Sinking more putts is the fastest way to slash your handicap, yet it’s often the most neglected part of practice. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to build a confident, reliable putting stroke, from reading the green all the way to watching the ball drop into the cup. We'll give you a simple, repeatable process to take the stress out of the shortest shots in the game.
A perfect stroke sent on the wrong line will never go in. Before you even take your stance, the most important work happens with your eyes and feet. You need to understand what the golf ball is going to do after you strike it. The goal isn't just to see the slope, but to feel it.
Start by observing the putt from behind the ball, looking towards the hole. This gives you the best overall view of the left-to-right or right-to-left break. What does the general contour of the land tell you? Is there a high point and a low point between your ball and the hole?
Next, walk to the low side of the putt, about halfway to the hole. Looking at the slope from this different angle can often reveal break that you didn't see from behind the ball. Your feet are also amazing sensors. As you walk around the hole, you can often feel the tilt in the ground more accurately than you can see it.
Finally, ask yourself two questions:
Once you've decided on your line and speed, the next phase is building a stable, comfortable, and repeatable setup. Your putting setup isn't about looking a certain way, it’s about creating a machine that allows a simple, pendulum-like motion. Everything we do here is to eliminate unnecessary moving parts.
Unlike the full swing grip, the putting grip is all about stability and feel, not power. Your primary goal is to keep your wrists from getting too "handsy" or "flippy." Light grip pressure is your friend. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a death grip, you want to be at a 3 or 4. You simply need to hold it securely enough that the putter doesn't wobble during the stroke.
Some of the most popular grips include:
Experiment to see which grip feels the most stable and allows your hands to feel passive. There’s no single right way, only the way that’s right for you.
Getting your body in the right position is about creating stability so only your shoulders move the putter.
Here's where it all comes together. The putting stroke should be the simplest motion in golf. Think of a grandfather clock’s pendulum swinging back and forth. Your arms and shoulders should form a triangle that moves as one-piece, powered by the gentle rocking of your shoulders. Your wrists and hands should stay quiet and passive.
The backswing dictates the distance of your putt. It is a slow, smooth, one-piece takeaway. There’s no sudden jerk. Your shoulders, arms, and hands all start the motion at the same time, moving the putter head straight back along the target line for the first few inches before it naturally arcs slightly to the inside. Shorter putt? Shorter backswing. Longer putt? Longer backswing. It's that direct.
The forward stroke should feel like it's a natural continuation of the backswing. The biggest mistake golfers make is trying to "hit" the ball. Instead, focus on swinging the putter head through the ball. Your tempo should be smooth, with the putter head accelerating gently through the impact area. Let the weight of the putter do the work.
Your follow-through should be a mirror image of your backswing. If you took the putter back 6 inches, your follow-through should travel 6 inches past the ball. A common fault is to abruptly stop the putter after impact, which leads to jabbing and poor distance control. Let the putter swing freely towards the hole.
Throughout this entire motion, your lower body should stay completely still. No weight shift, no hip rotation. Your head should also remain steady, with your eyes focused on the spot where the ball was, even after it’s gone. Resisting the urge to peek early is one of the hallmarks of a great putter.
You can have the best mechanics in the world, but if you can't control distance, you’ll be staring at three-putts all day. Your sense of distance, or "feel," develops with practice. The best way to do this is with drills that calibrate your stroke length.
To make sure your feel is matched with a good line, use alignment aids. Most putters have a line on the head, and placing a line on your golf ball with a Sharpie can be a tremendous help. Align the line on your ball with your intended start line on the green. Then, when you stand over the putt, your only job is to line up the putter's alignment aid with the line on the ball. This removes any second-guessing and lets you focus completely on speed.
A great putting performance is built on a reliable routine and a simple, repeatable motion. By focusing on reading the green correctly, building a stable setup, and letting your shoulders rock the putter like a pendulum, you remove the complexity and allow your natural feel to take over.
Building that confidence on the greens takes practice, but sometimes you just need a quick reminder or a fresh perspective. That’s where our tool, Caddie AI, makes a real difference. We can give you instant advice on reading a tricky green or answer a question about adjusting your putting stance when you’re on the course - helping you take the guesswork out of the most important part of your game.
Thinking about hosting a golf tournament fundraiser is the first swing, executing it successfully is what gets the ball in the hole. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, from laying the initial groundwork months in advance to watching your happy golfers tee off. We’ll cover everything from securing sponsors and setting your budget to planning the on-course fun that makes an event unforgettable.
A golf handicap does more than just give you bragging rights (or a reason to demand strokes from your friends) - it’s the game’s great equalizer and the single best way to track your improvement. This guide breaks down what a handicap is, how the supportive math behind a handicap index a is, and exactly how you can get one for yourself. We’ll look at everything from Course Rating to Adjusted Gross Score, helping you feel confident both on the course and in the clubhouse.
The compression of a Pinnacle Rush golf ball is one of its most defining features, engineered specifically to help a huge swath of golfers get more distance and enjoyment from their game. We'll break down exactly what its low compression means, who it's for, and how you can use that knowledge to shoot lower scores.
Figuring out which spikes go into your new (or old) pair of Puma golf shoes can feel like a puzzle, but it’s much simpler than you think. The key isn't the brand of the shoe, but the type of receptacle system they use. This guide will walk you through exactly how to identify your Puma's spike system, choose the perfect replacements for your game, and change them out like a pro.
The Golf Genius app is one of the best tools for managing and participating in competitive golf events, but figuring it out for the first time can feel like reading a new set of greens. This guide cuts through the confusion and shows you exactly how to use the app as a player. We’ll cover everything from logging into your tournament and entering scores to checking the live leaderboard so you can enjoy the competition without any tech headaches.
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