Fix Your Golf Game - Lining Up and Reading Golf Putts - 8 Step Putting Drill

Lining up a putt

How much time do you spend looking at lining up your, golf hole tip, putts, 5 seconds, 10 seconds?

It is just not enough time. Now I am not advocating slow play here but you need to take the time to read your, golf hole tip, putt. Reading putts starts with your approach shot and those of your playing partners.

This is the most accurate read you are going to get period. The ball is on the green and running and the effects of the slope will show you the breaks of the green.

I always find this more accurate than watching partners putts, as their closeness to the hole means that their stroke will have a greater effect on were the ball goes rather than just the breaks of the green.

A bad, golf hole tip, putter can make a right to left putt, golf hole tip, look left to right!!

You also need to get down close to the green. Now I am not saying I want to see you all flat to the green like Camilo, golf hole tip,, golf hole tip, Villegas, but squatting down closer to the putting surface is going to help in giving, golf hole tip, you a much better read.

It will definitely show you some of the more subtle, golf hole tip, bumps and, golf hole tip, breaks that you just will not see if you are just stood behind your ball.

Are you looking at your putt just from one side of the hole?

If so you are only getting half of the picture. You really should be looking, golf hole tip, at the putt from both sides of the hole, and also from the side.

From behind the hole you are going to get a good view of the last half of your putt and what happens, golf hole tip, if your putt runs long, and from the side it is going to confirm what you have seen from in front and from behind the hole.

Do you have an alignment aid on your golf ball?

Even most of the worlds top professionals will use alignment aids on their golf, golf hole tip, balls.

Golf, golf hole tip, is a tough enough game already, so take advantage of everything at your disposal.

If you are not the proud owner of a collection of Sharpie pens and 1 or 2 widgets for putting alignment aids on your golf balls then you are seriously missing out.

I would suggest that for, golf hole tip, most golfers adding these will cut your number of putts per round.

Drill

Develop, golf hole tip, a routine. Crouch, look and take a read on the break of your putt from in front of the hole.
Crouch, look and take a read on the break of your putt from behind the hole.
Crouch,, golf hole tip, look and take a read on the break of your put from the side of the hole.
Line up the alignment aid on your,, golf hole tip, golf hole tip, ball to your target, golf hole tip, .
Take practice strokes until you are happy that you have grooved the stroke for the putt you are about to make.
Address the ball.
Putt.
Pick the ball out of the cup.