Peter Finch: Pressure Putting Practice

Peter Finch suggests a great pressure putting practice drill in which you stop aiming at the hole itself and aim at something on your line closer to you

PRESSURE PUTTING PRACTICE Many golfers have trouble over short putts when the pressure is on. They feel comfortable from 20ft, but the pressure builds from close range as they feel they should be holing it from this distance – the psychology of golf!

Forget the hole To take your mind off this added pressure, I would suggest that you stop aiming at the hole itself, and rather aim at something on your line closer to you.

This will help take your mind away from the ultimate goal of holing the putt and give you an intermediate target to roll the ball over. It’s amazing how quickly this can change your mindset.

Watch all 7 videos in Peter's 'Keys to Consistency' series...

• Understanding impact basics
• Golf's set-up essentials
• How impact varies from club to club
• A new way to pitch
• A bullet-proof chipping action
• Fringe putting drill

The tee gate You can practise this either by picking out something on your line, or actually creating a small gate with tee pegs, as I’ve done here, through which your ball must pass if you’re to hole the putt. Set up to the hole, then have a quick glance at it simply to tell your brain how hard you need to hit it.

Now, forget the hole and focus only on getting the ball rolling through the middle of your tee gate. There’s nothing more of it then that. If you can do that, then as long as your pace is okay, your ball will find the bottom of the cup.