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Think again. It’s a game within a game and is about 40% - 50% of a round but we still go to the practice ground or driving range and thrash away perfecting our faults with a driver. I know it’s fun but  80% of all shots lost are from 100 yards down. 

Here are some points on what you have to take into consideration to improve your putting, the fastest route to lowering your handicap. 

This is just the start on this subject and we will be adding more including answers to a lot of the points before the season starts. 

Putter
It’s your most important club and needs to suit your distance from fingertips to ground to determine length and lie angle. Lie angle may not change much but the average length of putters on tour are under 33’’ with Phil Mickelson having one of the shortest at 28’’.  Despite this you will find the majority of putters available are between 34″ - 35″ in length.

Reason for putters being shorter is that the address position has now more bend from the waist up and eyes are over the ball with the head looking down the line of the putt when turned. 

Tour Pros are usually now hooked up to 14 club contracts so they have to use the putter made by their sponsors. Often they are using putters that are not their choice but we know they can be paid up to $800,000 so don’t be fooled by who you see using the same brand of putter as their clubs.

Buy what you like the look of and ask for advice about the length.

1a. Mallet, blade, centre shaft, heel shaft, offset etc.
2a. Length
3a. Headweight
4a. Grip thickness
5a. Loft
6a. Lie angle
7a. Sits square
8a. Identify sweet spot
9a. Face balanced

 Mechanics
Any one of these actions that is not performed correctly can result in missed putts.

1b. Neutral grip
2b. Grip pressure
3b. Stance width
4b. Feet alignment
5b. Shoulder alignment
6b. Eyes over ball
7b. Right or left eye dominant
8b. Alignment
9b. Arms are just an extension of the putter
10b. Length of backswing
11b. Length of follow through
12b. Tempo
13b. Path of backswing
14b. Path of follow through
15b. Angle of strike – steep or shallow
16b. Ball roll
17b. Ball skip
18b. Side spin
19b. Wrist action
20b.Hand position

 Green Reading
All of these factors determine whether you play for more or less break.

 1c. Hard green - less break
2c. Soft green - more break
3c. Dry green - less break
4c. Wet Green - more break
5c. Afternoon - less break
6c. Morning - more break
7c. Bermuda or Kikuyu grass - more break
8c. Bent, Fescue or Rye grass - less break
9c. Downhill - less break
10c. Uphill - more break
11c. Downhill wind behind - less break
12c. Uphill wind against - more break
13c. Down grain - less break
14c. Up grain - more break
15c. Crosswind with slope - less break
16c. Crosswind against slope - more break

Mental Approach
Last but not least and more to come on this important aspect.

1d. Observation
2d. Visualisation
3d. Relax
4d. Lower hearbeat