Better aware in putting.

Being aware is a favorite saying on this blog. It is crucial to understanding the factors leading to better putting. The two biggest factors in putting improvement are tension in the hands and poor dominant eye set-up.

This fall I had the privilege of teaching a series of clinics on putting. Every 25 minutes I had 20 new people in front of me so I had to keep it short and simple. I started by holding everyone's forearm with the same grip pressure I use to putt. All were startled by how little pressure they felt.

How much tension is in your hands when you putt? Can you feel the texture of the grip on your putter? Remember that you putt by feel. Is your feel better with lots of tension or very little
tension? Experiment. Find out the right amount of tension for you.

I then tested everyone for dominant eye. As stated before on the blog, your hands and the ball need to be closer to the target than your dominant eye. This applies to all full swings, chips, pitches, and putts.

I touched upon the next step to better putting in last week's blog. Simply putt out on every hole. Seeing the ball drop into the cup gives your brain a positive picture to use on your next putt.

One final thing. As the ball leaves the putter face and begins rolling, watch the ball roll. Use your eyes to track the ball as it rolls. Notice how the ball reacts to the different types of grass, the slopes, and gravity. With practice, you will notice these grasses, slopes, and gravity when you line up a putt. This knowledge will help you with the line and distance of your next putt.

Use this information to improve your putting and shoot lower scores.