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Putting
- Lesson 2
Develop
a Sound Putting Routine
This lesson will:
| 1. |
Show
you how to define your own putting
routine to use for every putt you
take on the course. |
| 2. |
Provide
a sample putting routine to use as
a starting point |
Defining Your Own
Putting Routine
Before every putt you take
on the course, you’ll need to go
through the same routine in order to determine
the correct line and speed of the putt
and to develop a feeling of confidence
over the ball, freeing your mind from
negative distractions.
Perhaps one of the most
common differences between a touring professional
and the average golfer is the level of
consistency, not only in shot results
but also in the sequence of events leading
up to a shot. Nearly all, if not all,
professional golfers have some sort of
set routine they follow almost flawlessly
every single shot. If something distracts
them during their routines, they back
off and start over. The average golfer
does not have this discipline. The average
golfer doesn't really know what to do
before they make a putt. This lack of
consistency in a putting routine can't
help but lead to a lack of consistency
in the putting stroke and consequently
in the results.
Every golfer would benefit
from having a solid, repeatable, dependable
routine they go through before every putt.
It is often this routine that professionals
point to as a source of strength and comfort
when the pressure is really on. No matter
how much money or pride is on the line,
a golfer has complete control over whether
or not they perform their putting routine
as usual. It is like a chain of events
that starts with a solid set of preparatory
actions and ends with an effortless, well
executed putt.
A solid putting routine
provides comfort and confidence, focuses
your mind on the task at hand, reduces
the intrusion of negative thoughts, and
acts as a transition into the putting
stroke. Every player finds that slightly
different putting routines seem to work
best for them, but the best putting routines
all possess similar characteristics:
| 1. |
They are
consistent. A putting routine can’t
provide comfort and confidence unless
it’s consistent. That’s
why it’s called a routine…because
it needs to be done the same way before
every putt. |
| 2. |
They turn the focus
away from mechanics towards feel.
A putting routine should instill some
feeling similar to that of the putting
strokes you want to make. You should
perform some movement that causes
you to feel good about the stroke
you’re about to make. Most pros
take practice strokes that are identical
to the one they intend to make during
the actual putt. Many look at the
target while taking these practice
strokes to gain a feel for the proper
distance control. |
| 3. |
They focus your mind
on the task at hand. The important
thing to note here is that the task
at hand is not making a particular
stroke, but rather making the ball
hit a particular target. You should
always pick a specific target for
every putt as part of your putting
routine. Due to the break of the putt,
this won’t always be the hole
itself. |
| 4. |
They provide a smooth
transition into the putting stroke.
Some people let out a slow breath,
others do a slight forward press with
the hands, others simply start the
stroke when their eyes have traveled
back to the ball from the target.
Having some sort of consistent queue
to start your stroke helps improve
your tempo and eliminates jerkiness
or quickness associated with starting
the stroke from a completely idle
position. |
One other tip to keep in
mind to help you develop your putting
routine is to remember that your putting
routine is supposed to serve as a source
of comfort, not of confusion or stress.
Therefore, be sure to practice your putting
routine off the course so it becomes second
nature on it.
To define YOUR putting routine,
use the My Training system. In step 3,
we suggest a putting routine in the event
you do not have one of your own that you
wish to use. Make sure that if you do
intend to use your own, it follows the
guidelines above.
| Step
1: |
Login in
to the site and go to My Training. |
| Step 2: |
In the My Routines
box, select Putting Routine. In the
My Putting Routine box, select Edit
Routine. |
| Step 3: |
Complete the form by
entering the steps to your putting
routine. If you do not have one and
don’t know where to start, look
at the next section in this lesson
(Sample Putting Routine). |
Now that you have defined
your routine, you will need to practice
it diligently. You don’t want your
putting routine to become a mental burden
on the course by struggling to remember
it.
Once you’ve
practiced your routine, it’s time
to take it to the course with you. The
most important thing is to be patient.
Don’t expect miracles and get frustrated
when they don’t happen. Your routine
will take time to become a natural part
of your game that contributes positively
towards your improvement. And remember,
no one makes every putt or even close
to it. Look to make small amounts of progress
at a time.
Sample Putting Routine
The following is a sample
putting routine similar to one used by
many professional golfers. Every routine
varies slightly to fit the particular
person, so you’ll need to experiment
with different things until you find one
that accomplishes the objectives of a
putting routine set forth earlier in this
lesson.
| 1. |
Try to
read break of putt while approaching
from fairway |
| 2. |
Mark ball and read
green from behind ball |
| 3. |
Walk around to other
side of the hole and read green from
there |
| 4. |
Replace ball, visualize
line and speed required to hole putt,
pick target |
| 5. |
Address ball and make
two practice strokes to engrain feel
of proper speed |
| 6. |
Step up to ball, take
one last look at target, once eyes
back on ball, release putt |
| 7. |
Keep eyes focused
on original spot of ball through impact |
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