Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
This week the Royal Golf Club's PGA Teaching Professional, Oliver Brown, gives you tips on brushing up your putting . AFTER hitting the ball as close to the hole as you can, it's just a matter of putting the ball into the hole so that you can move on to the next one. While this may sound easy given the relatively short distance, there are still some who have a hard time.
To help you out, here are three putting drills you can try.
The one handed drill: Try putting ten balls using only your lower hand. This drill lets you focus on the palm of your hand as it moves towards the cup. Next, practice putting using your top hand. The emphasis here is for you to concentrate on your back hand moving towards the cup. When you do this drill using either hand, be conscious of the toe of your putter in the follow-through. Should this turn away from the cup or point toward it, this indicates that you are turning your hand. So you know you are doing it right, the face of the putter should be square to the cup.
Putting with one eye: Some golfers do this because it stops them from lifting their head prematurely. If you have played this game often, you can even try putting with your eyes closed. Some people ask 'But won't closing your eyes make it impossible for you to see where the ball is going?' Yes, but research has shown that when you try to putt with your eyes open, there is interference with the brain/muscle control system. By closing your eyes, you are relying more on your hands, arms and feel to guide the ball into the hole. And how will you know if the ball goes in? By simply using your sense of hearing. To do this, you have to first practice putting with your eyes open at a range of ten feet from the hole. After putting these balls with your eyes open, do the same again with your eyes closed. Another eyes closed technique involves dropping some balls to the ground and just putting them. The objective here is simply to let you feel how the stroke flows back and forth. Do the same thing also with your eyes open. Now that you know the difference, try to incorporate that feeling when you are putting for real.
The alignment drill: Lay two clubs on the green about six inches apart, parallel to each other. Now putt the ball to see if your stroke is aligned at impact and steady on the back and forward stroke. Do this several times and if you get tired, take a break and rest for a while before resuming the drill.
Practicing the above drills will help you improve your game. Good luck and happy practicing!
