Putting
1. Set Up
o Similar to a full swing set up, you must ensure that
your feet are aiming in the correct direction. Take care
that you don’t actually aim your feet at the hole but that
they aim parallel left of the target.
o To ensure correct alignment, place one club down in
front of the ball, aiming at the target and another club
parallel to the first. If your toes are level with this club,
this would be described as a square stance.
o Check that your putter is held with the face square or
perpendicular to the target line.
o Place you feet hip width apart - this is narrower than
you would place your feet for a full swing. Check that
your feet point forwards.
o The ball should be placed between your feet in a
similar position to that of a normal 6 iron shot (2-3
inches inside your left instep).
o Knees should be lightly flexed but not bent, and the body weight should be spread
50%-50% between the toes and heels as well as 50%-50% between your left and
right foot.
o Your posture will naturally tilt forwards more than a full swing due to the length of the
putter being so short. Allow this to happen but try to resist slumping or hunching
over the ball. When setting up, position your left eye directly over the ball. Check
this by dropping a ball from your left eye socket and seeing if it lands right in front of
your putter.
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2. The Putter Grip
o Start by taking your normal full swing grip, and then
unlink your fingers so that you are holding the club
baseball style.
o Now extend your right index finger down the shaft
so that it points towards the ball. Repeat with your
left index finger, which should now lay over your
right hand finger nails. Splinting the grip in the fingers
like this should allow you to feel more connected to
the club and also be more aware of any wrist hinge.
o You may feel more comfortable trying different grips.
As you will see from watching tour players, there are
many successful variations. Try using any of the alternative grips depicted in the
photos below, to see the one that gives you a greater level of success.
Pen or Pencil Grip. Claw Grip. Cross Handed Grip.
The right hand holds The right hand This is similar to the
the putter in the makes a claw shape traditional overlapping
same way it would holding the putter putter grip described
hold a pen or pencil. between the middle above, except the hands
fingers. are switched so that left
handed is now the
lowest on the grip.
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3. Distance Control & Three Putting
o In order to judge distances more accurately, you need to
have a backswing and follow through movement that
match each other in length. For example, if you draw the
club back by 6 inches, you should stroke the club through
by the same 6 inches.
o For longer putts, you should make a longer stroke and
conversely a shorter putt requires a shorter stroke. It may
sound obvious but most club golfers vary the speed or
strength of the stroke as well as the length which gives
you two things to think about. The speed or rhythm of
all your putts stays the same.
o A huge majority of 3 putts on the course are due to poor
distance control with your first putt. Although the line of
the first putt is important, very rarely will you 3 putt because
you missed left or right by a mile but hit the ball a perfect
distance. It is much more common to hit the ball on a good
line but under or over hit the ball by 6 feet.
o To master distance control, make practice strokes whilst
looking at the hole rather than looking down at your feet.
With each practice stroke, feel how far the ball will travel
and whether you need to make a shorter or longer stroke.
o The perfect distance for any first putt is 18 inches past the
hole. This gives the ball the best chance of going into the hole,
and also the best chance of making sure you can hole the next
putt should the first one miss.
o For long putts, try this routine: make a practice stroke that
is obviously too long and will send the ball too far. Then make
a practice stroke that is obviously too short and will leave the
ball short. Then make a stroke in between those two and go
ahead and make your putt with that length of stroke.
Putting Drill #1: 30 Putts
o Take 4 tee pegs and one ball to an area of the practice green
that has a small slope around one hole.
o Next, place the tee pegs 1 putter’s length (roughly 1 meter)
away from the hole at the four compass points.
o Now take 10 putts working your way around the four tee pegs
counting how many putts you take.
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o Now set the tee pegs back another club length (2 meters from the hole) and repeat
with 10 balls again
o Repeat one more time, this time from 3 meters away. You should now have hit 30
balls in total. Your target should be to hole 20 of these putts. How did you do?
Putting Drill# 2: Train lines
o Start by laying two club shafts down on the ground parallel to your intended target
and about 6 inches apart.
o Now slowly rock your putter between the two shafts, ensuring that the putter face
stays between the shafts and remains square.
o Now place a ball between the shafts and try holing a few putts.
o Finally, remove the clubs and try holing a few more putts.
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