Golf is a game of precision, patience, and practice. Long drives and great approaches are cool, but the real magic happens on the green. Every golfer wants to know how to make putting an art to save strokes and improve the score. Imagine being able to step onto every green confident in knowing you can hole it in two putts or less. Too good to be true? It only needs the right strategies, practice, and attitude. Here are some essential tips and drills to beat every green and become a true Two Putt Pro.
1. Perfect Your Putting Setup
Setup is the key to any dependable 2 putt approach. Your putting stance must be solid and comfortable enough for you to have full control of your stroke. The ideal setup is achieved by observing the following features:
- Feet Position: Your feet should be positioned shoulder-width apart. This is one of those stances that immediately gives you balance and a strong foundation.
- Eye Alignment: Set your eyes directly above the ball to align precisely and read the line heading to the hole.
- Ball Placement: Always keep the ball a little forward in your stance, just inside your front foot. This will promote a clean stroke and help encourage an upward strike on the ball.
2. Learn to Read the Greens
To make sure that you have a successful two putt, you need to know exactly how to read the greens. How to read the slight slopes and contours makes the difference between a good or bad putting game. Here is how to get started with putting stroke tips:
- Assessment: Before you make your shot, walk around the green just to assess the slope. Pay attention if it is uphill, downhill, or sidehill.
- Break: Most greens are never flat, so once the ball starts rolling, it will curve or break. Visualize the path of the ball and where it should enter the hole, before adjusting your aim accordingly.
- Green Reading Practice: Spend as much time practicing green reading. Make multiple balls set up and see what different lines produce. This is one talent that you can improve only through experience.
3. Develop a Repeatable Putting Stroke
A smooth, controlled stroke is what makes a player a 2 putt master. Whether you are practicing with your favorite putting ball or on the course, focus on maintaining a repeatable motion. Here's how:
- Use Your Shoulders: Let the putting stroke come from your shoulders, instead of your wrists. Visualize your arms and shoulders moving all together as one, similar to a pendulum.
- Follow Through: There needs to be good follow-through. After it strikes the ball, keep your putter smoothly on the target line.
- Practice Lag Putting: The objective of lag putting is basically being able to make sure the ball is as near the hole from really far away. You practice this regularly so that your first putt may leave a tap-in for your second.
4. Employ a Good Putting Ball
If you are serious about putting improvement, then you need to get yourself a good-quality putting ball that will help. For example, the flat putting balls give you an instant feedback into your stroke and alignment. Using such tools will enable you to:
- Refine Your Stroke Mechanics: Flat putting balls will not roll right if your stroke is incorrect. Make use of this to identify any flaw in your technique.
- Improve Your Alignment: With a putting ball that contains a line on it, align up along the right line every time.
5. Must Have Putting Drills for Two Putts or Less
There are great methods to ensure that you engrain good habits and get rid of the bad ones as well. Here are some effective putting drills to help you improve your putting stroke as well as master the green:
Gate Drill
- Setup: Place two tees just wider than the head of your putter, forming a "gate."
- Execution: Practice stroking the ball through the gate without hitting the tees. This drill will help you keep your putter face square and maintain a straight stroke.
Ladder Drill
- Setup: Place balls at 3, 6, 9, and 12 feet from the hole.
- Execution: Go through and putt each in turn, working on regulating distance and accuracy. When a putt is missed, go back and restart on the first. This drill will help you with your distance feel on varied shots and assure you that you are able to lag putt effectively.
Clock Drill
- Setup: Set balls in a clock pattern around the hole, starting 3 feet away.
- Execution: Putt from different angles moving around the clock. This is done in an attempt to make all the putts consecutively. Such a drill builds confidence in short putts, which are important in trying to attain a two putt or less on every green.
6. Mental Focus and Visualization
Putting is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one. You've got to get into the right mindset in order to consistently get two putts or less. Here's how:
- Imagining Success: Before making your putt, clearly visualize the ball smoothly rolling on-target down its line and into the bottom of the hole. This mental rehearsal can give you added confidence and focus.
- Stay Positive: Golf is a game of ups and downs. If you miss that putt, stay positive and immediately move your focus to the next opportunity. Dwelling on mistakes will only make you worse.
7. How to Improve Putting Stroke: Final Words
It does take some time to make your putting stroke much better, but it's well worth the work. Consistent practice with proven putting tips and drills will transform your game. Take advantage of the flat putting golf balls you can use to get instant feedback and dial in your stroke. And, over time, you will be building that reliable putting stroke that saves strokes and helps you gain more confidence on the course.
Conclusion
Mastering the two putt is more than just perfecting a technique; it's all about strategy, mental firmness, and practice to infinity. By focusing on the fundamentals, using tools like flat putting balls, and adding effective drills into your daily routine, you'll be well on your way to becoming a Two Putt Pro. Begin to work your game now and love watching those scores lower and the love of the game soar. Remember, great putters first struggled but you can too overcome all obstacles on the green with a great approach.
Whether a weekend warrior or dedicated golfer, these tips and drills will pave the way to putting success. Now, get your putter out and set up your practice station. Now get your putter out, set it up for practice, and get on your road to mastery on the greens. See you on the greens!