Puts for Beginners

One of the most difficult parts of the game of golf is putting the ball, as it involves trying to get the ball into a very small cup. When taking your tee shot, and subsequent iron shots, you are aiming at either a very large fairway or a large green. Once on the green, you putt the ball, trying to get the ball in the little cup, which will have a flag or pin in it. Putting makes up around half of your overall score in a round of golf. Draining a long putt is one of the most satisfying shots in golf.

  1. Choosing a Club

    • When you're putting, there is only one club to use: your putter. When taking a shot off the tee, you may decide to take a driver, wood or iron, but on the greens the only club you should use is a putter. The putter has been designed specifically for stroking the ball along the ground.

    Gripping the Putter

    • Some players grip a putter differently from how they grip their other clubs, as putting is a skill that requires both accuracy and touch, without hitting the ball any considerable distance. Often players will try to hold the club in a way that the club moves in line with their shoulders, ensuring a smooth stroke without too much emphasis coming from any one hand. Players who interlock their little finger on the top hand with the first index finger on their bottom hand can still hold a putter in this way, as it's important to feel comfortable when putting.

    Lining Up the Putt

    • Lining up a putt is one of the most difficult skills in the game, especially when playing on greens with contours and slopes. On a flat green, aiming the ball straight at the hole will often do the trick, but when the route to the hole slopes away, the player must aim accordingly so the ball curves down the roll of the slope toward the hole. As well as judging where to aim the ball, a player must also judge the length of putt, which will vary depending on green speeds and whether the putt is being made up or down a hill.

    Hitting the Ball

    • Once you have lined up your putt, and decided how much weight to put behind it, it's time to hit the ball. It's important to keep your eyes on the ball, get your weight over your knees and hit the back of the ball toward the hole. When you're putting, a pendulum motion from your shoulders down is advisable, as this will give a smooth hit through the ball and will keep it on the floor.