Keep Your Head Still
A still head is crucial to solid contact and consistent putting. Focus on keeping your head still well after impact. Head movement causes the shoulders to open and your putter to cut across the ball. Also, try putting with your eyes closed. You’ll be amazed at the results!
Putting Games
Need work on your short putts? One of my favorite drills is to putt to a dime—it’s great for improving focus and concentration! Another favorite putting drill is to sink five in a row from one foot, then from two feet, then three feet, and so on. Miss one? Sorry, you have to start over! And you can’t go up in distance until you’ve made all five. That should occupy you until tee time.
Pull the Rope!
I’ve found that most people with a slice problem cut across the ball on the downswing. To learn the correct path for the club head to follow, think of a rope attached to a tree above you. From the top of the backswing, you should feel that you’re pulling the rope straight down. This forces the right elbow to stay close to your side. It also gives your stroke the correct inside path, and improves your ability to swing out toward the target rather than across the ball.
Hold Up the Ball
Many golfers let the left knee collapse toward the right on the backswing. This causes your shoulder to drop, and makes your hips sway and overturn. To fix this, imagine your left knee going out toward the target on the backswing. You should feel tension and stability in both knees. Can’t quite get it? Try this: Imagine that you’re holding a basketball between your knees. Give it a try, you’ll be amazed!
Be a Hitchhiker
Think of placing your right hand in a “hitchhiker” position. This means that when the club is at waist height, you should be able to look back and see your thumb pointing to the sky. Here’s another trick: Imagine that your hand is in a handshake position, with the palm facing neither up nor down. These simple thoughts will ensure the beginning of your swing is correct!
A still head is crucial to solid contact and consistent putting. Focus on keeping your head still well after impact. Head movement causes the shoulders to open and your putter to cut across the ball. Also, try putting with your eyes closed. You’ll be amazed at the results!
Putting Games
Need work on your short putts? One of my favorite drills is to putt to a dime—it’s great for improving focus and concentration! Another favorite putting drill is to sink five in a row from one foot, then from two feet, then three feet, and so on. Miss one? Sorry, you have to start over! And you can’t go up in distance until you’ve made all five. That should occupy you until tee time.
Pull the Rope!
I’ve found that most people with a slice problem cut across the ball on the downswing. To learn the correct path for the club head to follow, think of a rope attached to a tree above you. From the top of the backswing, you should feel that you’re pulling the rope straight down. This forces the right elbow to stay close to your side. It also gives your stroke the correct inside path, and improves your ability to swing out toward the target rather than across the ball.
Hold Up the Ball
Many golfers let the left knee collapse toward the right on the backswing. This causes your shoulder to drop, and makes your hips sway and overturn. To fix this, imagine your left knee going out toward the target on the backswing. You should feel tension and stability in both knees. Can’t quite get it? Try this: Imagine that you’re holding a basketball between your knees. Give it a try, you’ll be amazed!
Be a Hitchhiker
Think of placing your right hand in a “hitchhiker” position. This means that when the club is at waist height, you should be able to look back and see your thumb pointing to the sky. Here’s another trick: Imagine that your hand is in a handshake position, with the palm facing neither up nor down. These simple thoughts will ensure the beginning of your swing is correct!