Active Herts feature: The importance of a good putting routine

Putting is no exception to this rule, with all tour players having a consistent pre-shot routine. This being said, it must be noted that each player’s routine is unique to them, and that there is no set structure to a good routine.

Within this article I’m going to take you through my own personal putting pre -hot routine. Over time I have developed this routine, using oit n every single putt I hit on the golf course. My advice would be to take the parts that you feel might fit well in your own routine. Whatever you come up with, make sure it is consistent and you repeat it for every single putt.

When putting, every routine should encompass the following steps:

1) Read the green

After marking the ball, the first step is to attempt to read the slopes on the green. To do this I take three key angles into account: behind the ball, behind the hole and from the low side of the putt. From reading the green, you must gain an exact aiming point at which you want to start the ball. To aid my aim, I draw a line on my ball. I use the line to help me aim at my chosen point.

2) Visualise the line to the hole

The next stage of my routine is to visualise the line. Visualisation is key here, as it helps me see the ball tracking towards the hole. I simply stand behind the ball, visualising how it will roll along the chosen line towards the hole.

3) Practice strokes

The important part about practice strokes is to make them realistic to the putt. These should be done parallel to the target and allow you to get a feel for distance. Personally I make three practice strokes. One with eyes closed focusing on the feel of the distance, a second tracking the line of the putt, and a third looking at the hole.

4) Line the face up

When addressing the ball, I feel it is important to align the putter head first, prior to taking your stance. This allows the putter to be correctly aligned, with the stance being built around that. I see this being done by the vast majority of guys on the tour, with the face alignment being crucial to starting putts on line.

5) Hit the putt!

Having taken all the correct steps in a good routine, all that is left now is to hit the putt. This should be done confidently without fear of consequence. Hitting the ball on your chosen line at a good pace is all you can do. The more good putts you hit, the more you will hole.

As I stated before, take the pieces you like from my own routine and perhaps try them in yours. The most important thing is to create something consistent, repeatable and that you have confidence doing. If you have any questions or would like to contact me, feel free to email [email protected]