Who would not like to finish with a single putt. Increase accuracy of your putts by learning how to hit the sweet spot - the center of the club face.

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What are the common things coaches talk about in lessons and articles about putting? Grip, putter path, aim, putt with your shoulders, passive wrists, etc.  These are all important aspects of putting but something that is not talked about enough is striking your putts from the center of the putter face.  There has been some recent research done with putting technology by Sam PuttLab.  What this research has shown is that an off-center hit can deflect the putter face open or closed by up to 4 degrees.  You might ask what 4 degrees means?  Well, it certainly guarantees that you will not make the putt.  Using the same technology, I can only remember on a few occasions when a player’s aim was more than 4 degrees to the right or to the left.  You can go through your whole process of aiming the putter correctly, but if you do not strike the putt from the centre of the putter face, all your effort has gone to waist.  Another point would be that if you do not strike the putt from the center, the ball will not travel the correct distance.  Perhaps now you can see the importance of an off-centered hit.  It will affect both direction and distance, and these are the only 2 factors involved in making a putt. What chance do you have!?

Testing

The first thing you need to do is find out if you are striking your putts from the centre.  You could order putter-face impact tape which leaves a mark on the face where you have made impact, but I think you do not need that.  Simply put 2 tees in the green at a width which is slightly wider than the putter head, or if you are practicing at home, use 2 objects, 2 packs of balls  – like the way I am demonstrating in the picture will work very well.  Place the ball in the center of these objects and hit some putts.  If you do not strike the ball from the center, you will hit the tees or the object, making your problem clear to you.

If the test has shown you that you are not hitting the centre, there are 3 key areas that will help you improve.

1) How you practice

2) Your tempo

3) Balance

Practicing

I know a lot of people that own putting Matts and spend many hours at home practicing; the problem is most have no purpose to their practice.  Whether it is on the practice putting green before you play, or at home practicing, try making it a goal to improve the centeredness of your strike.   The test I showed you above is a great way to test yourself but it is also a great way to practice.  Another practice method is to use 2 tees and a little tape.  Place the 2 tees on the face, just a little wider than the ball; the tees should be set on the face so that if you do not hit the centre, the ball will hit the tees and be sent off in the wrong direction. You will get feedback where you are striking the ball. 

Tempo

I find one of the major causes of not striking the centre is poor tempo.  Most of the time it is not too fast a tempo which is the problem but too slow a tempo.  If I asked you to sign your name 10 times very slowly and then another 10 times quickly at your normal signature speed, which group of signatures would be more consistent?  Or draw a straight line slowly and then quickly.  Which one would be straighter?   I think you will answer that the faster way is always more consistent, and this is no different with putting.  Players who have a very slow tempo to their stroke make different strokes every time and, as a result, strike the putt from a different spot on the face every time.  Many times, this player tells me they feel the putter shaking in the backswing.

Tempo Drill

Tempo is a lot more natural than what you think.  The putter should be moving at the same speed as gravity if you were to let the putter head fall.

• Grip the putter with your right hand only.
• Make some practice strokes keeping your grip pressure light, swinging the putter head to the right and left in a conscious motion without stopping.
• Once you start to feel the putter heading swing very naturally, hit some putts with your right hand only, repeating the same tempo.
• To finish, place you left hand back on the putter, repeating your new found natural tempo.
• Your putting stroke will start to repeat and be a lot more consistent. 

Balance

The 2^nd major reason for off-centred hits is bad balance at address and, as a result, posture change during the stroke.

Balance check

Eyes closed – When your eyes are closed, your sense of your balance will increase.  In your address with your eyes closed, move your weight from toe to heel and from left foot to right foot, gaining a sense of where your balance is.  As your sense increases, finish your address with more weight on your left foot and in a balanced position from toe to heel; it should feel very strong and stable.

Once we know your balance is good, it is just a matter of keeping that balance point during the stroke.  One of the easiest ways to see that someone’s balance point is moving is when the head moves.  It is also the easiest way to practice maintaining your postural angle and balance.

• Place your head against a wall in front of you.
• Hit some putts, rotating your shoulders, keeping your head still against the wall and your hips and legs still.
• Learn the feeling of stable balance during the stroke and repeat the same feeling without the wall.