| I've called this article "The Art of Putting", because | | | | With your practice strokes, get into the habit of |
| if you want to get better at it, it is imperative | | | | seeing the ball go in the hole. Whether you pick a |
| that you think about it as a visual art and not a | | | | spot to aim at or you see the whole putt, |
| technical science. Good putting is performed with | | | | ALWAYS visualize holing every putt. Tiger |
| the senses, which we can heighten every time | | | | believes he is going to hole every putt no matter |
| we play. You need to see and feel everything and | | | | how far away he is. If you have read any |
| learn to trust your instincts. The more intense | | | | motivational books about the secrets of |
| your focus is on the line and the greater your | | | | successful people, it is having a very positive |
| commitment to it, the better you will putt. | | | | image of this success that typically differentiates |
| Developing and practicing a solid routine of positive | | | | them from people who do not achieve it.You |
| visualization, feel and trust, will give us the | | | | need to start believing you are a good putter and |
| structure we need to become better putters and | | | | convincing yourself of a positive visual outcome |
| lower our scores. This is what I teach my | | | | before you strike the golf ball. |
| students through my coaching and the Golf State | | | | If we think about lagging it to the hole, we will |
| of Mind mental game audio session. | | | | miss more putts. I'm not saying you need to be |
| Putting is where scores are made. If you are an | | | | so aggressive that you blow every putt 6 ft past |
| 18 handicapper and you make 36 putts a round (2 | | | | the hole, but always focus on making it. We need |
| per hole) this represents 40% of your total | | | | a vivid a picture of the ball following its line and |
| number of strokes. So clearly it is worth | | | | dying into the cup. Be so precise that you see the |
| dedicating at least as much practice time here as | | | | side of the cup the ball will drop in. You are |
| you do on your long and short game. This time is | | | | actually playing the putt in your head before you |
| not about simply about perfecting your stroke, it's | | | | hit the ball and seeing it go in a couple of times will |
| about developing acute positive visualization and | | | | increase your confidence and give you a far |
| feel with every putt. | | | | greater chance of making it. Use this mental |
| The most important factor in putting well is | | | | imagery to feel the speed with your practice |
| visualizing and committing to a line. Only you know | | | | strokes, which will pre-set the right tempo. Once |
| how hard you are going to hit it, so only you can | | | | you are over the ball, you can be confident in the |
| determine the the line you are going to hit it on. | | | | fact that your mind has all the information it |
| Reading the slopes and understanding how | | | | needs to allow the body to hit a good putt. Then |
| different grasses affect the putt will simply come | | | | let the subconscious mind take over and |
| with experience. The body performs better when | | | | concentrate on a solid strike. |
| the mind is focusing on visual images, instead of | | | | If you can do all these things during your routine, |
| words or technical instructions. The mind needs to | | | | you will have hit a good putt whatever the |
| tell the body what it wants to do, not how to do | | | | outcome. Your power of positive visualization will |
| it. Developing acute visualization of the ball rolling | | | | intensify with every putt. Overtime, this process |
| on its line into the hole will give your body all the | | | | will no doubt lead to better putting, greater |
| information it needs to execute a putt well. | | | | confidence and lower scores. |