Putting, what improved yours most?

Smasher

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What's the one thing that improved your putting the most?
A tip? Online video? A training aid? A lesson? (insert joke about Aimpoint)

I've been away from the game for some time and need to drastically improve mine, so looking for recommendations.
 

Lord Tyrion

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1/ I found a putter that suits me. Lots of trial and error but my current one is one I can judge the pace with and it doesn't wobble about
2/ I found a grip that seems stable, tried a few getting to this point
3/ I play quite a bit with my son and if I am missing a lot I ask him to stand behind and see what is wrong. I have a tendency to close off so he will re-align me. Luckily he has a good eye and would be a decent coach. He certainly is for me. Re-alignment is a big one for me as set up is probably my biggest issue with putting. Get a mate to watch you putt. Get him to video you so you can see for yourself. Well worth it.

After that, it's plain old practice. Go round the clock 4ft from the hole. Extend it by a pace when you find you are holing most putts, tip given by a pro once.

Good luck.
 

Coffey

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Couple of things helped me:
1) got a heavier putter, had a ping blade style which used to wiggle everywhere on the way back. Found it really hard to keep stable and as a result didn't consistently strike the same part of the face.
2) Slowed my putting stroke down, used to sort of stab and hit at the ball which was very inconsistent in many aspects. I now try and roll the ball and keep the rhythm slow and just increase the length of the stroke. This gives me a lot more control. Has drastically improved my % from inside 4 foot.
3) Listened to Bob Rotella's Putting out of your mind audio book- absolutely changed the way I look at putting. I used to stand over the ball in fear of a 3 putt, instead of looking at it as a chance of sinking it and saving a shot.

I would say my putting has improved drastically over the past year, used to be plagued by 3 putts. I would say i now have 1 or 2 a round which are normally a loss in concentration. Although on Saturday I had 4 on the front 9, just completely lost my stroke. Back 9 was much better when I just slowed it all back down again and concentrated
 

Yant

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1. Using the right putter that suits my stroke.
2. Finding a technique and process that works for me and one that i feel comfortable with.
3. Trusting it when i'm under pressure. If i don't trust it i tense up and won't hole the putt.
 

Capella

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Putting mat which allowed me to practice my putting at home. And a lesson with Peter Finch in which we figured out that I wasn't aiming where I thought I was aiming on the longer putts. I am lining my putts up with the line on the ball now and that has helped me a lot. I still struggle with the speed of putts, especially on long putts up or down a slope.
 

lukeysafc100

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Two Drills

1) Gate drill - 4 pegs 2 either side of the putter and 2 width size of a ball about 6-7 inches in front of others. 1 alignment stick for your feet. This ensure you strike the ball correctly and aligning properly. I like to set it up 5ft from the hole - I have set of target of holing 50 in a row - my record so far is 35.

2) Alignment cane set at 17inches behind hole. 20ft+ putt. 3 points for holing and 1 point for between the hole and cane.

3) Line on the ball :)
 

shortgame

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Spending hours and hours drilling short putts (3ft) often with a putting mirror or other alignment aid

The best aid is a bit of string on 2 sticks

£I've gone from being a bit wobbly on short putts to hardly ever missing any, thus reducing/eliminating the fear of the 3 putt

HTH
 

Patster1969

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Finding a process and sticking to it. I kept changing parts due to reading different tips (putter/weight of putter/where I had the ball in my stance/where I had my hands on the grip) and wondered why it didn't work. Have now concentrated on one process/putter/etc and my putting has improved.
Also, making myself keep my head down for several seconds after hitting the putt has aided my distance putting and the quality of strike
 

Jates12

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I found a putter thats heavy and i know i can keep stable.
A grip thats comfortable and works for me to ensure my stroke is more stable without too many moving parts.
A Line on the ball for alignment always helps.
Lastly, as people have already said, practice. I use the clock drill and the cane drill that Lukeysafc mentioned.

Ive reduced my number of puts this year from 1.9 PPH to 1.8PPH. it doesnt sound a lot but its 1.8 shots a round and thats nearly what ive come down in HCP this year since working on these things.
 

LCW

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What's the one thing that improved your putting the most?
A tip? Online video? A training aid? A lesson? (insert joke about Aimpoint)

I've been away from the game for some time and need to drastically improve mine, so looking for recommendations.

Fitted for a putter for the first time about a year ago and was worth every penny. Found my scotty was to long for me and had to much loft. SAM puttlab gave me some real eye openers with the before and after. Amazing how I was aiming differently with different styles of putter. First time i ever bagged a none blade style putter and its working to great effect.

Secondly had a putting lesson with the guy who fitted me as they have an amazing studio by me owned by the guy at my club.

Simple, quite costly but worth it.

Edit:

Forgot to say out of my lesson I start putting drills 4ft from hole with no break, dead straight and hole from there. lets me know I am aligning correctly and hitting my putts on the intended start line.
 

ArnoldArmChewer

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If your approach play can deteriorate to the same level as mine you will miss loads of greens thereby leaving short pitch/chips, practise those and your putting stats WILL improve. :whoo:
 

brendy

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2Ball putter and learned to make a few practice strokes above the ball to indicate (the white on the top of the putter leaves a momentary flash in my eye) if I was aiming on the right line. It turned me from an awful putter to an ok one.
 

Orikoru

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Disclaimer: I still can't putt but that's mostly because I can't read greens. I've done a couple of things others here have said which have improved my stroke and pace:
1. Got fitted for my putter. Ended up with a heavier one than I was using, which made it easier to keep online on the backswing. With lighter putters I found the head going all over the place on the way back.
2. I changed my grip a while back which also made it easier to keep straight on the way back. It was only subtle but I just separated my hands slightly (so my left forefinger only just touches the right little finger). The putter feels more stable in my hands this way.
3. Started taking my glove off to putt. I never used to as I couldn't see the benefit, but it does help in ways which are hard to describe. I think it's actually a bit of mental thing for me, since putting is basically a different game altogether, I feel like taking the glove off marks the transition from approach play to putting in my head.
 

patricks148

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used to be a streaky putter and putted hands together with little grip pressure, but after a conversation with Robin Fyfe or old pro about putting ( ex European tour pro and top scottish am back in the day) he didn;t agree with with the school of thought of taking the hands out of it.

so of we went to the putting green. he had me putting one handed (right hand) as i'm right handed and had more control with that. gripping the putter hard at the bottom of the grip. too a few goes to get used to. but 100 % better putter now in fact i can putt almost as well with one hand as two.
h
 

Orikoru

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used to be a streaky putter and putted hands together with little grip pressure, but after a conversation with Robin Fyfe or old pro about putting ( ex European tour pro and top scottish am back in the day) he didn;t agree with with the school of thought of taking the hands out of it.

so of we went to the putting green. he had me putting one handed (right hand) as i'm right handed and had more control with that. gripping the putter hard at the bottom of the grip. too a few goes to get used to. but 100 % better putter now in fact i can putt almost as well with one hand as two.
h
Seen a lot lately about one handed putting. A video of Matsuyama doing his warm up showed him practise putts and also chips with one hand (right hand putts and left hand chips). What's the method behind that? For putting anyway.
 
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