In this topic we learn all about the golfers most precise shot, The Putt, a hole is always finished by putting or rolling the ball into the hole using a putter, it’s very important to master this skill as it makes up 40% of all the shots in a round.
Putting is done with a putter, it is the shortest Club in the bag ad it is designed for precision with a flat head that will make the ball roll without lifting it, There are different types, shapes and forms of putter, it depends on your personal preferences to chose the club to use, remember that you need to feel comfortable with its weight and its contact with the ball.
There are two types of putters, Mallet putters and Blade putters. Mallet putters have larger club head and are usually heavier and better balanced, they are easier to use and are recommended for new golfers. Blade putters have a smaller club head and are simpler in design, they offer traditional looks and are used widely by professional golfers.
How and when to put, The putter is used on the green, after hitting a successful approach shot get your putter and aim to roll the ball in the hole, the surface of the green is closely trimmed to allow precise shot. The putter can also be used from the area close to the green where the grass is cut shot.
We now know the basics of putting, in the following two parts we will learn in detail how to put:: How to put in a straight line, How to control the power.
How to put in a straight line
How to control your putting stroke? to control the trajectory of the ball when putting you need to define and work on the set up and green reading. The set up to putting is different that the set up to the swing, the ideal putting set up can be defined by having your body over the ball, the eyes directly over the ball, legs little open as comfortable as you can be, body weight divided on the center of your feet and finally legs and head stable only the arms and the part of the body between the head and the legs moving. When making the put always make sure to have your head fixed and your legs fixed and comfortable.
Then come the reading of the green, the green is not a flat ground it can be upward or downward, make sure you understand the ground on the green to help draw a trajectory in your head.
One of the main element of controlling the trajectory of the ball on the green is to imagine the line and draw the line in your head before making the put, this will help you focus on the power and movements of your body to get the ball in the line that you want it to go and ultimately put it in the hole.
There are plenty of exercises to help you master this skill, one of them and the most used one consist of putting two tees and trying to move the putter in between them to make sure that you hit the ball in the correct way,repeat the exercise until you hit the ball consistently.
How to control the power
The power you hit the ball on the green is one of the main elements of having succesulf scores around the green, it starts with trying and choosing the putter that better suits you and that will make you comfortable when putting.
To determine the amount of power you need to exercise on the putter to hit the ball, you need to know the surface of the green and the distance from the hole. After determining if the surface is upward or downward and measuring approximately the distance, prepare the set up and move to hit the ball, the longer the distance the more power you need.
You need to practice on the green as much as you can to determine the power you and make this automated process, use different distances and different slopes.
