If you're a golfer who consistently shoots over 100, and are looking to break through, chances are the only thing that is stopping you is that you need to improve your putting. Forget about spending more time t the driving range, putting improvement should be at the top of your "to do" list. How many times are PGA Tour events and Major Championships won, and lost, on the green. No one was ever declared the Tournament Champion because they outdrove their opponent by 10 yards off the tee. Once on the green, low scores are achieved by dropping the ball in the cup in the fewest number of strokes possible. This is even more true for the average golfer, struggling to break 100. As you spend more time on the practice green and develop a consistent putting routine and stroke. As your 3 and 4 putt greens disappear, your scores will drop, quickly.

It just so happens that putting is also the easiest part of the golf game to improve. All that is required is some coordination, knowledge and experience. Most golfers have already developed a putting stroke that is comfortable for them. They have subconsciously compensated for their own coordination/abilities. There is generally no need to alter your putting stroke as it is tailored to your physical ability. What most amateurs are lacking is the knowledge and experience to be better putters.

The secret to dropping putts, is to hit the ball at the right speed along the right line. Although this sounds incredibly simple, and obvious, in order to be able to do this you must:

Accurately estimate the distance of the putt
Accurately read the green (breaks)
Accurately estimate the speed of the green

Distance can be roughly estimated by pacing the distance from the ball to hole as you survey the green.

Reading the green requires the most experience, although there are some tips like plumbing the green with your putter. This is when you hold your putter vertical (plumb) so that it passes through your ball and the hole. By comparing where the green intersects your putter you can estimate how much the green slopes, and to which side.

The speed of the green can be estimated by knowing if you are putting into or with the grain. The grain refers to the direction that the grass of the green is growing in. Even though it is only 1/10th of an inch long, it will slow your ball significantly. Remember, grass grows toward the sun. So if the sun is behind you, you're putting against the grain. If the sun is in front of you, you're putting with the grain.

Remember, low scores are earned on the greens. The fewer putts you take, the lower your score will be.

By: Mark Rocco
I'm Mark and I've enjoyed playing golf since I first taught myself how to play when I was 16 yrs old. Many years, and several lessons later, I've learned that the only way to get better is by practicing the proper technique. Hours at the range will not straighten your slice if you don't practice the proper swing. But if you don't know how to fix your own swing, why not ask someone who can. The same is true for putting. Wouldn't it be much easier to ask a pro how to read a green and estimate its speed? In addition, why not find out what drills tour pros use to keep their putting skills sharp. If you're serious about dropping your score start by improving your putting.

Often we tend to remember the driver tee off that did not cross the ladies tee, the duffed shot that took out an excessively large divot from the fairway, or the OB tee offs. If we're serious about our scores, then we also need to remember that one of the most important clubs in our bag is the putter.

The putter is used more then any club in the bag and if we want to win that golf bet we have going with out golfing buddies, the putter is a club we want to get good at.

Here are some tips to help you become a good putter.

Putting Tip #1:

Have a gentle grip on the putter. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a strangle hold, our grip pressure would be around a 4. Tight muscles produce tension and this will produce a jerk in our backswing when we take away the putter. This prevents consistency in our putting stroke and prevents us from producing the right distance control.

Putting Tip #2:

Just before the takeaway of the putter face, lift the putter just slightly off the ground. Again, this helps prevent us jerking the putter away because of friction with the ground.

Putting Tip #3:

Place the ball just beneath the left eye. The hands are in front of the inner thigh. Doing this consistently allows us to have a consistent putting stroke and distance control.

Putting Tip #4:

Have a pre putt routine. Having such a routine allows you to calm your nerves and block out the distractions around you. Putting is about feel and the less tense you are, the more fluid your putting stroke will be.

Hope these tips help your putting stroke. Enjoy your game!

By: Sherman C
For a great resource on how you can transform yourself into a seasoned golf player in just a few days...even if you're a complete beginner, visit http://pickupgolf.blogspot.com.

Sherman is an avid golfer sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge about the greatest game on earth.

I have been using this method of looking at the hole for "Putting" for the past 10 years and for me there is no better way!

