Change Your Target

To aid in proper putting alignment it helps to practice using the technique we outline below. Then, once you are comfortable, apply it to your game on a regular basis and sink more long putts.

When faced with a long putt (10-100 feet), first determine the break and speed of the putt by evaluating the undulations and firmness of the green. By doing this you can determine the precise line the putt must begin along in order to ultimately role into the hole. After determining the proper line, choose a secondary target (the primary target being the hole itself), closer to the ball along the same path (preferably within 4 to 6 feet of the ball). When you line up to strike the ball align your body and your putting stroke with the secondary target. You will find that the secondary target, because of its proximity to the ball is much easier to line up with than aiming at the hole itself which is 10-100 feet away. Stroke the putt with the proper weight to get to the hole, while at the same time ensuring that the ball rolls directly over your secondary target.

You should be comfortable striking the ball toward the secondary target because prior to setting up you already established that the secondary target is in fact on the line necessary to put the ball into the hole much farther away.

This technique makes the process of a long put much easier, as it eliminates much of the guessing when lining up a putt more than 10 feet away.

TheGolfExpert