Putting

Over 70% of the game of golf is played less than a hundred yards from the hole. Women golfers can especially benefit by approaching their golf game from this perspective because it takes a long time to build up enough upper body strength to develop a longer drive. That said, how many times have you added shots to your score on the green due to three- and four-putts?

State of Mind

One of the most important things for women golfers to realize about putting, and about golf in general, is that although it is not as easy as it looks, negative thinking will kill you every time. Walking into a putt with freight-train brain, trying to remember whether or not you shut the refrigerator door or if you paid the cable bill on time is the best way to miss a shot that you have the ability to make.

Golf experts emphasize the value of quieting your mind while putting. Rather than vigorously trying to push intrusive thoughts away, simply acknowledge them, and make a conscious decision to instead pay attention to your intention of making this putt. Confidence and a positive frame of mind make up at least 50% of the battle.

Rhythm

The key is finding your natural, comfortable body rhythm. It’s different for everyone but easier for women golfers. Dave Pelz, in his book 10 Minutes a Day to Better Putting, suggests that you only need the following items to find the natural swing that will suit you for the rest of your life:

1. Two pillows set up on the floor approximately 18 inches apart.
2. A metronome.
3. Your putter.




Start the metronome on 90 beats per minute and shut your eyes. Swing your putter in time with the metronome, tapping the pillows in turn. Keep slowing down the speed of the metronome until you find the most comfortable rhythm for you. The importance of shutting your eyes cannot be stressed enough. Perfect putting is not about what looks right, but what feels right. If you are watching the putter’s movement, you are paying attention to what your head says, and putting is where it is most important to pay attention to your body’s voice.

1. Stability

Two main schools of thought come to the forefront about how exactly the putter should be held. The first, and most common, is that the grip should lie solidly on the lifeline of the palm. The second suggests that the grip should be controlled mainly by the fingers which allows for more detailed control of the putter head.

Remember, putting is mostly about what feels right, and you will be the best judge of this for yourself. A stable grip does not come from a tight grip; it’s quite the opposite actually. As time goes on, you will be able to feel the happy medium of firm-but-not-too-firm.

2. Squareness

The mechanics of squareness are two-fold: The body and the head. That is, your body and the putter’s head. First, it is important to position the line of your body (from the middle of your forehead all the way down to the center point between your feet) at a right angle to the line of your shot. Next, the head of the putter should be aligned in the same manner.

Here is the most common thing missed by women golfers: the head of the putter needs to remain completely square all the way through the stroke! The way to make this happen is to focus on your immediate realm of control, which is maintaining squared hands and forearms all the way through.

• Putt toward a distance marker rather than a hole. There is something much less intimidating about knowing there’s no hole to miss.
• Important note: pros only make approximately 50% of their 6-foot putts. Putting from longer distances only sets you up for an ego bruising. Start small, around 2 feet, and gradually move outward.
• Look at the ball and the head of your putter, not the hole – it’s not going anywhere! The only things you can control have to do with your body and your mind. Once you’ve determined the square line to the hole, no peeking! Consciously think about a maintaining that squareness all the way through a straight shot, using the rhythm of your own body. Women golfers definitely have an advantage here.
• Never leave a putting practice session on a miss! Even if you have to force yourself to keep putting until you make it, and then have to resort to a humiliating distance of only six inches, your final visual of the session will be the ball rolling cleanly into the hole.

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