This season I have dedicated some time to improving my short game. I have adjusted my stance and ball position and feel that this major change has definitely helped with shots around 100 yards or closer. I still have a couple of struggles mishitting the ball, but that is to be expected when trying to create a new normal. I have a match today against Len, who is probably one of the top three players at the course. I am up there as well, so it should be a great match where nothing is conceded. With this in mind, I will put into use some of the things I practiced over the past few weeks.
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Become A Better Putter!
We are fooling ourselves if we think putting is not the great equalizer in golf. This simple stroke can make or break you score. Since most of our shots of any round happen on or near the green, it only make sense that we spend a large portion of our practice time on our short game. Putting is by far the most important area of play if you are planning on lowering your golf score. I have talked about putting a great deal at The Grateful Golfer and today, I will provide three putting drills that could improve your game.
Over the years, I have offered many putting drills. The ones today fall into new, old and I am not sure with respect to usefulness. Regardless, I think it is important to see different drills as some may resonate home better than others. For now, here are the three drills:
The new drill for me is placing two elastic bands on the putter head. This is a very simple drill and I can see the value of ensuring we hit the ball on the center of the club face. It is adjustable, sustainable, and repeatable; talk about a great drill. I definitely recommend this drill. If we combine the elastics with two tees as gates, then something special might happen improving the consistency of our putting.
The right handed putting drill is not new. It is something I have talked about before and provides a stable connection between the club and our body through our right (or left) hand. I figure if Tiger Woods uses this drill it has to have value. I have used this drill in the past and found that it helped me control the putter head to ensure square faced contact between the club and the ball. Overall, this is a great drill.
The coin on the back on the putter. To be fair, I have never used this drill and I will have to give it more research before assessing its value. In principle, I see the value. However, during execution I am not so sure. Again, I will not assess this drills value without experimenting more. If you have used this drill, please drop me a line and tell me how it worked for you.
There you have it. Three new drills to help improve your putting. Improving our flat stick results will definitely lower our golf scores. You may not like all the drills presented, however I am sure there are a few that will help your game. It is up to you to pick and choose. Regardless of which drill is good for your game, practicing your putting is a sure fire way to lower you golf scores.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
An Easy Way To Establish Your Set Up And Stance
There are many ways to figure out what is the best stance of your golf swing. Before adjusting anything, establishing a basic stance would be a great place to start. If you are a new player, regardless of age, visual cues on where to successfully place your feet is always a bonus. Most of us think we know what we are doing, but I bet if we use the technique designed for kids, we would be surprised at our possible position errors. I found a video that offers an easy way to establish our set up and stance in under 2 minutes. Keep going to see how!
Continue readingWhat To Look At When Aligning A Shot In Golf
Alignment, Alignment, Alignment. How often have I failed to properly position myself to execute the golf shot I want to hit. It is a simple, yet challenging concept that takes some time to conquer. Personally, I follow a pre-shot routine that eliminates much of the guess work. Knowing what I have to do and actually doing it can cause the best players angst from time to time. If you are wondering about how to align your next golf shot, then you have come to the right place. Understanding the process of aligning / aiming your golf shot will help eliminate costly errors that result in a high number on your score card.
Continue readingPush Drill To Improve Your Putting
Putting is a key skill that many players overlook when practicing. They hit the range, hit a bucket of balls, and then spend three minutes putting before heading to the first tee. Sound familiar? I tend to reverse that trend. I will hit balls for about 20% of the time I have to practice or warm up. Then, I hit the chipping/putting area to hone my game. It is something I adopted about 20 years ago and it has greatly improved my overall game. Knowing all of this, there is a drill I use from time to time to ensure my putting stays sharp and consistent during my practice times.
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The Grateful Golfer 