It is said that the most important club in a golf bag is the putter. This statement has straightforward logic: strokes on the green end up defining the score on our scorecard in a golf round. Whether playing with friends on our favorite golf course or participating in a championship.
Over time, the best golfers on the PGA Tour and the European Tour have performed their best and won the biggest championships while being sharp with their game on the putting green. According to statistics and the opinion of specialized journalists, the best of all time with the putter in their hands are Tiger Woods, Ben Crenshaw, Severiano Ballesteros, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, and Billy Casper.
Of course, you could add other stars to this list. But, without a doubt, those named are among the best. As for today's players, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Justin Thomas, and Collin Morikawa are among the most prominent on the green.
In his play with the putter, a phrase defines Nicklaus: "I never missed a putt in my mind." This powerful expression allowed him to win 18 major tournaments: "The Golden Bear" has six victories at the Augusta Masters, five at the PGA Championship, four at the US Open, and three at the British Open.
Anyway, the owner of the best statistics on the green is Brad Faxon, considered one of the best putting players in history. For more than 15 years, between 1990 and 2006, he finished twelve times in the top 10 professionals on the PGA Tour on the green, averaging 28.3 putts. No one who has played more than 400 rounds of golf has a better record than Faxon.
How to putt
Becoming an excellent putter to help you sign low golf scorecards requires a series of knowledge and techniques. If you want to improve your performance on putting green, we suggest that you consider the following aspects: reading the greens, aligning in front of the ball, and controlling your speed on them. Finally, there is an unavoidable action: choosing the best putter. And it is essential to know that there are different types of putters. All of them depend on the kind of swing you make, your height, and your position in front of the ball.
The View and How to Look at the Green
Your eyes allow you to determine your line of play on the green. In addition, slopes and everything that will enable you to better execute your strokes with the putter is crucial to identifying undulations.
Alignments in Front of the Ball
Alignment is critical. It is essential to know how the clubface and your body are aligned with your line of play. For the movement to be carried out in the line we want, two fundamental factors must be given: your view of the goal line and the balance of your body when making the swing.
The Setup
When it's time to putt, little things can make a big difference. What does this mean? Whether or not the ball is in the hole depends on whether or not the putter's face is square.
Your Feet
To begin with, you have to check the position of your feet. The width of your stance doesn't have to be very open. However, it has to be comfortable and a reasonable distance from the ball. Ideally, the ball should be in the center of the stance, slightly to the left foot.
Hands and Wrists
As for the hands and shoulders, the important thing is that they remain still during the swing with the putter. In addition, it is essential not to take the club by putting too much pressure on the grip. The ideal is a natural and comfortable firmness without pressing the grip. Finally, the correct position of your wrists will be critical during your stroke. If your hands are too low, you will have the toe of the putter off the ground. Meanwhile, if your hands are too high, the heel of your putter will be off the ground. You must keep these guidelines in mind to hit consistent shots.
The Posture
When playing your strokes on the green, posture is the most important thing. It is only about seeing how the most prominent players stand to understand it better. The ideal is an upright position, where the arms hang naturally. This allows you to feel no stress and to be able to play more relaxed. The same happens with your legs. Your knees have to be slightly bent, in a position that is not loose or excessively stiff.
Putting with Focus
Once you have a correct setup in terms of your posture, the position of your hands, the definition of your grip, and the position of your feet, you are in a place to make a stroke on the putting green.
Your gaze must be exclusively on the ball. This also allows you to know that you are at the correct distance. It is worth adding that many golf instructors suggest looking slightly at the right side of the ball, which you will hit with your putter. Finally, you must bear in mind that your eyes are aligned with the line of your shot.
Head Still
All good putters have one thing in common: they keep their heads still when the ball hits. And they do this from beginning to end. Yet, oddly enough, many professionals have lost vast sums of money in a tournament due to bad rounds of play with their putter. And this is because they have not kept their heads still at the time of the game on the green. Just look at them as they eagerly raise their heads at the moment of the blow.
Alignment
Before executing the stroke with the putter, it is imperative to have a routine and practice it. This routine will allow you to automate the entire process and hit the ball with greater consistency and confidence. This routine begins by studying the line of putt, its drop, the height of the cut of the green grass, its humidity, and other factors. Then, with this study, you are in a position to take our stance and prepare to execute your putt.
There are many more tips to be a good player on the green, but we believe you will have reason to practice with these tips and pay more attention to your play with the putter. See you next time with more advice.
