Putting Tips

Skip Kendall, PGA Tour Professional

 

1) Address and Setup

a. Body Position - bend at the waist with arms hanging freely

i. Knees slightly bent, positioned over the balls of the feet
ii. Rock shoulders first without a club to feel motion
iii. Putter stays on line 4 inches back and 4 inches through

 

b. Arm Structure - Arms straight and connected to the putter shaft (align with shaft of putter)

• If using a claw grip, this applies especially to the left arm
• Elbows do not rest on the hips

c. Handle Position

• Relative position of putter handle to belly button remains constant
• Minor change may occur on very long putts

d. Core Engagement - engage your core to stay balnced

 

2) Stroke Length

a.  Backstroke is always longer than the forward strokeat about a 2:1 ratio

 

3) Mental Focus

a. Avoid outcome orientation 

• Focus of rhythm and process - NOT make or miss
• Even if everything is perfect - you can still miss a putt.

4) Train Your Routine

a. Time your entire routine

b. It should be identical from one putt to the next

 

5) Stroke Timing

a. The putting stroke is a one - two count.

b. You can use a metronome to find your speed

 

6) Lining up Your Putt

a. Modern brain science suggests we should take our practice strokes behind the ball.

b. Stand behind the ball ad practice your stroke 1-2, 1-2 based on your speed

 

7) Stepping up and putting

a. Step up to ball and get your putting stance.

b. Once you've got stance set:

1. Look at ball on 'one' count

2. Look at the hole for counts 'two, three and four'

3. Look back at ball for 'five' and then...

4. Stroke it '6-7'