Become a Better Putter Before You Putt
If you struggle with putting, it comes down to one problem: you lack confidence in your ability to putt. Therefore to make you a better putter your confidence level first must be elevated. In this article I am going to boost your confidence by laying out a pre-shot routine that is going to prepare you to putt your best each time.
Your New Approach
It is important to keep your target in mind. In golf, the target is, of course, the hole. I want you to imagine that you are Michael Jordan about to make a foul shot. You would go to the line, bounce the ball three times, and after the third bounce, you would take a deep breath. As you exhaled you would let the ball go.
Throughout this pre foul shot routine -other than maybe looking down for a split second as we bounced the ball – we would be looking at the basket the entire time. Keeping an eye on the target is key for executing a successful foul shot. It is equally important for a putt.
Unfortunately, the average golfer does the exact opposite when they putt. If they have a routine at all it involves looking at the ball and the putter head about 90 percent of the time they are standing over the putt. The target, or the line we intend to roll the ball on, becomes an afterthought. Hence the old saying “out of sight out of mind”.
Here is a simple 2-step system to prepare you to putt.
A. We are going to start off behind the ball with our chest towards the hole much like the position we would be at the foul line. This is where we are going to spend the majority of our pre-shot routine. While looking at the hole, visualize the line the putt will take going into the hole. We then will take three practice swings with the distance and speed in mind while still looking at the hole.
B. We will now move into our set up postion over the ball. We will not be in this position very long. For the first time, we are looking at the ball and the putter head. We will only take enough time to line up to our intended target. Look to the target line one last time, confirming all systems are go, before finally looking back down and striking the putt without hesitation.
This pre-shot routine will make you a better putter. The more time you spend looking at the hole your confidence is going to grow and grow.
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