Putting has been referred to as golf's "game within the game." It is where champions are created and broken, and understanding it will shave hundreds of strokes from your handicap. While most golfers concern themselves with swing and tee shot distance, the significance of putting and specifically putting alignment can't be overemphasized. In this guide, we’ll explore effective putting alignment drills, the role of specialized putting golf balls, and how tools like the flat golf ball can enhance your accuracy on the greens.

The Importance of Putting Alignment

Before trying drills, let's make sure to establish the importance of proper alignment. Alignment prevents your putter face from being out of square to the target line at impact, resulting in more consistent putts. Misalignment by even a fraction can send the ball off line, resulting in missed opportunities and higher scores.

Key Putting Alignment Drills

1. The Gate Drill

This trusty old drill is to enhance your stroke line and make sure your putter face is square at impact.

Setup:

• Place two tees on the ground slightly wider than your putter face.

• Place a golf ball between the two tees.

Execution:

• Stand in your normal putting stance and hit the ball, with the putter between but not sitting on the tees.

• When the putter strikes a tee, your stroke is off-line.

Advantages

• Promotes consistency in stroke.

• Allows immediate feedback about alignment.

2. The Chalk Line Drill

This drill will strengthen proper line of stroke and alignment.

Setup:

• Draw a straight line on the putting green with chalk or string.

• Place a special golf ball on top of the line.

Procedure:

• Place putter face over line, facing upwards.

• Knock the shot down the line, staying on line.

Advantages:

• Maximizes line visibility.

• Maximizes accuracy of the stroke.

3. The Coin Drill

Easily used to develop your skill for starting the ball on the line intended.

Setup:

• Position a coin or marker some few feet forward of your ball on your target line.

Procedure:

• Try to roll the ball past the coin on every putt.

• Sight-adjust your stroke and alignment to hit the coin reliably.

Benefits:

• Enhances focus on starting line.

• Provides instant alignment and stroke direction feedback.

The Specialty Putting Golf Balls Function

Ordinary golf balls are good enough for casual play, but specialty putting golf balls can even be useful when practicing. They are designed to give instant feedback on stroke quality and alignment.

Flat golf balls are training devices and are tire car shape to appear. Hit them well, they travel in a straight direction; off-line hit or alignment makes them wobble or go off direction. Such instant feedback can prove useful in isolating and removing faults in the putting stroke.

Advantages:

*Instant feedback regarding stroke quality.

*Reminds again regarding alignment and concentration on impact.

*Improves putting accuracy rapidly.

Putting Applying Drills and Tools into Practice

To make use of these drills and aids to their fullest potential:

1. Repetition Is Key: Keep repeating and practicing.

2. Combination of Drills: Work on more than one drill at a time during a session to practice all parts of putting.

3. Feedback Tools: Practice with flat golf balls or use alignment tools to get immediate feedback.

4. Track Progress: Track your practice sessions and observe where one can do better and where improvement is needed.

Conclusion

A very effective way to enhance your putting alignment is by reducing your golf scores. Drilling some and slowly working with special equipment like flat golf balls, you are getting better and better at making greens in shots consistently and precisely. Keep in mind that regular practice and consistency are the keys to success and ultimately embracing ongoing improvement.