Free Golf Putting Tips: Improve your Putting

Practice and get Lessons in Putting!

How often do you practice your stroke, alignment, changing your grip, or even having a putting lesson? Never thought of it? - In that case, "Take a lesson" is probably one of the best tips I could give you, so follow these few steps below. These are the more important golf putting tips you need to follow. Do think seriously of having an instructor or an experienced golfer teach you how to perform the putt hands on, as you will learn faster from a person than carrying a book of golf putting tips out onto the practice course with you but do keep these tips in mind at all times.

Don’t forget “Ball Position”

An important factor in golf is the ball position. Don’t forget it is the back of the ball that you’re stroking with the putter, and not the centre. It’s a good idea to teach yourself that the back of the ball is in the middle of your stance, or slightly forward of this, if you are using a square-to-square stroke.

Work on your Short Putts first

If you need to improve you short putts, one of the best putting tips I have found is to “putt to a dime”. – It’s a great way to improve focus and concentration levels! Use a small dime or any other coin (smaller the better) and putt the golf ball toward it. When you get the hang of this you will find it much easier when the target is a larger hole in the ground. Another great putting tip is to sink five in a row from a one foot distance, then from two feet distance, and then three feet, you get it? If you miss one you have to go back and start over and don’t move up in distance until you get all five. This should improve you putting accuracy at least three or four fold!

Eye on a Dime

Place a dime or any other coin behind the ball, and then keep your eyes focused on the coin all through your stroke. Do not give in to the urge to follow the golf ball with your eyes after the putter impacts the ball, especially on shorter putts. Just maintain you eye focus on the coin rather than following it’s path with your eyes head and shoulders.

The “Eyes Closed” Trick

The “eyes close” putting technique is well known throughout the golfing community.

Q. What exactly is accomplished when golfers close their eyes on golf putts?

A. Michael Lamanna, Director of Instruction at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz, says, "There are many examples of tour players who have struggled with their stroke and have resorted to these techniques. For instance; when a golfer loses confidence in their performance on the golf field, it is possible to relieve some of the self-doubt by focusing on the hole rather than the golf ball itself.” Also, by closing their eyes completely. The given effect is that of a clearing of the mind, a getting away from ball-focus, from being too mechanical and allowing the well-honed "feel" of the golfer to take over.

Q. So can recreational or otherwise novice golfers use these techniques in our putting?

A. Well, it's not usually a good idea for a recreational golfer to close their eyes during play. Most of us have enough trouble with our eyes open! But there are ways to incorporate the eyes-closed technique in your practice routines that can help you develop better feel in your putting stroke or in your full swing.

The Bullseye Trick

Three-foot putts or more can really mess with your head if you let them. A really good golf putting tip to solve this is to imagine a bullseye attached to the back of the cup. This then encourages the player to accelerate the putter through to the hole and maintain the clubface’s movement square to the hole. This technique is used and recommended by one of the all time great putters, Seve Ballesteros.

Keep your head still!

Keeping your head still is very important for solid contact with the golf ball and consistent putting. Try focusing on keeping your head still even after the golf club has hit the ball. Players who move their head to soon after contact with the ball are known to move their heads earlier and earlier every time and eventually move their head before the golf club strikes the bal, thus losing a shot. Early head movement also causes the player’s shoulders to open and results in the putter cutting across the ball and makes the golf ball travel in the wrong direction. Also, try the “eyes closed” putting trick in conjunction with this tip. You will be amazed!


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