How would you feel if you dropped at least 3 or 4 strokes from your game forever? Well, following effective golf tips for short putts will help you make more pars and birdies, while getting rid of bogeys and bogeys. By working on your short putting game, you can really see a change in your scorecard. I’m going to share with you 4 of the most effective tips I’ve found that have helped me improve my short game so I can stop missing those pesky 3-5 foot putts.
- Don’t soften your shot just because the ball is closer to the hole. I used to have a tendency to increase or decrease my power by adopting a stronger or weaker putting stroke. The result was that my long putts would go past the hole while my short putts would not go all the way. I found that to control the power of my putt, I make the stroke longer or shorter depending on the length of the putt. So, for short putts, don’t try to “soften” the shot by being soft, just take the club back less.
- Following the putting tip above for short putts, let the club do the work. Too many golfers try to “muscle” the ball. This just results in an out-of-plane putting stroke that kills accuracy. Instead, bring the stick back and then release your muscles letting the “stick do the work.” This will help you maintain consistency and keep the clubhead on target.
- Go ahead! I used to stop my putter immediately after making contact with the ball and look up to see where the ball was going; I usually saw it go everywhere but in the hole. This is one of the biggest causes of missed short putts. Instead, practice going all the way with your putting stroke. This will help with precision by maintaining a more fluid stroke.
- Practice how you play. Instead of neatly placing the balls a set distance from the hole, try to hit them onto the green or choose a tricky position. This will help you prepare for the unexpected lies you’ll have on every green and get used to some tough putts (which will certainly help your short putts).
The most important advice of all is to practice these and other correct fundamentals. There are no shortcuts to an accurate and consistent putting stroke. The more experience you get, the better sensations you will have and the more putts (long and short) you will make.
