Want to be a good putter? Here are some basic fundamentals you should be practicing. The rest
is about how good your vision is, how much you pay attention to detail and how sharp your feel is.
» Get a putter with a very distinct line marked on it to indicate the target line and practice
with a chalk line. You can get a chalk line at any hardware store for 5 or 6 bucks, and it's as valuable
a training aid as there is anywhere. Find a putt on the practice green that is straight. Snap a chalk
line down from about 5 or 6 feet to the middle of the cup. Make sure that the entire length of the line
on your putter is exactly on the chalk line. Start making putts. This will train your eyes to "see
square" precisely.
» Make sure your eyes are directly above the target line, or very close. If you hang a plumb
line from your eyes it should fall over the target line. This will also help you with the previous
point.
» Make sure your weight is in the middle of your feet. If your weight is either forward on your
toes or back on your heels there is an excellent chance that your stroke will follow the direction your
weight is tilted rather than the target line.
» Keep your the pressure in your hands soft and constant throughout the stroke. Sensitivity is
obviously a huge part of putting. If your hands are tight on the grip you are diminishing your
sensitivity - period. Also, if your grip pressure changes during the stroke, it's probably not "a
stroke" but more likely a jab, flinch, spasm, push, hit ... well, you understand - best of luck.
» There is no independent action in the hands. Nothing could be more logical: If you do indeed
have the putter face aligned precisely, as in the first point above, the last thing you'd want to do
is to change the position of the face. Therefore, your hands should not be moving independently of your
arms and shoulders. If you can't tell if your hands are moving, as a drill try watching your hands very
carefully (instead of the ball) a few times. You'll be able to see quite easily whether or not they are
moving in your stroke.
There are more (endless) details about putting, of course, but if you turn these fundamental concepts into
habits it will take you a long way toward being a consistently good putter.
