Putting basics: grip, alignment, distance control and reading greens

TUREFF• •0

Putting looks like the simplest part of golf, yet it accounts for a large share of the strokes in most rounds. The good news is that it needs no strength, little flexibility and can be practised almost anywhere. This guide covers the fundamentals.

Grip

There is no single correct putting grip, but the aim is the same for all of them: quiet hands and a stroke driven by the shoulders.

Reverse overlap: the most common. The forefinger of the lead hand rests over the fingers of the trailing hand.
Cross-handed or lead hand low: helps some players keep the wrists still and the shoulders level.
Claw: the trailing hand sits on the side of the grip, reducing its influence.

Hold the putter lightly. A tight grip creates tension and makes a smooth stroke harder. Many players place the grip more in the palms than they would with a full swing club, to reduce wrist movement.

Set-up

Eyes over or just inside the ball. This helps you see the line.
Ball slightly forward of centre in your stance, so the putter meets it at the bottom of the arc or just after.
Arms hang naturally from relaxed shoulders.
Putter face square to your intended start line, with the sole sitting flat.

Alignment

Most missed short putts start off line. To check your aim:

Pick an intermediate spot a short distance in front of the ball on your line, and aim the face at that.
Use the line on your ball or putter as a guide if you find it helpful.
Set the face first, then your feet and shoulders parallel to the line.

The stroke

Rock the shoulders like a pendulum, with the arms and hands following.
Keep the head still until well after contact. Listening for the ball to drop is a classic drill.
Match the backswing and follow-through. Decelerating into the ball is a common cause of short putts.
Keep the same rhythm for every putt and change the length of the stroke, not the speed of the swing, to control distance.

Distance control

On longer putts, the main goal is to leave yourself an easy next putt rather than to hole it.

Ladder drill: putt to targets at increasing distances and try to stop each ball just past the last.
Look at the hole during practice strokes to let your eyes judge the distance.
Aim to finish just past the hole if you miss. A ball that stops short never had a chance.

Reading greens

Look from behind the ball and from behind the hole, and from the low side if time allows.
Find the high and low points. Water drains off greens, so think about where it would run.
Feel the slope with your feet as you walk up to the ball.
Consider the speed. A slow putt breaks more; a firm one breaks less. The faster the green, the more the ball will curve.
Pick a target and commit. Indecision causes more misses than a slightly wrong read.

Useful rules on the green

You may mark, lift and clean your ball on the putting green, then replace it exactly where it was.
You may repair damage on the green, including pitch marks and spike marks.
Under the current Rules, you may putt with the flagstick left in the hole or have it removed, as you prefer.
Take care not to stand on the line of another player's putt.

Practice routine

Spend a few minutes on short putts to build confidence, then a few on long putts for pace, then finish with short putts again. Even ten minutes before a round helps you judge the speed of that day's greens. What is your favourite putting drill or grip? Tell us in the comments.