Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
To ensure that golfers of all abilities are ready for the grand opening of the new Royal Golf Club, head professional Chris Kelby is sharing his advice for the perfect putt - make sure your first hit on Monty's fantastic new course is your proudest golfing memory! If you would like to practice Chris's tip as soon as possible, why not head down to the new public driving range at Bahrain Golf Club in Riffa?
There are many shots that you will need to be able to play, and play well on the new Colin Montgomerie course at the Royal Golf Club if you are to have success.
One aspect of the course where everyone will see an immediate difference will be on the greens, and the putter will be even more important to players than ever before and could well hold the key to posting a good score. Believe me, your scores will improve and you will have a far more enjoyable game if you practice the following.
Long putting - Work on touch and distance control
We've all done it - rushed to the putting green five minutes before our tee time, dropped three balls about 3 feet from the hole, hit the putts, then gone straight to the first hole and three-putted! Three-putting is one of the most frustrating things for a golfer. How many times do you hit the ball to 3 feet, particularly with the first approach of the day? Not many I imagine.
It makes much more sense to work on your long putts, in particular touch and distance control.
The greens at the Royal Golf Club are very large and undulating making the judgment of pace on long putts essential. You could very well find yourself facing a 40 yard putt - so why did you only practice the short ones?!
Long putts are all about judging the pace at which you roll the ball on the green. Think of it this way - the object is to see how close you can get the ball to the hole every time. The bonus is when, and if, the ball falls in.
Once you have picked your line and made the correct set-up, just think about pace when you are over the ball.
You need a smooth, flowing stroke. Think about bowling a ball - you would make a long, languid motion with your bowling arm and give the ball a good roll.
The ideal pace for the ball to travel is that which would see it roll about 18 inches past the hole should it miss, hence this drill.
Try the following exercise the next time you are on the putting green - lay a club down about 18 inches beyond the hole that you are putting at. Stand about 20 feet or so from the hole and try to get the balls to finish between the hole and the club.
This will remind you about putting a positive roll on the ball so that it holds its line. Alternate between your regular grip and just the right hand only to help improve your touch further.
It doesn't matter if the balls don't go in; it's about achieving the correct pace.
Most three putts are caused by incorrect pace on the first putt. Improve your touch and distance control and three-putting will become a much less frequent occurrence.
