Fundamentals of Putting

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• Main Menu
• Overview
• The Mechanics of Putting
• Diagnostics and Observation
• Putter Fitting
• The Grip
• Ball Position
• Setup and Alignment
• Lock and Rock
• Swing Plane
• Rhythm
• Eye Movement
• Pre-Shot Routine
• Pre-Shot Routine Template
• Green Reading
• Wind Effects on the Green
• Practice Drills
• Rhythm Drills
• Distance Control Drills
• Eye Movement Drills
• Speed Control Drills
• Pressure Putting Drills
• Before You Play
• Linking the FOP with the Mechanics
• ASSESSMENT

Practice Drills: Pressure Putting

You know the feelings when you face a pressure putt. The sweaty palms, the tightness in your arms and hands, the shortness of breath, and all sorts of voices in your head talking to you. With all that going on, how could anyone ever manage to putt the ball into the hole?

As a professional golfer, you have played in high-level competitions and have experienced pressure at some point. Surprisingly, so have many of your students in events at their club. So how can we help them better cope with this situation and enable them to make that putt?

Clock

The clock drill is an old faithful. It is so good because it forces the student to move around into different positions, thus varying the slope and speed. It forces the student to putt uphill, downhill and sidehill: all from different distances/lengths.

It is also excellent for pressure putting. Ask any student who struggles with pressure putting to put 7 to 10 tees in the ground. Place balls next to each tee and work around the clock. Ask the student to go through his routine and putt balls from each tee position in succession.

By the time the student gets to putt the second to last tee (#8 if ten tees are used) he will be feeling the pressure. He must putt all 10 balls in succession into the hole. If he misses a putt he must start again. This is the only drill he must complete in one practice session. Next time he does this drill, adjust the lengths of putts.

9-Hole Putting Competition

Make it fun, but serious. Have your student challenge a friend, another member or your assistant professional to a 9-hole putting competition. Have them compete for something.

Make it match play and head to head. As the competition gets down to the wire, they’ll both be feeling the pressure!

It is this sort of real-life practice that allows us to transfer what we learn and feel to the golf course. Many golfers learn these lessons by being part of a golf club community and having a group with which to play. Encourage this with students of all ages, not just your juniors.