The game of golf can be very rewarding to learn and play. There are many aspects to the game and putting has often been said to be a separate game altogether. Learning how to putt can be quite a challenge. Some people pick it up quickly and become good but often they encounter difficulties down the road and develop the dreaded putting yips. Here some useful tips to help you become a good putter and stay that way.



Putt To Make It:

Many golfers on long putts try to just get the ball close to the hole. They often will aim for a 3 foot circle. The problem with this strategy is that you are just increasing your margin for error. A better approach would be to always putt to make it. This means that on every putt your goal is to make the putt.

This does not mean you have to hit the putt hard in order to make sure to get it to the hole. Instead think of making every putt by seeing the ball dying into the hole on the last rotation. This way your misses will be much closer.

Trust Your First Impression:

When you are reading greens it can be very easy to get overwhelmed and start doubting how the putt will break. When you first approach a green take a bit of time to look at the putt from a few different angles. After that simply come up with a good solid first impression and stick with that.

It is very important to be decisive on your putts. You must trust the read you make and believe the ball will go in the hole. This does not mean you will make every putt. Your goal is to give every putt the best chance of going in the hole and this way of thinking will allow you to do that. Remember that even the best professionals misread greens so when you do misread a few putts just forget about them and believe your next read will be accurate.

Focus On Your Successful Putts:

If you play a lot of golf then you will inevitably miss a lot of putts. It can become very easy to dwell on these misses. However there is no doubt that you have made a fair number of putts too and some of them have probably been quite spectacular. Be sure to celebrate all the great putts you have made. This will ingrain into your mind the good putts you have made and will help to build your putting confidence.

Be sure to remind yourself of some of the greatest putts you have ever made. One good thing to do is each day before you go to bed think about the top 3 putts you have ever made. Replay them in your mind as vividly as you can and really experience the joy and satisfaction that making those putts gave you. Never suppress your emotions on successful putts, of course do not brag too much either, instead celebrate internally so you do not appear rude to your playing partners.

Do Not Think Too Much:

It is easy when you are about to hit your putts to start thinking about all sorts of things. Make sure that when you are about to hit your putts you are focused on your target. So make sure to pick out a target like a blade of grass on the edge of the hole or somewhere to the right or left of the hole if you expect the putt to break. Also make sure your target is something small.

Do not think about putting mechanics or how you made the last putt or about how the putt will break as you are about to hit the putt. Just focus on the target and let your mind and body strike the putt in the most accurate manner that will allow the putt to go to the hole with the right direction and speed. Use some of these tips to help you make more putts.