Putting tips

I find that if I first line the putter in front of the ball to the hole and then take my stance, I am always lined up correctly. Then I take my stance and bring the putter behind the ball. Also, I am a proponent of placing the right index finger down the shaft. This prevents wrist movement and steadies the putter.
Just wondered if anyone else has tried this. My average putts per round ranges between 30-32.

I am also a right index finger person.

The one thing I concentrate on when taking practice strokes is short back swing, smooth through swing. If you take a long backswing the club tends to declelerate through. If you take it too short the tendency is to pop the ball and it goes off line. This a Tiger Woods tendency when his putting is off.

I wanted to see what Tiger's tendency's are when he putts good and not so good and do a comparison. I discovered the following.

Good Strokes
1. He tries to keep the stoke between his heels.
2. He keeps the putter low to low.
3. His lower body is completely quiet.
4. He turns from his abdomin not just the shoulders.
5. He sets himself before the stroke. (Breathes in and exhales before the stroke) Just like shooting a gun. Breathe in, Breathe out, shoot. Calms the nerves.
6. He uses dead hands and arms, completely lower back, abdomin, shoulders.
7. All these add up to a smooth stroke.

Bad Strokes
1. Quick with his setup.
2. More shoulders and alittle arms.
3. Pops the ball offline at the begining.
4. These things are enough to throw a fast putt offline.

The faster the greens the smoother stroke you need.

In the photo/video section I posted a picture of putter alignment with a ball line.

Hope this gets you started,

GolfBald

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The guy in the white hat!

The right index thing started when I saw Arnold Palmer do it about 40 years ago when I first started playing so I copied him.
The placement of the putter in front of the ball to the hole line first, then taking my stance started 5 years ago when I was having trouble and averaged 38 to 40+ putts per round. Maybe it was psychological but I swear that one thing has lowered my putting strokes by 20%. I make everything within 10-12 feet.

I use the standard reverse overlap grip. I'll have to give the index finger a try.

I started putting a lot better when I went to more of a "feel" stroke. I practice putting by putting something down, e.g. an extra ball, a coke, my glove, at a spot on the green, 3, 6, 9 feet away and putt three balls. Not going back from the 3 to the 6, etc. until I've made the three. I got into the habit of taking the three balls at the cup and nonchalantly putting them back to my marker. I found that I was more accurate with the nonchalant stroke than I was with the stroke lining up, thinking about the stroke, having all kinds of thoughts, etc. So now I basically line up the name on the ball with my line, eyeball the putt for distance, uphill or downhill, grain, etc. and try to get a feel for what the putt will do. Then I line myself up to my target, relax, think only of keeping my head steady and let it go. I can usually get the long ones within the 3 foot circle and sink my share of short ones.

This "feel" technique has helped me a ton.

I've been working on the Gary Player no look teqchnique. Once set you don't look until the ball is gone for a long while or you hear the sound of the ball falling in the cup. I found it difficult at first. I've been at it for about 2 weeks every day during lunch. I still look on occasion. More are falling!!!

GolfBald

I have always placed the index finger of my right hand down the putter handle but lately I have also worked on keeping my head perfectly still until the ball has left the putter and this has made a huge difference. Its just instinct to move the head either from side to side or to lift the head when putting but keeping it absolutely still is the key for me. I was averaging 36 putts per round and now I frequently average 30.

I've found if you move your head it destroys the shot almost every time but it is oh so hard not to peek. I pretty much use the Gary Player technique in practice to train myself to keep my head steady. Another is to watch the putter hit the ball but you have to be careful then not to watch it go or you'll fall into the head moving habit again.

The other thing I practice is to make sure my shoulders are working up and down and my right shoulder is going "under" rather than around. When it's going "under" and my head is still my putts always go true.

But at the course, I need to have that all ingrained because that is when you have to really concentrate on the line, distance, borrow, etc. and a good feel and can't be thinking of technique.