It takes a reasonable amount of physical skill to propel a golf ball 300 yards or more. Not very many average weekend golfers have that kind of skill. But it takes even more skill to take basically the same mindset you have with the driver in your hand and slow it down to control a three foot putt.

But, you say, a three foot putt is much easier to hit than a 300 yard drive. It can’t possibly be harder than hitting a driver.

The difference is simple. When you are swinging a driver, the forces of momentum assist at first, and then take over the swing entirely. At the moment of impact you have no control whatsoever over the swing you have initiated.

In the long game, you must be in the right position when you do finally lose control. The longer you can maintain control before momentum takes over, the better a player you will become.

In short putting, you don’t have the momentum to help you. You stay in control the whole way. And to compound the matter, you don’t have 40 yards of fairway or 5,000 square feet of green to be successful in hitting. You have 4.25 inches of hole.

Putting ain’t golf in slow motion. You don’t have the luxury of momentum to keep you from yanking the club head off line on the down stroke. The only way to putt successfully for the average guy is to forget about the technical aspect of the stroke and treat putting like any other game where the object is to hit a specific target as opposed to a general area.

Golf and short putting are so different they shouldn’t even be a part of the same game. If Ben Hogan had his way you wouldn’t have to putt at all. If the greatest ball striker that ever lived couldn’t putt, how different must the two really be?

By: Darell Mckissick

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Today its slowly becoming commonplace to see tour professionals putting with their eyes closed in tournaments. In fact a growing number of players use this golf putting technique in practice. Another common trick is to look at the hole rather than at the ball while putting. The golfer Johnny Miller used the technique at the 1994 Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The technique is widely believed to be helpful to golfers with yips.

Medical research has indicated that golf players with yips have rapid eye movements (REM) during the stroke. It is the eyes which transmit necessary information to the brain. Golfers who use the eyes closed or focused on the hole technique receive information about the club head, putter momentum and stroke path through the hands.

Why do players adopt this golf putting technique and what are the advantages of using the closed eye technique for golfers? These techniques are most commonly used by golfers who struggle with their stroke during their golf putting practice. When a player is low on confidence, he can get relief by focusing on the hole rather than the ball or by closing their eyes completely. This technique leads to mental clarity, almost like getting physically away from the pressure of the situation. Moreover it allows the golfers’ own confidence and feel for the course to take over and dispatch the ball to its destination.

Here is a golf putting tip with closed eyes technique. Place three balls 10 feet from the cup, and three more each at a distance of 20 and 30 feet. At 10 feet putt the first ball as you normally would with your eyes open. As you putt the second ball, start as you normally do with your eyes open. Before you actually putt, close your eyes. Try and focus on the feel of the putter head during the stroke. Mentally guess where the ball will end up once it stops rolling. Repeat the procedure for the third ball from 30 feet and close your eyes just before making the stroke. Repeat the procedure at each three-ball station. When you incorporate this golf putting drill into your practice routine, you will steadily develop a better feel on the greens.

Can individual golfers use these techniques? As far as individual golfers are concerned, experts believe it’s probably not a great idea for an individual golfer to close his or her eyes during play. However the recreational golfer can certainly use the closed eye technique in their golf putting practice routines. This golf putting technique should help golfers develop better feel in their putting stroke.

For More information on putting, check out this collection of putting tips: Golf Putting Technique

By: John Davenport

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Putting is perhaps the most important part of the game that can drop the score and keep momentum going in your round when you most need it. Getting to the point where you know exactly which direction the ball is going off the putter face, and what distance it will travel is the key. Here are 3 tips to help you sink more putts.

Putting Tip #1) Make Sure the Forearms Are In Line With the Putter Shaft- Start from the ground up with this tip…Put the putter flat on the ground. Now grip the putter with your hands, aligning your forearms at the same angle that the putting shaft is at.

When you look at great putters they all do this perfectly. Take Tiger for instance, take a look at a picture of him putting from the side and notice how his forearms are perfectly aligned.

This first tip will help you with hitting the putts more solidly, more online, and allow you to swing the putter on a better line.

Putting Tip #2) Grip the Putter In the Life-line of the Left Hand- You want to grip the putter in the left hand so it resists twisting as much as possible. This means you grip it in the slot between the thumb pad and the outer palm muscles on the heel of the hand. Basically along the life line is the correct place.

This will help you hit the ball straighter every time. You are taking the little muscles that are in the hand out of the equation.

Putting Tip #3) Put the Ball Outside Your Eye-Line- Take your putting stance. Drop a ball from in between your eyes. Where the ball lands is where you want the ball to be at address, or outside of that. It’s more difficult to line up the putts with your eyes if the ball is too close to your feet.

By: Greg Hanson

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