I first started using this unique putting method after reading a book by Tim Gallwey called the Inner Game of Golf. Still my favourite book on "How to take your golf game to the course".

There are some significant benefits to this putting method of looking at the hole.....

1.Your head remains's still as your eyes are looking directly at your target.....there is no need to take a peep!!!

2.You have a clear sense of direction

3.Since you are not looking at the ball there are no mental blocks or fear of making a fluent stroke Golf is one of the few targeting type sports where you don't actually look at your target while perfoming the action to hit the target. Sports such as basketball, darts, baseball, and bowling or rely on you focussing on a target. Whatever you are focussing on your body will do it's best to perform the necessary action of hitting that particular target.

When I first tried this putting style I concentrated on using my hands and wrist's to make the stroke. If I were to be totally honest my putting during this transitional stage was as good as any golfer at my club. Most of my playing partners could not believe I could sink putts by looking at the hole. What astounded them was the amount of long distance putts I dropped.....they could understand how this technique would work for the short putts but NOT the long putts.

Some were even moved to say that it was cheating and the technique or method should be banned.....this only happened in "Match Play" when I would sink putt's to win the hole or the match. When you do something different that works people notice and I have to laugh when they say "I see it but I don't believe it".

Since becoming an accredited PuttingZone coach I have incorporated the use of the shoulder's and NOT the hands into my putting routine of looking at the hole. This one change has allowed me to make more birdies than I ever made before.

I did a bit of research on "putting while looking at the hole" and I was absolutely stunned to find that Golf Magazine had published an article by David Dusek (Deputy Editor,Golf.com) on this very subject. They actually published result's of a research study carried out by Eric Alpenfels(Golf Magazine top 100 teacher) and Dr Bob Christina. They tested 40 players with handicaps ranging from 8-36.

When asked to putt while looking at the hole to distances of 28-43 feet the average length of the putt's ended up 28 inches short.......when asked to putt normally the golfers left themselves short by 37 inches. That extra 9 inches can make the difference between 2 putt's and 3 putt's.

So what can I say......looking at the hole while putting is a very viable proposition for golfer's who have an open mind to making positive changes in their putting.

By: William Wetere
William Wetere is a PuttingZone coach based in Te Awamutu,New Zealand. I Putt looking at the hole and have done so with great results for the past 10 years. For free putting lesson's visit my website http://www.golfinstruction.co.nz.

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Golf putting tips are a vital component when it comes to lowering your golf score. Gold has an almost endless supply of aspects to the game that you can improve upon. However, the quickest and easiest way to lower your golf score is by improving your putting. So what are some golf putting tips you can use to do just that?

Good putting is crucial to a good golf score. If you're hitting the ball poorly, good putting can make up for it and save you. If you're hitting the ball well, good putting will lower your score that much more. There's a reason the best putters and short game players dominate golf.

Putting and the rest of your golf game are completely different.

Putter Shaft Length - If you're serious about your golf game you may want to have the shaft of your putter custom made so that it naturally fits your correct putting stance.

This will improve your putting stance and the quality of your putting swing.

Grip - While there are only a few popular options on your golf swing grip, there are almost as many putting grips as there are golfers. Select a grip that is comfortable and allows for a smooth putting stroke. You want your thumbs to rest on a flat surface of the grip.

Improving Your Direction - Your putter head should be perpendicular to the line of the target (not necesarily the hole itself if there is a break to the putt).

This can take some practice so here is something you can try. Make a mark on your ball (you can use something like a Sharpie). Pick up your ball and set it back down. Place the golf ball so that the mark is pointing toward the target line.

Line your putter up behind the ball, perpendicular to the mark on the ball. This will make sure you are lined up toward your intended target. Now all you need to worry about is judging distance. Once you have these strategies in place, improving your distance will come with practice.

By: Tim Hathaway
Check out more free articles and golf putting tips for improving your golf game at http://www.golftipsmadeeasy.com where avid golfer and freelance writer Tim Hathaway writes about ways to improve your golf game and you can grab your free report The Perfect Golfing Vacation.

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