Author: Jeff O'Brien

Article:
Putting is such an important part of your golf score. It is the
part of your golf game that itself is a game. In order to become
a good golfer... you have to be able to putt well.

Think of your putter as just another club in your bag for a
moment. In a normal round of 18 golf holes, let's say you use
this club we call the putter just twice per hole. That's 36
times you and your putter will have the opportunity to affect
your golf score! Are going to hit your driver 36 times? Or your
7 iron 36 times? Not hardly.

Yet with such overwhelming statistics, most mid to higher
handicap golfers really don't spend enough time working on their
putting. In reality, it is the putter that can most rapidly
improve your game. Just imagine, by improving your putting you
could easily save yourself 10 strokes per round by consistently
making those 4 to 6 foot putts and rarely three putting. That's
going from a golf score of 100 to 90 or 90 to 80! That's very
significant.

So with renewed focus and enthusiasm for improving our putting,
let's take a look at a few tips we can use to doing so.

Position the ball slightly forward (toward your front foot) in
your stance. You want your eyes just slightly behind the ball.
>From this position you will be able to get a good sight line
between your ball the intermediate target in your putting line.

The grip is the 'feel' you have for the putt and these days
there are numerous variations of putting grips. The important
concept here is that you realize that your grip (hands) should
not be used to take away or manipulate the putter through the
stroke. The putting stroke originates and is implanted through a
pendulum type motion provided by the shoulders. Not the hands.
Find a grip that is comfortable for you and one that you can
keep inactive during the putt.

Once you commit to your putting line, pick out a target on that
line that is just ahead of your ball. Now visualize an imaginary
line that runs from your target line just ahead of your ball
back through the ball and right through the center of your
putter. You want your putter face to be absolutely square to
your line. Once you've done this don't adjust your grip, body
position or anything, else you risk losing your perspective.

The putting stroke like all your golf swings is one of rhythm.
It is accomplished through a pendulum motion of the shoulders.
The key is to minimize all other body movement and don't follow
the putter through the stroke with your head. Any body or head
movement will greatly increase the possibility that your putter
face will move off of square to your line.

And finally, always work to achieve the same stroke distance and
tempo through the golf ball as you had going away from the golf
ball. Your putting stroke should be of equal length both back
and through.

Consistently allocating a portion of your practice time to your
putting stroke is without doubt the easiest and quickest way to
start shaving strokes off your golf score. If you only eliminate
but one putt for every other hole, you'll immediately take 9
strokes off your score... not a bad return from your putter at
all.

About the author:
Jeff O'Brien offers instruction and insight on golf that will
get your golf swing and golf game on track or off to a good
start by establishing a good foundation on which you will build
your golf swing and game. Be sure to visit (http://www.golf-ology.com) for more of Jeff's golf tips and online golf lessons.

• http://www.davidbutcher.net/recommended/golfswing Simple Golf Swing Ebook: Unlock Your Hidden Potential by Discovering the Golf Swing that is Delivering Consistent, Accurate Distance to thousands of golfers world-wide. This Information can't be found ANYWHERE else
• http://www.davidbutcher.net/recommended/golfoption Golf Options: Hit Fairways Your Way: This program is about laying out the options that golfers have, and the results that they can expect with various changes that they make to their setup. Many golfers use this book to help cure a slice, or to regain lost distance.