Stop missing eight footers

Start holing out more often from the range that really matters

If you want to improve your score, lower your handicap and put less pressure on your short game, you can do so simply by becoming a better putter.

That, of course, is easier said than done, especially when you are dealing with putts from inside eight feet.

On average, a tour professional will hole approximately 54% of these putts, which might not be a statistic you expected to hear.

The majority of amateur golfers I speak to are often surprised by this statistic and expect it to be a lot higher.

There are many reasons why a golfer – tour player or average club player – can miss from this range.

I believe, as a coach, that it is important to start with good fundamentals and simply by making changes to your putting set-up, it can have a huge effect on the putting stroke and, therefore, the end result.

Here, I have put together four simple fixes that will roll in those eight footers.

 

PUTTING POSTURE

As you can see in the image above, you should be able to balance a CD on the back of your neck. This posture allows the shoulders to move on a square-to-square plane, which affects the path of the putter. In doing so, it will lead to a more consistent squarer stroke path.

TEN-BALL DRILL

Your perception of a straight line needs to match the reality of one. Line ten balls up towards the hole. Take your set-up and if the line of balls curves your eyes are not in their optimal position. Make adjustments until the line becomes straight.

SHAFT/ARM ALIGNMENT

Ensure your putter shaft and right forearm adopt the same angle as shown. This will minimalise the amount of face rotation during the stroke, making it easier to be consistent and hole more eight-footers.

STATIC LOWER BODY

Adopt a stance which is wider than your shoulders and have your weight slightly favouring the left. This helps minimise lower body movement during the stroke, which will help your pace and angle of attack to be more consistent.

 

 

---

Gavin Abson is the Head PGA Golf Professional at The Carrick. For lessons, call Gavin on 01764 694343. Follow him on Twitter @GavinAbson

Originally published on bunkered on May 18, 2012.

More instruction...