Are You Losing Strokes by Not Implementing These 15 Basic Putting Fundamentals?

Putting is the most vital aspect within the game of golf and no professional has ever won a major tournament putting poorly. There is nothing more frustrating than playing a decent round of golf only to end the day with a lousy score because of the number of missed putts. Although there is a lot to learn in order to master the putter, there are certain basics that each golfer should follow. Below are the fifteen most important putting basics that I believe every golfer should incorporate into their game.

(1) Putt more with your shoulders and arms and not your wrist. Power for your putt should come from your shoulders. Point your elbows out away from the club shaft and do not keep your arms straight. This will force you to putt with your shoulders and arms and not your wrists.

(2) Always aim to roll the ball past the hole. Never up, never in is a common saying but is very true.

(3)Take practice strokes to decide on how long a stroke you are going to take for distance. Then commit to this and do not question yourself when you take your real putt. Second guessing yourself during your putt is a sure fire means of dubbing your putt.

(4) Think positively and relax and take the pressure off yourself. Remember, the world will not come to and end if you miss this putt.

(5) Lighten your grip. Tension and tight muscles reduce your ability to feel the stroke and get in the zone. You are less inclined to pull or push your putt.

(6) Keep your head still. Do not look up to see if the ball went in and keep completely focused on the back of the ball. Never look up until well after you have stuck the ball and completely finished your follow through.

(7) Use masking tape on the toe and heel of your putter club head to mark the sweet spot. Then take practice putts and avoid hitting the tape, this will help improve hitting the ball square and straight.

(8) Keep your body still by locking your legs. This will help prevent you from swaying.

(9) Use a small blade of grass a few feet in front of the ball to mark your target line. Then align the club head to your target line and also check that your shoulders, feet and hips are parallel to that line.

(10) The left hand leads and guides the stroke while the right hand controls the position of the club head, keeping it square at impact.

(11) The back swing and follow through distance should be about the same. For example, if you take the putter back twelve inches, your follow through distance after impact should also be twelve inches.

(12) Control the speed with your stroke distance. Do not try to hit a 30 foot putt by taking the club back a few inches and then swinging hard. Control how hard you want to hit the ball based on the length of your stoke. Concentrate on keeping the speed of your stroke consistent, whether your making a short or a long putt.

(13) The position of the ball in your stance should be consistent. The ball should be placed at the very moment of the upswing of your putter and this will result in giving you a true roll.

(14) Visualize the putt in your head. Trusting yourself and being able to see the putt in your mind will go a long way in developing a consistent rhythm.

(15) Spend time practicing with your eyes closed. After a period of time you will be amazed at how your feel for striking the ball and tempo will improve.

On the average roughly one third of the strokes in a round of golf are with your putter. In addition, the average golfer has thirteen other clubs in his bag. It would stand to reason then that we should allocate one third of our practice time to the putter and the remaining two thirds to the rest of the clubs. Therefore, if you want to lower your handicap then improving your putting game is essential. With a positive attitude and practicing these fifteen tips your putting and score will significantly improve.

To learn more about proper putting fundamentals visit http://www.golf-lessons-and-more.com