Putting tips in golf

Most duffers could do more to lower their scores and handicap by improving their total putts per round than focusing on any other aspect of the game. As you think about your last round or two you will come to understand my point.

Learning to putt well consistently begins with sound putting fundamentals and proper putting mechanics. Stroking the putt well is only about half of what it takes to make more putts.
What is the fastest way to ruin a well stroked putt? If you fail to understand how to read the green even your perfectly struck putt will miss its' target most every time.

Knowing how the slope, grain, gravity, wind and speed will affect your putt is vital to making the correct allowances that gives your putt a reasonable chance of dropping into the cup.

How well do you read greens? Can you easily and quickly predict the fall line for each putt? Can you tell which direction the grain is running? What other factors could affect the putt as it moves toward the hole?

7 Tips to Reading the Greens" below:
1. Greens are generally sloped back to front. Putts are slower going front to back; faster back to front.

2. Take a general survey of the green as you approach it noting the contours between your ball and the cup.

3. Notice your surroundings, which direction is the lake or river? Where is the high ground? These land features will influence the roll of your putt.

4. Also take not of the color variances on the green from behind your ball. Darker areas mean your putt is into the grain and will be slower. Shiny areas mean y you putt is with the grain and will be faster.

5. Grass grows toward the sun. If your shadow is between you and the cup, you will be putting into the grain. Is your shadow behind you? Then you are putting with the grain.

6. Is there moisture on the surface of the green? Are the greens soft from rain or watering? If so your putts are slower.

7. How windy is it? If the wind is sufficient to disturb your clothing or the trees nearby then you can expect the green to be dry and fast. Also the wind will affect the speed and direction of your putt.

I suggest you begin to apply these tips to see your putts per round improve. Even just one of these seven tips could help you to lower you score on your very next round. Think about it this way. If each tip saves you just one putt per round then this information could lower your score by seven strokes.

Most duffers would give their last dollar for seven fewer strokes.
Save some strokes off your next round and take these tips with you to the course the next time you play. Who knows, it may be your lowest round ever.

Every now and again some enlightened golf teacher will mention the obvious fact that putting and golf are really two different games. Even then, they don't really address the differences required in the techniques.

In golf, you have very large targets. They can be fairways, or they can be greens. Either way, there are a nearly infinite number of places on each that your ball can end up and still be in good shape.

The target shrinks down to 4 ¼ inches once you reach the green. The hole. There are no longer an infinite number of acceptable places you can finish. And not only is the target substantially smaller, but you must also hit it at the correct speed if you want the ball to fall in.