Better Golf Online

It is rare to come across a completely flat green because it is necessary for water to drain off; this is why they are nearly always sloped. Allowing rain or water to roll off is necessary, but it also causes balls to curve off line when you are putting. Dealing with this sloping even as you are putting will take time and practice.

Uphill and downhill putts are a result of sloping turf but side to side sloping means the ball wants to move sideways on its way to the hole. Your ability to read the “break” or slope is a key to how well you putt. It is obvious that a sharper slope causes more break than a smaller one.

This is called reading the green and should be done as you move towards the next shot. As you walk towards the green begin to notice the overall slope of the land and any features such as hills, bodies of water and valleys. These are items that will come into play as you plan your next shot. When you reach the ball, make a quick decision of what you think the ball will do.

Now take a little time (a few seconds) checking from the ball to the hole, and maybe from the hole to the ball, this is how you will finalize the quick decision you made earlier. This can be done while other players are setting up for their shots; this allows you to be ready when your shot comes up.

After deciding how a putt will break think about how much it is going to break, will it make a right to left move, and how many inches you think it will move. You will learn how to do this effectively as you play, as in all other situations, experience is the best teacher.

A firmer stroke is an advantage to the golfer that comes from putting uphill; the ball needs to be hit a
little firmer because it is going up a slope. In addition, because the cup is slightly higher in the back it acts as a sort of backstop for the ball, another advantage to you.

Charging the hole, or stroking a little harder has other advantages; it allows you to play less break, (the slope of the green) and it is much easier to hit a solid putt straight than to try to curve it with any kind of exactness. The uphill will also keep the ball from rolling to far if you miss the shot. If you do miss the shot, watch how the ball rolls past the hole, it will help you determine the correct stroke to use when you have to putt it back again.

Don’t get carried away on uphill strokes and allow your body and head to get involved, continue to
use your steady smooth strokes that you have practiced so much on, stick to your routine. Generate the extra power you will need for an uphill shot by increasing the back and through swing.

If your body tends to get involved with the stroke, widen your stance slightly, and keep your eye on the ball until it has been hit. Do not create tension in your back and neck as this will throw off your swing. Think about your stroke and let the rocking of your shoulders make the stroke what you want it to be.

If necessary you can grip the putter higher, or closer to the end, it lengthens your putter which will produce more power in the same stroke. Remember to stand a little higher and make a few practice strokes so you dont hit the green with the
putter.

There are three elements of proper alignment in the game of golf:

*Aligning the body, the ideal body alignment aims all of your body, feet, knees, hips, forearms and shoulders parallel to the target line.

*Aligning the ball, if the ball is aligned to far forward, it can cause you to hit it while the putter is swinging up, causing the ball to leave the green.

*Aligning the putter face – according to some professionals if your putter alignment is off by 10 degrees, and your putt is 20 feet, you will miss the hole by 3 feet. That sounds like aligning the putter is pretty important!

Contact should be made with the ball at the bottom of the stroke for putting, at the point where the putter head is horizontal to the ground. In the ideal stance this is directly beneath the center of your stance. The center of your stance should be directly below your breastbone.

To determine your low point, try some practice swings, the point where the putter brushes the grass is your low point. It may be further back if you put more weight on your back foot or further forward if you lean towards your target. Your ball should be placed slightly in front of your low point, this is necessary because each persons low point is different.

The direction your putt is off may be caused due to the fact that your ball is positioned improperly to your low point. If you continue to push puts right, try moving your ball slightly forward. If you pull your puts to the left, try moving your ball back slightly in your stance.

Placing the ball to far forward is the most common mistake golfers make. This makes it easier for them to see their shot, but gives the shot less power than it should have.