No confidence on shorter putts

20 Most common shot problems

Lesson 17 of 20

Diagnosis:  General Poor Putting – No confidence on shorter putts

Explanation:    The common thread among good putters is they consistently have the putter face square to their intended line at the moment it impacts the ball.  When we lose confidence in our putting we start trying to “help” the ball in the hole resulting in our head and body moving out of position. This disrupts the alignment of the putter face leading to inconsistent contact with the ball and little control over the direction or speed of the putt.

            Although putting is the most individual component of the game, the better modern day putters use a pendulum type stroke. The player forms a triangle with their arms and shoulders at address which stays intact through the stroke.

Correction:    In general the fewer moving parts in our putting stroke the more consistent we will be. Developing a shoulder stroke pendulum action minimizes those moving parts. To feel this stroke take your stance then place your palms together forming a triangle with your hands, arms and shoulders. With a steady head and lower body rock your shoulders so that you move the triangle back and through. Make sure to keep your chest square to the target line rather than opening your shoulders and body to the hole.

     Your left shoulder should work down on the backstroke and up on the forward stroke. Your shoulders now control the path of the putter head and keep the putter on line through impact. A good habit for shorter putts is to not look at the hole until you hear the ball fall into the cup.

    If you are struggling with your putting spend more time practicing this method and you’ll soon be making more putts and restoring your confidence.

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