How To Use Golf Training Aids To Improve Your Putting
Drive
for show, putt
for dough. Relax
the nerves, trust
your line.
Eyes over
the ball, smooth take away. Accelerate
through the ball, and...
Klinka tinka tinka
-- yes!
The sweet sound of
a birdie putt,
or even a 6-footer
for par,
dropping into the cup. It's a great feeling, especially if
you just
finished the
18th for a
personal best round. Or if
you just won
5 skins
to make your buddies
shell out some serious coin. A hot day
with the
putter can make
you feel like a
million bucks. Actually, in the case of a PGA tour pro,
it can earn
you a million bucks.
Too bad
that for the
average golfer those days seem to
come so infrequently. The average
Joe uses
up anywhere
between 32
and 40 putts
per round, while the best
pros average around 30. Tour pros make just under
90% of their putts from 4-5 feet, while average guys make around 50%.
That's a lot of shots to give up! Think about this: if
you are a
thirteen handicapper, your average score is around 85,
and you average 36 putts per round, then 42% of your shots
are putts! And what
do you
spend most of your
time doing
at the range? If youre like most guys (and
gals) then you spend most of your
time beating balls with your driver
or mid-irons. Yet,
according to the
numbers you should be
spending almost half of your time
on the
putting green.
So how can busy people with little time for golf practice still improve their
putting game without doubling practice time or
drastically reducing the amount of time spent practicing their full shots? Golf
training aids are the answer. Many
training aids exist that can quickly improve your putting
stroke and green reading without spending hours on the putting green. Just 10 to
15 minutes per practice session is required for most golfers to drop strokes quickly. Here are some tips for finding right training aids or a combination of training aids to maximize your results:
1. Look for training aids that allow you to easily
see the
following things: square clubface, shoulder
alignment, eye placement (over the ball), foot alignment, and
stroke path. Some devices
use mirrors, some use low-power lasers. Most training aids have physical barriers that keep the putter on the right path
during the stroke.
2. For eye alignment you can always do this: line up the putt and
address the
ball as if you were going to hit the
putt. Then take a ball from your pocket, put it between your eyes, and allow it to drop straight down. Wherever the ball lands is where your
eyes are lined up.
They should be directly over the target ball.
3. Whatever
device(s) you choose, make
sure that they are not too large and/or awkward. My experience is that you don't use the device unless it is convenient.
4. Follow through is also important, so make sure that the training aid
gives you feedback for the whole
stroke. You
need to see that your stroke path is straight and putter face releases
properly after
contact, otherwise you will have consistency problems.
5. Use the golf training aid consistently,
every time you practice. You need to groove the stroke and you can't do that unless you keep at it.
Also, if possible, use the device at home or at the
office when you have a spare minute. This extra practice time
really helps.
I wish you
good luck and a hot blade!
Mike Gelhaus, once racquetball
professional and published
author for Racquetball
Magazine, has turned his attention
back to the game of Golf. With the use of golf training aids, he achieved a
handicap of 3
only weeks before back surgery. Check out his site at
http://the-best-golf-training-aids.com.