Golf Tip
Junior Golf Tip: How to Improve Your Putting
Putting is an integral part of golf and knowing how to putt can save you vital strokes during a round. Whether you are playing for practice at your local course, or are in the middle of a high-stakes tournament, if you are unsuccessful on the green, you can see a promising score evaporate right before your eyes. However, with consistent training for both the mental and mechanical sides of putting, you will be able improve your game and avoid costly errors. Targeted golf training for putting should focus on reading the green, in addition to your position and the power of your swing.
Reading the Green
Many of the mistakes that lead to missed putts stem from inaccurately reading the green. Golfers tend to judge a putt simply by glancing at the hole and determining how much power to put behind the ball to get it to the cup. This is especially true for younger golfers looking to hone their skills as they develop. They forget to check the slope of the green and accurately see the distance of the putt so they can best visualize the line needed to make the shot.
As previously mentioned, the two largest components that factor into a putt are distance and slope. Without the ability to gauge both you will have trouble finding consistency on the green. There are a few methods used by professional golfers to judge distance and break. First, it is important to get the best vantage point when determining how far you are from the hole. A good tip to remember is to always look into the slope, which means that you should see a downhill putt from behind the hole and stand behind the ball if the putt is going uphill.
This allows your mind to better process the true distance between the ball and cup. For slope, you can place coins halfway between the ball and hole on either side and scan the green horizontally to see the direction of break. This will allow you to reduce guesswork as you prepare to take your shot.
Practice, Practice, Practice
The best way to improve your putting mechanics is by working with your golf team coach or trainer regularly. Doing so will help you get into a routine for approaching each shot. In a tournament setting it can be difficult to stay calm and eliminate distractions, so knowing what to do before you find yourself in the situation will help keep your focus on putting.
Golf training at IJGA Junior Golf Camps will help you improve your green reading abilities, as well as the touch and power needed to sink your putts. As you develop all aspects of your golf game, including driving, approach shots, and the mental side, make sure to spend time on putting, as well. This can be done in a designated zone at your local course so you can practice with different breaks and angles.