Putting Tips For High Handicappers

Golf is a game of precision and skill, but it can be incredibly difficult for high handicappers to get the hang of. It’s easy to become frustrated with your golf game if you don’t make progress quickly enough. However, there are tools and tips that can help even the highest handicapper improve. In this article, we’ll cover some essential putting tips for high handicappers so they can start shaving strokes off their scores right away.

Putting is an important part of every golfer’s game, regardless of skill level. For high handicappers in particular, mastering the short putt will go a long way toward helping them lower their scores. With just a few simple adjustments, these players can take command of their putting stroke and begin sinking more putts than ever before.

Overview Of Putting In Golf

Putting is arguably the simplest part of the game and can be mastered by anyone. No complicated moves are necessary and you’re usually only looking to move the ball a few feet at a time. The keys to becoming a successful putter are:

• find a putter that suits your stroke
• work on your alignment
• work on your setup
• work on distance control
• work on your green reading skills
• believe in yourself!

Best Putters For High Handicappers

High handicappers need the best putters to hit a perfect putt. But it takes more than just a good putter to make that happen. In order to get the ball in the hole more often you need to find a putter that will help you as much as possible. For most players this would mean a mallet putter. These types of putters are much more forgiving when you don’t manage to find the middle of the putter face.

You don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune however. You can usually pick up a discontinued model from a top manufacturer for around $100. Remember that this is a relatively cheap investment as a putter could easily last you a lifetime for just the cost of an occasional replacement grip.

As well as finding a putter that suits your stroke you should also think about getting a lesson from an experienced coach. They can point out errors in your setup that could be ruining your chances on every putt. They can also help you identify the ideal putter to suit you. For example, if you struggle to square the club face at impact distantly you might be better off with a face balanced putter according to Guerin Rife the famous putter designer.

Reading The Green

When you are out on the golf course reading greens is an important skill to have if you want to lower your handicap. Getting the golf ball to fall into the cup starts well before your putting stroke. As you walk up to the putting green take note of any general slopes that will affect how your putt will roll. Make sure you watch your playing partners putts as that can give you excellent information on the slope around the hole and also the general speed of the green.

Stand behind the ball and use both your eyes and your feet to try and judge the slope. Walk around behind the hole to get a feel for the distance. The ball will be traveling most slowly as it reaches the hole so this is where you really need to identify any slope. Walking around the green should help you decide if the putt is uphill or down. 

The best putters tend to be excellent at visualizing the ball tracking along the green and ending in the bottom of the cup. They see the ball going into the hole. Speed and line are intertwined getting one right without the other is not going to get the job done.

Even the best green readers still need to work on their putting stroke if they are going to putt well.

Practicing Short Putts

there are two main areas you will need to perfect on the practice green if you’re going to improve your scores. Short putts and long putts. Obviously, you need to practice holing out but the other important skill is getting long putts close enough that your next post has a great chance of being holed

Practicing short putts is a must for golfers of all standards whether they are professionals or have a high handicap. To improve your putting style and increase accuracy, it’s important to practice the straight putt from a short range. Here are a few tips to help you become more consistent:

• Make sure each of your practice swings is smooth and controlled; don’t rush the stroke.
• Use visualization techniques to focus on controlling the pace and keeping your eyes focused on the ball until after contact.
• Be mindful not to overthink shots; take enough time to line up correctly but then commit confidently.
• When practicing, try different methods such as varying hand positions or club angles until you find what works best for you. The key takeaway here is that by taking some time to practice before entering a round, you can develop better consistency in your short game which will ultimately lower scores. It takes patience and dedication but with hard work comes improved results – so get out there and start practicing!

Drills For Short Putts

what sort of drills can you use to improve your performance with the flat stick. As a handicap golfer a great drill you could use is the clock drill. Mark out some tee pegs in a circular fashion a certain distance from the hole. You could start at 3 feet. Place a ball next to each tee, go through your routine to read the putt and then try to hole it. Try and do all 12 without missing to add some pressure to your practice.

If you’re working on trying to improve your stroke you could use the gate drill. You could actually do this in two different ways. To work on making sure your stroke travels straight back and through on short putts you could set up some tee pegs to make a gate through which must swing the club. It will give you instant feedback if you’re stroke gets loopy.

The other way to use a gate is to put two tee pegs just slightly more than a ball width apart halfway along your putting line. This will test how well you are squaring your putter face.

Techniques For Lag Putting

Lag-putting is a very important part of being successful at golf. There are few more soul-destroying things in the game than three-putting. While many players blame their inability to make short putts in reality it is due to not getting their long putts close enough in the first place. 

Work on improving the quality of your strike as this will greatly impact how far the ball will travel. If you are hitting all over the face will be extremely difficult to achieve consistency. You can use impact tape on the face to check your strike pattern or you could try Sellotaping some coins on either side of the sweet spot to get instant feedback.

Unlike in the full swing keeping your head still is important. Try and make sure your head doesn’t move until well after the ball has gone.

Practicing Long Putts

Long putts can be a nightmare for golfers with higher handicaps. Many amateur golfers fail to hit the ball on their intended line because they lack proper technique. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for effective practice to hone your feel for distance and also reading the line of the putt.

Putting Drills For Long Putts

The ladder drill is a great way to improve your feel for long putts. Place some tees 3 feet apart starting at 12 feet or so. Try to hit various putts that reach the tee you are aiming for and continually switch up the targets. Try playing games against your friends to up the ante a little. As you become proficient at distances up to 20 feet you can start practicing longer-range putts in stages. There is little point practicing 80-footers if you struggle from 20!

Feeling The Distance Of A Putt

Many high handicappers struggle with judging the distance of a putt. One trick is to pace out the putt to give yourself an idea of the distance then work on how far back you need to swing your putter to produce that length of putt.

Developing Better Putting Habits

If you want to improve your putting game and reduce your handicap then you will need to commit to practicing but you must do so with a purpose. Don’t putt without a target and don’t start a practice session without some clear goals in mind. You don’t have to spend hours and hours working on your putting but you do need to train smarter!

While I’m not a fan of slow play many players will benefit from having a routine that will be helpful when they are under the gun. 

Putting Tips For High Handicappers: Conclusion

Many golfers with a high handicap can struggle with their putting. But with practice and determination, you too can enjoy success on the greens. Reducing three-putts and holing out more often will help reduce that handicap! Remember, reading distance and breaks in your putts, feeling the distance of a putt and developing better habits are all essential for improving as a putter. With these tips, you should soon start finding yourself on the right side of more one-putts!

Don’t forget that even the pros miss their fair share (check these stats)!