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JUST PUTT IN

As Average Joe Golfer steps to the tee, his main concern is getting that little ball into that little hole in as few strokes as possible. But, for Joe, teeing off on a hole is like starting an adventure; sometimes he encounters unforeseen obstacle and treacherous hazards that, when united, can reek havoc on both his confidence and his score card. For Joe, getting to the green is hard enough; he's already fought the good fight. So once he gets there, he's looking to stop the bleeding as soon as possible. This is where putting comes in; it seems so easy, yet even Joe can readily identify those who are good at it and those who (like himself) are not.

That is why putting is the most crucial element in golf. In fact, putting usually accounts for about 40-45% of Joe's score for any given round. And that is why Joe should spend at least half of his practice time on the putting green, practicing good technique and building a solid putting stroke.

"But," Joe cries, " I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to be doing! Why should I put all this time into something that I am doing wrong?" Ahh, you've come to the right place, my friend. Some of the simple answers to your complex problem are ahead. Read on...

Putting is all about confidence; practice breeds confidence and with confidence comes success. In order to be truly great, or even good at anything, one must practice. "Mechanics are open to change, with practice being the true key to putting," Jack Nicklaus once said. When we believe we can accomplish something, we are already giving ourselves an advantage. Putting isn't any different. But, in order to build confidence, we must learn and TRUST the fundamentals of good putting. As it is difficult to teach fundamentals on paper, we are going to focus on the mental side of putting in this article.

Observing and understanding the contour/composition of the green is the foremost technique employed by good putters. This process usually starts an hour or two before the ground itself on the practice putting green. Here you will be able to get a feel for the speed of the green, and if you are playing on a lesser quality course, the direction of the grain of the grass. Try to notice any water (rain, sprinklers, and dew, etc.) or sand on the green, as these elements will have an effect on putting. When you are preparing for a round on the practice green, be sure to start with short putts—say three feet from the hole—to build your confidence. Then, as you begin to get a sense of how the greens are rolling, move further away from the hole and stroke a few from different angles around the target.

Once you get onto the course itself and it comes time to putt, you'll want to look at the line of the putt from both sides of the hole. It is extremely beneficial to get two views of the putt; this way, you'll be sure to notice any slight elevation changes and/or irregularities that the ball will encounter. In addition, be sure to clear out any loose impediments from your line; putting is hard enough without rocks and pine straw affecting the ball.

The most basic, and in my opinion useful aiming technique is actually on the golf ball itself. Just like the best player on the planet, Tiger Woods, does, you too should use the label on the ball to line up your putt. Simply pick out the direction that you'll like to putt the ball, and align the label with your chosen path. You'll want to choose the label on the side of the ball, usually the one that states the compression, as this is generally the straightest label. Next, find the centerline on your putter, and put it directly behind the label. This will form one straight line that will give you an excellent visual representation of where your golf ball, in theory, will go.

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