| ly seems like putting ought to be dead easy | | | | designed to fight this involuntary movement. To |
| compared to the rest of your golf game. Very | | | | practice, grip your putter with your left hand |
| little power is required and putting looks like a | | | | placed below the right-hand. Place your wrist |
| simple movement. But for more than a few | | | | against the shaft of the putter. The anti-yip |
| golfers, putting is where their golf game is won or | | | | putting technique also helps by dropping your left |
| lost. A winning putting technique is very | | | | shoulder. Remember that the motion of your |
| demanding in terms of smoothness and precision | | | | putting stroke should be controlled by your |
| and can only be achieved with repetitive training. | | | | shoulders, not your arms or wrists, requiring |
| There is actually no such thing as a perfect | | | | practice to become perfect. |
| putting technique. Ultimately, the perfect putting | | | | Need even more support? Try the Langer grip. It |
| technique is the swing that puts the ball in the cup | | | | was developed by Bernhard Langer. The Langer |
| every time. Although there are probably endless | | | | grip goes even further than the anti-yip putting |
| variations, most golfers utilize one of these | | | | technique. As with the anti-yip method, begin by |
| techniques: the Langer grip, the anti-yip grip, or of | | | | gripping the putter with your left hand farther |
| course, the orthodox grip. | | | | down the shaft than your right. But here's the |
| An orthodox putting technique starts with gripping | | | | difference: you actually grasp your left wrist with |
| the club with your palms facing each other. The | | | | the fingers of your right hand. Maintain a light grip |
| trick is to get your hands to work together, not | | | | pressure and eliminate as much tension as |
| separately. Be as relaxed and free from tension | | | | possible. The Langer putting technique tends to |
| as you can. The golf ball should be somewhat | | | | work better for the shorter putts. |
| forward your stance. It's imperative to keep your | | | | General hints that may help improve your putting |
| eyes on the ball. As you putt, your hands' only | | | | technique include making sure that when you |
| job is to hold the club. Imagine a pendulum | | | | begin your eyes are directly over the golf ball. |
| controlled only by your shoulders. Visualize a | | | | Keep your eye line parallel to the target line. |
| triangle being formed by your arms and shoulders. | | | | Maintain a stable, balanced stance. Imagine that |
| Sustain that triangle all the way through your | | | | the putter is nothing more than an extension of |
| swing, starting at the backswing to the | | | | your forearms. What you're trying to achieve is a |
| follow-through. Swinging up and through the ball will | | | | stroke, not necessarily a hit. The putter is |
| help you get a good roll without a jump. Hold your | | | | swinging and the golf ball just happens to be in |
| follow-through and don't let your eyes lift too | | | | the way. |
| soon, but keep looking at the ground. | | | | Many golfers struggle with the problem of looking |
| Another popular putting swing is the anti-yip | | | | up too soon. Problem is, when your head moves, |
| putting technique. What in heaven's name are the | | | | your body moves with it. Do you think you're a |
| yips? The "yips" is the name given to involuntary | | | | disciplined golfer? Test yourself with this: the next |
| muscular movements that can be detrimental to | | | | time you putt, keep looking at the ground until |
| your stroke. In the case of putting, it's usually | | | | you hear the sound of the ball dropping in the |
| something your left wrist is doing that's | | | | hole. |
| undesirable. An anti-yip putting technique is | | | | |