#53 Web TV: Do You Make This Putting Mistake?

Do You Make this Putting Mistake?

You are most likely wondering, which putting mistake are you talking about?

Well, that depends on what your putting is actually doing. If you are a solid putter and putt the ball to where it needs to go...that is, in the hole or near it and you keep your body stable then you most likely are getting consistent results.

But what if your putting is inconsistent?

Perhaps you are not getting the speed right?

Or the line is not right?

The ball didn't go where you thought you aimed it!

Have you thought that your putting is inconsistent because you are or could be swaying your body?

If you are swaying your body, it will affect the direction the ball will go and it will affect the speed of the ball.

Perhaps you think you have a solid base. I always test out golfers with their putting stroke stability when they are not sure if they are actually swaying. I have a groovy little activity to test out whether the golfers sway when they putt. It makes so much more sense when I get them to do it because then they can feel what their body is doing when they putt.

So are you ready to do this activity?

What you need is a putter, a ball and an iron.

Now, set yourself up on the green to perform a putting stroke. Don't set up to aim at a hole, just set up on the green to putt a stroke. I don't want you to focus on the hole, I want you to become aware of your putt.

Once you have set up your putting stroke, then rest the iron against your leg. If you are a right handed golfer rest the iron up against right leg and if you are a left handed golfer, rest it against your left leg.

So, now you are set up ready to perform your putting stroke, I want you to putt the ball and be aware whether the iron moves when you putt. What I mean by moving is...whether the iron falls onto the ground or it stays rested against your leg but it moves when you putt. If the iron falls or moves with you...da! dahhh! That means you are swaying!

If you are swaying, then it is highly likely your are getting inconsistent shots.

How do you fix it?

When you putt what you need to do is perform this same activity and see if you can stay as still as you can. When you putt all I want you to do is to perform your putting stroke with the iron against your leg...and the iron can't move a millimetre. That's how stable you need to be! Not only that I want you to focus on your putting stroke itself not where the ball is going!

I believe that if you focus on the processes (the putting stroke), the results (the ball) will do what you need it to do!

To check and make sure you are doing this putting activity right, watch the video above.