How to Putt Better: 7 Experts Share Their Top Tips

There are many resources available on how to play better putts. Putting is, without doubt, the most important aspect of the game.

It can be difficult for amateur players to decide which information is worth their time.

With putting tips, you don’t necessarily need to follow them all. Instead, it’s about getting a simple thought or feeling that can change the way you look at the game. Sometimes, all it takes to make things work on the golf course is one tip.

Putting has always been the weakest part of my game; however, by working through issues with routine, rhythm, and alignment, it’s become one of my strong points. There is always room to improve when it comes to putting.

 

Dave Stockton: Sinking Putts

Dave Stockton was my favorite player as a child. He was at top of the leaderboard every week, was a solid player, and won more money on the senior PGA Tour for the time being.

A good putter seems to be the best way to win money on tour.

Dave Stockton shares his top tips for putting in this video. There is a lot of information in this video, so I recommend taking it step by step.

Stockton’s analogy of putting to shooting pool is the tip most golfers can benefit from. Stockton talks of standing behind the ball while you approach. Pool requires that you are not just standing beside the ball to line up your shot. You must look down at the ball as you approach.

 

Clay Ballard: 2 To 1 Putting Stroke

Clay Ballard, a great instructor who is also a great golfer, knows how best to instruct the best players on the putting greens. Clay’s best tip is to remember that the pendulum stroke can be a bit misleading.

Golfers often believe that you can swing the club forward and back with a pendulum stroke. This is incorrect.

After doing some research on professional golfers, they discovered that they take the club back half as much as they move the putter forward. If you were going to time this, it wouldn’t be one for the backswing and one for the follow-through; instead, one on the backswing and two on the follow-through.

This tip teaches us that acceleration in the putting stroke can be incredibly important, and something professional golfers pay attention to.

It will feel shorter for amateur players, with a longer follow-through and a shorter backswing. The putts should be a little more bouncy off the clubface.

 

Matt Ballard: Keep Moving To Make Short Putts

Mall Ballard, another PGA Teaching Professional, has a unique way of teaching golf. We loved his video tips about making shorter putts that count, even when money, scores or trophies are at stake.

Tension is one of the problems players face when trying sink shorter putts. Tension builds up when you know in your head that you must hit the putt. Instead of feeling confident and smooth, your stroke feels forced and almost jerky.

The best way is to let go of the tension.

Of course, you can tell yourself to relax, but we know that doesn’t work all that well. Matt Ballard suggests that you keep moving. Don’t stand over the ball for so long that you feel locked in and stuff.

Move your feet and get more energy. This is the best way for your golf putting stroke to be less tension. Even in your hands, tension will decrease.

Lag putts are important and help you get close to the hole, but these short putts allow you to score, and Mall Ballard’s tip makes it much easier to get that done.

 

Dave Pelz: Circle Putting Drill

Dave Pelz, a short game and put expert, is an excellent resource. His knowledge and experience have made him one of the best putting instructors in the world. Pelz discusses everything, from distance control to speed control and alignment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk8ma48F-UE

Pelz encourages players to make a series 3 foot putts in this drill. These putts are placed in a circular formation around the hole, at a distance approximately 3 feet. You should get ten golf clubs to fit into this circle.
This drill has been used by Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson. They have had incredible success.

You will immediately notice if your putting stroke is correct and your alignment is correct when you make these putts. If you miss one, your stroke may not be consistent or your putter face is not aligned correctly.

Understanding where your mistakes come is an important part of becoming a better golfer. This drill will help you do that. If you get really good from 3 feet and want to move to 4 feet, it’s only going to help you the next time you try to shoot lower scores on the course.

 

Rickie Fowler – Take the Same Amount Of Time

Consistency in putting is crucial. You want to make sure your putting stroke is consistent each time you swing it. You can also increase the number putts you make by setting up the hole correctly.

Timing is an important aspect of any routine. Ricki Fowler speaks to Butch Harmon about his putting technique and how he does the same thing every time.

This video shows that the putting process does not change, even for shorter putts. It takes the same time to line up, gaze down the hole, and then make a stroke.

It is crucial that golfers have a consistent routine in their timing. This will help them get the feel for the putt and make lower scores. This is what helps our brains make more putts. Golf professionals are extremely consistent when it comes to their actions and movements on the putting course.

 

Tiger Woods is the only right-hander who puts.

Tiger Woods is undoubtedly one of the greatest putters the game has ever seen. In fact, his putting under pressure was something that didn’t even seem human for a while. One thing we do know about Tiger is his dedication to the putting course. He knows this is where tournaments can be won.

One of the most important aspects of putting, according to Tiger, is ensuring that the putter’s face is square at the address. Some golfers use an arc-style stroke to rotate the putter head open and square the address.

Others will be quick to take the club back and go all the way.

Tiger’s point is that it doesn’t matter which way you take the club back as long as you can consistently return to square every time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_XgRLg2fqM

He creates a drill for the putting green with two tees. These will serve as a guide to a square putter’s face. Tiger prefers to use a drill that allows him only to use his right hand to putt the putter.

This drill will help you to have a better starting line and putts that roll the right way. Additionally, consistency will be more evident if your right hand is properly integrated into your golf stroke before heading out to the fairway.

When they feel confident, some golfers will practice with their right-hand only.

Tiger will work on a drill such as this from approximately 4 feet away. You can make it longer but the putter head could start to wobble on longer putts which could negate the purpose of the drill.

Tiger has lots of other important information about putting. However, you will need to find the information that works best for you.

 

Britt Olizarowicz – Look Before You Go

I was inspired by all the great tips given by the best golfers and coaches to share my own. I’m not sure of the origin of this tip, but I know that it has helped me in my ability to make more putts on the golf course.

Amateur golfers have a difficult time focusing on hitting the ball. Although we need to contact the ball, our main goal in putting is to get the ball into the hole.

We need to concentrate on the hole to properly roll the ball into it.

Most putting routines involve players standing over the ball for too long. They don’t look down the line at the hole after being set up to putt. This technique seems to allow our brains forget the original goal, I believe.

The goal is to get the ball to the hole. Before I make a stroke, the last thing I do is look at the hole. This method has been so effective that I now incorporate it into my full swing. Before I pull the trigger on any shot I take, the last thing I do is look at the hole.

I look at the hole, then look down at the ball and go.

This will depend on your game. It’s intended to happen slowly and with a smooth feel, but if you can be smart about allowing your brain the time it needs to look at the hole, you will putt better.