I suck at putting...please help

[SossMan]

When I go to practice putting, I end up eff'ing around and not really helping my stroke.

What are some really good drills I can use at the practice green (not before a round per se, but in between rounds too)

Are there any good products that can help me? I hear the putting arc is supposed to be good, but I have never used it.

I don't know my handicap, but my typical round on an normal (easy) course is 90-95 with the occasional low 80s (once every 5 or 6 rounds) and the occasional 100 on a tough course.

[SlyGuy]

Don't practice holing long putts. If you want to practice lag putting, putt to a spot, the edge the practice green for instance.

Practice sinking 12 feet and in.

[jwg152]

I think the best advice (from Bobby Locke, arguably the best putter of all time) is to hit and listen.

[SonOfWestwood]

A couple that I like are:

-Trying to putt to the edge of the fringe from various distances, to help with longer, lag putts.

-Setting 3 balls on the same line, each one about 5-6 feet further than the prior, to help get an idea of the speed of the greens.

[dug]

Three footers. Place 4-6 balls in a circle around the hole approx. three feet. If you miss, start over until you make them all. Repeat. My business partner is the best putter I've ever played with. His college golf coach made them make 100 three footers before they could play in the afternoons. Worked for him. Good luck.

[esad]

My no frills drill for improving your putting.

Note: This is kinda a Pelzish approach but I was doing it before I ever heard of him. He's a stealing bastard.

Find a hole on the practice green where there is some slope but not a lot. Just a gentle slope.

Get two balls and place them at the 6:00 position to the hole where the 6:00 position equals a straight uphill putt.

Place the balls at a distance that makes you nervous. If that's 2 feet then 2 feet, if 3 feet then 3 feet.

Putt the two balls into the hole. You should concentrate on two things when you do this; 1. Making a smooth putting stroke, 2. Hitting the ball in the center of the putter head.

Now move to the 3:00 position and do the same thing. Then the 12:00 and 9:00 in that order. Repeat around in a circle twice. Doing this you'll have an uphill, left to right, right to left and downhill putts.

Now go the the 4:30 position and do the same thing. Go to 1:30, 10:30 and 7:30. Repeat twice. That should be a total of 32 putts.

Now double the distance (4-6ft most likely) and do the same thing again. That's 32 more putts for a total of 64. Concentrate on making a good putting stroke and making every putt.

Do this anytime you can and you'll become a better putter.

Final note: People who are good putters believe that they are good putters. This will help you to believe that you are a good putter. Putting is at least 50% mental, for some it's 90%.

[By-Tor]

check the replies from JTrout....

[feelixthegreek]

The around-the-clock putting drills already posted are great, but let me add that gambling on the practice green before a round is excellent for focus.

[fatshaft]

What esad said is fabulous advice.

But certainly in general spend most of your time practicing the 6 footers or less, they will save a lot of shots in the round, and it will help your longer putting, becase you'll be more confident of holing the next putt, and therefore less likely to hit bad lags trying too hard to get it to inches.

Finally, concentrate on the spot the ball was on, don't look for it EVER.

[JavaNut]

One thing that helps some people:

Whenever you miss a putt that ends up right by the hole (even a shortish one if you have to aim outside the rim) remember to congratulate yourself on a good putt. Only putts that end up far from the hole are bad putts.

Many people give themselves really negative feedback when they just misses instead of giving themselves positive feedback because they were almost right.