with your left hand. With your right hand, hold the top portion of putter grip against your forearm. Now, hit some putts. It feels realy strange but there is no way to use your wrists!

[TeachingPro]

Re: Putting Woes

Kiwi,

Being a South African, I shouldn't feel sorry for you, Ozzies are sporting enemies! But for the sake of goodwill among golfers, I'll help you out.

You gonna be laughing at this, I know - everyone does, but believe me, it works. Go to a practice green, take some balls and a putter - so at least you look like a golfer. Put the putter back in the bag. Pick a target hole and start rolling the balls to the hole. Do it again ... and again ... and again ... and again ... until you're getting them all close. Pick different distances.

There is method behind my madness and hear me out. Every one should have some depth perception and gross/fine motor skills to enable them to throw a ball to someone else without through it way short or way long. Assume you playing rugby - how do you know how hard to through the ball to your mate? Your mind and body have an instinct of more-or-less and practice takes care of the fine adjustments.

Golf is the same ... what has happened to you is you've lost the instict of how hard to hit the ball when you putt! Don't stress ... it happens and is easy to find again. But, you need to find it without the stress of having a putter in your hand and trying to rediscover it and at the same time execute a proper stroke.

Ok, back to the drill. When you've had enough of rolling balls around while everyone else is putting them around, start close to the hole, like 6ft or so. Now don't worry about the stroke - worry about the distance. If you are improving and the balls are close to the hole, carry on going. If not, go back to rolling and then try putting again.

Once you've got the 6 footers, move back and over a period of a few sessions your distance control should improve. But always start a practice sessoin with rollingthe ball to get your mind thinking of distance.

One more thing: your shouldn't be putting with your hands (pull and push). You should be putting with your shoulder blades and your arms as a unit! All the hands do is hold the putter.

[ThePuttKing]

Re: Putting Woes

Distance control is mainly "feel".

Try this tip.

On the practise putting green before you start, get 3 balls. Aim at an hole roughly 20 feet away. With the first ball, look at the hole and not the ball as you do the putt. With the second ball close your eyes and then putt the ball. On the final ball try and use the feelings from the first 2 putts.

This really helps me. I got this from a David Leadbetter Video.

Good Luck !!