subject: Putting Instruction: Five Tips To The Best Mental Putting Techniques For Duffers [print this page] Are you a good putter? Do you think you could be even better? The secret to being the best putter you can be lies in using the right mental putting techniques. Approaching a putt with the wrong mental techniques will cost you strokes on the green and your handicap will suffer as well.
What is the wrong mental putting technique? Without question the largest or most frequently seen wrong mindset is when you apply unneeded pressure to yourself to make the putt. By that I mean you're standing over a putt and telling yourself because of the situation you're in that you must make the putt. That kind of thinking adds pressure and pressure creates tension and tension causes all sorts of problems with the mechanics of the putting stroke.
I can remember my first eagle putt. An absolutely lucky 3-wood shot had me pin high with maybe 20 feet to the hole. I was so excited and nervous at the same time that there was no way I could make it. Heart was racing, hands sweaty and I couldn't breathe right. I didn't make it of course. I left that putt pathetically short. I didn't make par either. I failed all because I couldn't get in the right place mentally.
A good way to overcome this kind of thinking is to focus on the process of making a good putt rather than the outcome of the putt. That is the right putting mental technique. It separates in your mind the task of making a putt from the consequences of that putt.
Easy for me to say, right? Sure it is. It is not really that easy. I know. So to help you here are five tips on how you can learn to use the proper putting mental techniques.
Narrow minded thinking - Keep your thoughts focused on the task at hand. Read the putt. Think only of making the putt. What may have happened on previous putts, successful or not, doesn't matter now. New putt. Different green. Think only about what needs to be done to make this putt. Keep the outcome separate from the task.
Follow a putting routine - you have a putting routine don't you? Follow your routine. A putting routine serves so many good functions. It helps prevent tension and anxiety which are mental lapses during preparation for a putt. Keep your routine at its normal pace and rhythm. If you don't have a putting routine, by all means develop one now.
Breathe deep - Deep breathing is a great way to relax both the mind and the body. It reduces stress and provides oxygen which helps fuel the muscles and improves brain function. If you sense your muscles tightening or your mind wandering then step back from the putt and start your routine over again after taking a couple more deep breaths.
Putt promptly - Don't rush, that is always bad news. What I am saying here is there comes a time as you're standing over the ball that it's time to execute. Do it. Don't wait or freeze up. Putt. "Get 'r done" as the comedian says. If for some reason that moment passes, start over.
Sharpen your focus - If you want to be a good putter find a specific spot on the ball and focus on it. Any part is ok; I use the back or the front of the alignment line. You can only hold your focus for a few seconds which gets you "in the zone" to make the perfect putt. So find your focal point and execute.
These five tips to better mental putting techniques will help you make more putts, lower your scores and improve your handicap. I know they work for me now. I can make that eagle putt now. They will also help you to enjoy the game so much more. And isn't that really why you're reading this article?
There certainly is a lot more to learn about becoming a better putter. Find more free putting instruction here: Uncover the Secrets to Better Putting
