Putting is perhaps the most mental aspect of the game of golf. The ball is just sitting there on the green and you can take as much or as little time as you want to hit your putts. Learning how to putt well will require discipline and effort on your part as it is a continuous process.
If you really want to realize your full potential as a putter then you will need to master the mental aspects of putting. However this does not mean that putting mechanics are not important. It is important to pick a putting style and putter you like and then stick with that approach and focus on the mental game to elevate your putting success.
A good mechanical tip is to keep your eyes directly over the ball as you putt. This will help you to see the line of the putt better. There are so many different putting styles and techniques that can work so the best thing to do is to try some of them and then make a firm decision to pick one approach and stick with that.
Do not try to chase the perfect putting stroke because it will lead to all kinds of putting problems. You may even end up developing the yips so stick with one mechanical approach and even just one putter unless it gets damaged and you need a replacement. Think of your putter as your own child. You would not just abandon it and replace it every few months would you? Of course, get the best quality putter you can to start with but do not change it if your putting starts to falter.
Rather look to the mental game to improve your putting results. Once you have a putting style and putter picked out you need to train your putting mechanics regularly. Often it is best to do this without hitting putts to a hole so just use your putter and a golf ball and do the necessary drills to keep your mechanics solid. You can even do this at home if you like.
The mental game of putting is a constant challenge as you will need to work on it both on the course and off. You will need to observe your thoughts and ask yourself whether or not the way you are thinking will help you or hurt you in developing more confidence as a putter. Confidence is the key factor you must build and maintain to be a consistently solid putter.
Your mind and body are extremely effective at judging the distance of a putt and executing the mechanics necessary to get the putt to the hole at the right speed and direction. However you need to avoid trying to actively think of distance or mechanics as you are about to strike the putt. You must develop a quiet mind that is focused sharply on the target when you are about to hit your putts.
Before you strike your putt you need to pick out a target. The break of a putt can influence the target you select. A good approach is to make all putts straight putts so if you think a putt will break 3 feet to the left then pick a target that is 3 feet to the right of the hole or imagine another hole 3 feet to the right of the real hole and putt to that.
Once you have selected a target you need to stay focused on that and only think of that as you strike the putt. Do not think about putting mechanics or how you missed the last putt or about dinner or anything else for that matter. Just let your mind and body work to automatically make the best stroke possible and eliminate distractions by staying focused on the target.
When it comes to reading greens the best thing to do is to trust your first impression. Take your time when you step up to a green and take a good look at your putt even from different angles but then come with a good first impression and then trust it. Apply some of these strategies to become the best putter you can be.
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