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Putting Made Simple

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How would you grade your putting game? Are you convinced you could go toe-to-toe with Tiger or Jack? Or maybe you just putter around and trust the golf gods will smile down on you for once.

Even if sinking the ball on your home course has become second nature, your skills may not hold up as well on an unfamiliar green.

Check out these tips for improving your putt:

Determining the break

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While visual clues are certainly important, our eyes can only see so much. If you have a hard time telling whether the green is sloping up or down, then use your feet--they are often more sensitive than your eyes at sensing a change in elevation.

Walk along an arc some 15 feet away from the hole until you find the spot where uphill starts and downhill stops, or vice versa. This is your zero line--meaning, if you putt to the right of the line, your uphill putt will always break left, and vice versa.

Getting your form right

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Of course, figuring out which way the green breaks isn’t going to do much good if your form is bad. Here's some Putting 101 to help improve your putting form. Looking good, champ!

  • Set your putter shaft 90 degrees to the surface.

  • Your weight should shift ever so slightly to your left foot if you are right-handed.

  • Turn your chin down and make sure your eyes are directly over the ball.

  • Your hands should be in line with your biceps.

  • Your stance should be centered just behind the ball.

  • Your arms should be kept at a constant triangle as you swing.

  • Keep your elbows from moving away from your body and your hands under your shoulders.

  • Tilt your upper body slightly to the right so that it is a bit lower than the left.

  • Make sure your grip is strong. The V's you form using your thumb and forefinger should be pointed at your right shoulder.
  • Break into a jig--you got this putting thing all figured out!

Using the right putter

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The putter you buy has a big impact on your putting game.

  • Make sure the length of your putter accommodates a proper putting stance. If it’s too short or too long, it will affect your stance.

  • If you need a shorter putter, you’ll need more head weight. If you need a longer putter, you’ll need less.

  • Choosing a head design depends on your preference. If you putt with an arc, go with a blade putter that has no sight line. If you have a square putting style, consider a mallet head with a sight line.

As we all know, the ball you use can make or break your game. That's our story and we're sticking to it. Better play it safe and order from Lost Golf Balls today.
Heather Plyler
Heather Plyler
Heather Plyler is a golf enthusiast and has recently joined the E-Commerce team at Lost Golf Balls. She graduated from University of Houston-Downtown in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree for Corporate Communications. Heather is passionate about golf whether it is playing a round on the course or communicating with others about their last Round. She has been involved in the sport for 10 years that has given her an insight into the commercial value of the products associated with the sport.

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