Nobody can deny the importance of putting in a golf game. You can have a good strike but still, lose because of putting. Sometimes it gets overlooked but it is still as important as a good strike.
If you are trying to improve your putting skill and be better at the game, this is for you. Here I’ll share how to get better at golf, which type of putter is better for you, and what kind of drills you can use to improve your game.
Basics of Putting
Putting can be described as when your ball is on the green and you use a putter type club to get it the hole. There are several things to good putting. It is not just hitting it perfectly. You have to be aware of these.
Grip
Many beginners try to hold the golf club with their fingers. Do not do that. Use your palm for the grip. That way you can have more control over your body when striking.
Some people use a one-handed technique and some two-handed technique. Although I’m more comfortable with both hands, you can try both and find out what style suits you best.
Position
Take a position beside the ball. Do not keep your feet together. Keep your feet separate and par with your shoulder. That way you will have more control over your body. You can use your golf club head to align yourself better with the ball (more on that later).
Keep your knees bent a little and lean forward from the heap. That way you can extend your arm and get a good position to do a putting stroke.
Motion
Now, motion is a notion of a debate. Some coaches say you should keep accelerating even after you hit the ball. Others say keep the speed of your club constant.
Try to move your club at the same distance as backward and forward from the ball when you are keeping your speed constant. That way you will get a nice smooth hit on the ball. It is better to try and find out which technique suits you the best.
Putter Head Types | Blade vs. Mallet
Putter heads can be a big variable in some cases. Both blade and mallet have their pros and cons. Here I’ll show you the pros and cons of each type and from there you can find out which one will be better for you.
Mallet Putter Head
Mallet heads can be various kinds. It is usually shaped like a square or half circle. But this type of head is always bigger than the blade type. Since it is bigger it also weighs more than blade type.
Since it has a bigger head, it has more space to draw alignment lines. So mallet heads can be used for better alignment. It has more weight so it is more forgiving. If you are not going for a curve stroke then it will be better.
It’s better for beginner level players since it’s more forgiving. But that doesn’t mean pros don’t use it. Many professional players who struggle with putting on a mallet type head. If you are struggling with putting a mallet would be better for you.
Blade Putter Head
Blade heads are not as big as the mallet ones. So it has fewer alignment lines. Usually has one line on the head for alignment. It is also lighter than the mallet counterpart.
Since it is lighter you can have a hard time if you are already struggling with your putting. It is used for more precise and curves shots. More expert players use blade type. If you are already confident with your putting or want to improve more then blade type is for you.
Improving Your Putting | Putting Drills
Using better drills can improve your putting skills dramatically. Of course, it doesn’t happen overnight but if you stick to these drills, you will surely improve.
Look Away Drill
A common mistake of the players is moving the whole body while stroking or just after finishing stroking. Moving the whole body can affect negatively on your crucial stroke. So this is to help you practice not movie the whole body when striking.
Use a coin or tee 2-3 feet behind from the ball. As soon as you hit the ball, move your head, and look at the object behind the ball. This will help your body to be more stable.
Curve Visualization Drill
Use a 30-foot pot for this one. Put an aiming object at least 3 feet away from the hole and set a middle point. Now target the object that’s away from the hole and try to hit the ball in a way that it rolls over the middle point then curves and goes to the hole. Try to put the ball in the hole this way once.
Zone and Speed Control Drill
Make a half-circle around the hole with tees. Now hit the ball and try to get it inside the zone. This way you will have more control over your stroke and ball’s speed and can put the ball in with two strokes instead of three.
Swing Control Drill
Make a gate 2 foot away from the ball. The gate’s width would be the same as the ball’s diameter. Now try to put the ball through the gate without hitting the gate. This will help you control your swing and improve your straight shots.
60-40 Drill
This drill is for those who want to keep their swing speed constant throughout the whole strike. Take two tees or coins, now place that 60% behind from the ball and 40% forward from the ball (Distance is relative to the power of the stroke). Now keep your stroke within this 60-40 area when hitting the ball.
This way you can have a clean and smoother stroke when hitting the ball.
3-2-1 Drill
Make three zones (Close, Medium, Far) from the hole and place 2 tees on each zone increasing the distance from the hole. Now try to put 3 balls in the hole from each tee of the close zone. If you miss one, do it all over again from the first tee.
After you complete the close zone, get rid of the tees in the close zone, and move to the medium zone. Here try to put 2 balls out of 3 in the hole on each tee. If you miss one get back to the first tee of the medium zone.
Then move on to the far zone. Here, try to put 1 out of 3 balls in the zone on both tees. If you fail go back to the first tee of the far zone. This will help you to be better at any distance of putting.
FAQ
Q: What is the best putter for an average golfer?
Ans: If you are a beginner then mallet is better. If you are confident with your putting, then use a blade-type putter.
Q: What is the most forgiving putter?
Ans: Mallet type is the most forgiving putter because of its weight.
Q: What is the #1 putter on PGA Tour?
Ans: Spider mallet type putters are considered as the best putter on the PGA Tour. Because it helped Jason Day become the world’s best putter in 2018.
Q: How to putt consistently?
Ans: Practice putting regularly and try to figure out what you are weak at and work on it.
Conclusion
Like many things in life, practice is also the key to success in golf. So practice the drills. Don’t get frustrated if you fail. The drills can take some time but it will be worth it in the end. With this, you are sure to improve over time.
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