When having a crisis of confidence on the greens, as I experienced very recently, investing time reading the best putting tips and trying the most effective putting drills is a great way to engage a hard reset.
In the past I have tried to circumvent this process, by learning how to plumb bob a putt or going full Sergio Garcia and shutting my eyes, but nothing seems to do the trick quite like a few dedicated sessions on the practice putting green.
So this time, following a turbulent period with the flatstick, I decided to try 5 simple tips from expert coach Barney Puttick... and I am so glad that I did.
Below, I asked Barney to share with you his putting wisdom from more than 45 years of coaching, in the hope that you too can pull off your best putting performance of the season this weekend...
5 Simple Putting Tips To Fire Up The Flatstick
Barney turned professional in 1979 and gained the Assistant Professional position at Dyrham Park Golf Club. He played full time before becoming Head Professional at Ramsey Golf Club in 1987. He can now be found teaching at Mid Herts Golf Club. Barney's favourite golfing memory is tying Greg Norman for third place in a 36-hole tournament in Cannes.
1. Stay Committed
A common problem on short, pressurised putts is that players tend to look at the hole before they have even struck the ball. This opens up the shoulders and means that putts will not be hit on the intended line.
This can be prevented by using two different methods. The first is a practice drill that involves you hitting putts while looking at the hole. This helps to keep your head, shoulders and upper body still throughout the stroke.
You can practise it anywhere and doing so repeatedly will tighten up your stroke on all lengths of putt.
2. Stay Down
It may sound strange, but you can do the opposite of the above to achieve the same results. Hit putts and focus on keeping your head down at the point of impact until your putter goes past your front foot.
This will again help you stay down and committed to the stroke in order to improve consistency. The beauty of this drill is that it can also be implemented out on the course, even during a competitive round.
Maintaining this routine will ensure that you don't lift your head and shoulders and pull putts.
Keeping you head up and keeping your head down while putting - both can help to improve your technique in practice
3. Be Square At Impact
This is a classic stroke-building exercise that gets the putter moving up and down the line and gives golfers a good idea of where the putter face needs to be at impact.
Create a gate either side of the ball, just more than a putter's width apart. Do this whenever you are practising your short putts and you should find the middle of the putter face more often for added consistency.
4. Steady Your Hands
This might look like something you do when up against the fringe, but it is also a useful drill for the practice green.
Use a wedge to practise your putting by hovering the club and hitting the ball in an arc with the leading edge. Keep your hands steady to produce a smooth roll.
Practise this for ten minutes, then return to your putter and you'll find that it is easier to keep your hands steady when faced with short-range putts.
These two drills can help to ensure you give the ball the best chance of maintaining its intended line and achieving that perfect end over end roll
5. Change Your Grip
Routine is vital in any part of the game, as is understanding how to grip a putter, but sticking to exactly the same way of putting can result in a loss of feel and consistency.
If you find you are struggling with your short-range putting and can't work out why, then try changing things a little.
Struggling on the greens? Experiment with a few new putting grips in practice and see which works best for you
Don't be afraid to experiment with your grip in order to keep things fresh and improve your focus. This could be going to a right hand-over-left grip, or adopting the claw grip for putting.
Whatever you go for, make sure it's a grip that is completely different from your standard. This will give you something different to think about, which will help maintain your focus.
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