Putting question??

Question

I seriously suck at putting. I have a really hard time determining where to line up my putter for a stroke. What is a easy way to help me get a more exact putt? I usually hit it to much to the left or to the right. I hope this made some since.

Answer 1

I don't think aligning your putter is the problem. If you're hitting the ball too far to the left or right I would question your ability to read the putt, by that I mean the contour of the green, the speed of the green, which way the ball is going to roll and how fast it's going to roll. That's not something the can be taught in this forum. You need an experienced golfer or an instructor to give you hands-on advice while on a practice green. There must be someone willing to help you at the course you play. Once you learn to read greens your number of putting strokes per round will come down drastically but it takes dedicated practice to master it.

Answer 2

what you describe may be the result of misalignment, or putter stroke plane, or inaccurate reading of the putt line.  I'd advise a pro look at you whil putting to determine the exact cause or causes of your putting woes.

Answer 3

Wow this is seriously hard to answer. But let's try.

Putting is a personal thing but all good putters have one thing in common so I would suggest you watch and try and emulate the good tour pros.

I will give you two tips to get started on:

Firstly make sure that your eyes are directly over the ball when you address it.

Secondly remember that the imaginary straight line along the front of your toes should extend in a straight line to the same distance left of the hole (if you are right handed and right if you are left handed) as the distance of your toes to the ball at address. You should be hitting the ball along a perpindular line to your toe line.

A lot of players make the mistake of lining their toes up with the hole.  That is wrong.

Hope that helps.

Answer 4

The T and the Y concept is probably the best practice tips for putting.  Just imagine your shoulders are at the left and right top ends of the T and Y is your two arms and the putter.  Make sure you are somewhat bent over the ball to the Y is handing down from your shoulders.

Now only move your shoulder to 'swing' the Y like a pendulum without moving your head or body.  The result is your putter will move in a straight horizontal line and hit the ball square and forward.

Answer 5

To line up your putt, first try placing the ball onto the green has you squat behind your spot looking ot the hole.  Now when placing  the ball align the label of the ball towards where you think you should hit to.  Some have a special little tool that allows you to draw a straight line around your ball and use this line instead of the label.  Then when you address the ball you can align your stance to that line.

When you strike the ball, really watch the ball's label or line....if the line wiggles off course you have not struck the ball squarely with the ball...if the line consistently rolls on line you struck the ball well and maybe just miss read the putt.

Putting should also be done with most of your weight on your front foot and the ball directly under your nose...this will help produce a pendulum type swing......PRACTICE !

Putting is almost 1/2 your game !

Answer 6

people tend to have three problems that are difficult for them to notice themselves.  the first and most important is your head.  if you are lifting your head up too soon the putter won't remain square through impact and will go all over the place.  you should look at the ball throughout the stroke and where the ball was after you make contact.  a good drill to correct this is to set up about 6 ft. from the hole and instead of watching the putt fall, keep your head down and listen for it to fall.  the next problem is too much movement.  the putting stroke requires you to move nothing but your shoulders.  your arms should remain in the exact same position throughout the stroke as should your head and lower body.  the last one is people tend to break their wrists after contact.  notice the angle of your left wrist (if your right handed) when you address the ball and look at it again at the end of the stroke.  the angle should remain identical.  the lifting of the head will cause a push to the right and breaking your wrists will cause a pull to the left.  too much body movement will cause you to do both.  next time you're on the putting green just ask someone who knows what they're doing to have a look and watch for those three things.  good luck and keep practicing.

Answer 7

To improve your putting.Try this.Imagine your arms and the putter are a Y. When you putt it's only the Y that moves.You should position yourself with the ball in the middle of your stance and your head should be looking down at the ball.Practice taking the putter back slowly to the edge of your right foot and then putt.See how far the ball goes with just that small putt.To increase the distance the ball goes just takes a wee bit of practice. The rest of us have problems putting as well. So stick in.

Answer 8

It sounds as though you can't "read the green" in other words you don't know how much to aim left or right depending on how the slope of the green will effect the putt.  There is only one cure for this and it is practice.  But remember this, all putts are straight if you hit them hard enough.  Just don't miss though or you'll have a long one coming back.

Answer 9

When lining up for a putt, imagine the letter "T"  the horizontal bar is your putter line while the vertical line is your center of gravity.

The alignment of your putting line, your feet, knees and hips should be at "0 - 180 degrees".  

As for the strength of the stroke, always image distance to the hole.   It's like shopping,  you don't give the cashier $100 for a $3 cup of coffee right?  You give him the exact amount.  That's how your attitude should be when putting.

Answer 10

Most good putters have their eyes directly above the ball...start checking your set up there.