Putting Help

You don't need a golf golf ball for this one, just your putter.

Take the golf club-head back 3 inches and then, on the follow through, go only 3 inches past where the golf ball would be. Use a "straight back and straight through" motion, but do it as slowly and as smoothly as possible. It is even better if you can practice this against a wall, a 2 x 4 piece of wood, one of your clubs lying on the putting green or anything else that has a straight solid edge to it.

You must be sure that your stroke is touching the wall or whatever you're using on the back-swing and follow-through. This will help straighten your putting stroke.

- When someone is not putting well, they are moving their head to the left or right during the stroke. It is okay to not move your head at all when your putt, just as it is okay for your eyes to follow the path of the golf ball after you hit it, as long as your head is stationary, not shifting to the left or right.

One way to check this is to have a friend hold a golf club against the left side of your head (right side for a left-handed player), while you are practicing putting. If you feel yourself pressing against the club on the follow-through, you need to keep your head more still. An even better way is to get someone to take a video of you putting from all angles with a camcorder. This will show you what is really happening.