Easy Steps to Improve Your Putting with Ann Wilson

INSTRUCTIONS Ann Wilson

Golf Professional

Ann has been named in the Best Top 50 Instructors list.

She is currently teaching at Lakelands & Palm Meadows Golf Clubs on the Gold Coast. by Ann Wilson Easy Steps To Improve Your Putting ... INSTRUCTIONS ANN WILSONLAWRENCE Awarded Teaching Professional Ann has been named in the top 50 teaching professionals in Australia. She is a life member of the ALPG and is a teaching professional at Lakelands Golf Club on the Gold Coast. Ann holds weekly group clinics, private lessons and beginners fun golf days once a month. Please give Ann a call for some help with your golf game on 0413 860 213. – APPROACHING THE GREEN Shots. Follow these fundamental tips including club selection, Set up & Swing Length and get results. Once you understand

Putting with confidence is so important. It's that precise part of your golf game that can determine whether you win or lose, beat your handicap, make the cut or just have a happier round of golf.

During the past 30 years playing golf professionally, the part of my game that needed the most help was my putting. I have always been interested in learning from those players who were good putters, and from teachers who were able to improve my putting confidence. I’d like to share some simple ideas that will help your putting and get more enjoyment from the practise green. It is important to have a good understanding of how A good percentage of your game relies on how well you approach the green and how close you get the Ann is available for lessons at Lakelands Golf Club. Pitch Approach Shot Use a Pitching Wedge to fly the ball over longer grass. Remember to brush the grass under the ball. That allows the club face to elevate the ball Pitch Approach Shot

• Stand with your weight balanced in the middle of your feet. Tilt forward, eyes over the ball, arms hang down and palms together. Elbows slightly flexed, hands in front of the ball. • Stabilise your bottom half by slightly locking your knees inward • Aim parallel to your target line with your feet, hips and shoulders.

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Putting Stroke

The pendulum stroke (See pics 3 & 4)

• Arms and shoulders move back and forward the same distance either side of the ball. • Keep the same distance between the putter head, hands and the body throughout the putting action. • Maintain the same tempo through out the stroke. • Remember to remain still with your feet, legs and hips.

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Most Common Mistakes In Putting

• Breaking the wrists throughout the putt (See pic 5, 6 &7) Cure ... Practise putting reverse handed (See pic 8). This secures the left wrist throughout the stroke, which eliminates the flick and wrist break.

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• Moving the body and legs throughout the stroke. Cure ... Stay Planted with feet firmly in position. Swing the arms and rock the shoulders. • Putting Rhythm Feel the consistencies & rhythm and imagine the same timing back & through the putt. 6

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Short Putt Tips

• Imagine a thumb tap at the back of the ball. Tap the tack into the ball, making sure the left wrist leads. (See pic 9) • Don’t move until you hear the ball drop in the hole. • For extremely fast down hill putts, line the ball from the toe of the putter and stroke the ball from the toe. This deadens the roll and prevents the ball from accelerating past the hole.

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10 Reading Putts, Visualising And Imagery

• Stand well back from the ball and squat down and get your eye level as close to the ground as possible. This allows you to see the line more accurately. If you stand too close your eyes have to look down and on an angle, so your vision distorts the line. (See pic 11). • Picture a path way from the ball to the hole about a metre wide, look for high and low side. (Picture two balls either side of the hole or path to help you see the slope (See pic 10). • Imagine tossing a bucket of water on the green on your putting line. The water will flow to the low side. So start the ball rolling from the high side. Putts will always have a chance of going in from the high side.

If your putting is not working, then you have to make some changes.

Putting is one of golf’s easier skills as it requires the least amount of movement and power.

So why does it frustrate players? How many times have you heard “it took me two shots to get on the green, and three putts to get it in the hole”.

So take time to practise these tips and drills.

• Work on your pre shot routine by taking time to look at the line from behind the ball.

• Feel the rhythm and length of swing during your practise stroke. • Stare at the hole more to give you better line and distance control. • Will the ball in the hole. • What gives you confidence and works best for you stick with it. Putting can equate to almost half of your score, so if you want to lose a few strokes off your handicap, spend some time on the practise putting green.

Putting Drills For Distance Control And Feel

• Watch the hole through out the putting stroke to improve distance control. • Eyes closed drill.

Practise putting with your eyes closed for better feel.

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