Almost all of my students I work and play with suffer from similar issues on the greens. One of the biggest problems we work on doesn’t even deal with their mechanics, grip or ability to stroke a putt at the right speed, or even read the line properly. It’s their pre-shot routine—or in most cases, their lack of one. Having a plan with consistent execution is a major key to holing more putts. The pre-shot routine described here is widely used by many tour players due to its thorough approach with limited steps.
- Reliable putting always starts with a fundamentally sound grip. A good grip has both hands resting underneath the shaft with the club sitting more in the palms than fingers. Rest your thumbs comfortably on top of the grip and focus on light grip pressure.
- The first step in your new routine is to get behind the ball and evaluate the principle factors—is it uphill, downhill, breaking left, breaking right, and how much?
- After you determine the line you’d like to roll the putt on, your next step is to take just a few practice strokes, rehearsing the speed you’d like to stroke the putt with.
- Your third step is the setup. Begin by setting your putter down behind the ball on the chosen line, and then set your feet, hips and shoulders parallel to that line.
- The final step is to take one last look at the hole, return your head back to its original position and then execute the stroke just like you practiced it. After the ball has left the putter face you may swivel your head to watch it go in!
Implement this routine and you’ll start making more putts immediately!
