What Great Putters Do

A guest post from Kevin Sprecher, Director of Instruction at Sleepy Hollow CC.

Kevin Sprecher

Great putters are not born, they are individuals who work hard on their skills and have excelled. All great putters are not alike.  However, they do have a few things in common. First, great putters believe they are great. They have tremendous confidence in their ability. Second, they hit the same spot on the face consistently. It’s usually the center but many hit it off center, just the same spot all the time. Hitting the same spot consistently aids in speed control. Third, they are comfortable with their setup and setup the same way every time. Fourth, they read the greens correctly. Fifth, they consistently start the ball on their target line. Lastly, they have great speed control.

If you want to become a great putter work on try these drills:

1. Use impact tape to see where you strike the face of the putter. Try to hit an area smaller than the top of a tee.
2. Work on a comfortable setup position. Use a mirror to work on alignment, distance to the ball, posture and balance.
3. Practice reading greens. I find it easier to read a green when I know where the straight putt is located. Walk to the right and left of your ball and find the straight putt. This helps you to decipher the break.
4. Use a chalk line to practice rolling the ball on your target line. Snap a 15’ line down and hit putts in three foot increments. This drill also helps with club face alignment.
5. Practice hitting several putts the same distance. Take five balls and putt them to an area (not a hole). See if you can get all the balls within a club length of each other.

If you are successful with these drills your putting will improve and your confidence will grow. If you are still struggling consult with a PGA golf professional.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf