The right swing technique is very important for long shots, most golfers are aware of this and many golfers also work regularly on their technique. But only a few golfers are aware that swing technique is also crucial for success when putting. Even among the golfers who know this fact, there are some who still find it unimportant or simply don't feel like practicing putting or simply don’t care. If the putts regularly pass the hole, e.g. on the left, you can often see that golfers try to compensate for this mistake by simply targeting the hole a little to the right. But this is definitely not recommended in the long term. Instead, one should first find out what the issue behind the constant mistake is. We will introduce two exercises to you in this blog post to find out what the mistake is and then work on fixing it.
Meter Stick Drill
The first exercise is called Meter Stick Drill. All you need for this exercise is a long metal ruler (meter stick) or, if you don’t have that on hand, a piece of tape, about a meter long. This exercise can also be carried out very easily at home in the living room. It is up to you whether you are putting towards a target, for example a golf hole, a tee or if you are doing the exercise at home just towards a cup, or doing the exercise without a target.
Now place the ball at the end of the ruler or tape and try to putt it along the line. If the face of the putter is not straight when you hit the ball, it will not stay on the line and will not go into the hole in a further step. If you swing heavily from the outside when putting, like most golfers do, the ball will roll to the left. If you swing inside out, it will roll past the right side of the line.
This can often be due to shoulder rotation, because your body should remain quite stable when putting. A golf pro can help you fix those mistakes.
The exercise becomes more difficult the narrower and longer the ruler or tape is. A rather broad and short ruler is suitable for beginners.
Path Drill
The Path Drill is a very similar exercise. Again, it is about having a straight swing path and letting the putter hit the ball straight. This exercise is also very easy to do at home. For this exercise, place two clubs or two sticks parallel to each other. The distance should be big enough so that your putter will fit right in between. Now putt a ball and try not to touch the clubs. If you can do that without touching the clubs your putting line is straight. If you touch the left or right club you are swinging from the inside out or the outside in. Make sure that your putter stays close to the ground and does not stop at the moment of impact, but follows through.
Just like in the first exercise, you can putt with or without a target when practicing the Path Drill.
Conclusion
Having a straight swing path is one of the most important points to consider. Therefore, one of these exercises should be one of the first to practice. The Putt Improver can also be of great help in this task. Again, it is about putting the ball straight. To help, tension cords are stretched to both show the putt line and set outside limits to see whether the putter head remains within these lines.
Again, it is important to choose the exercise that personally appeals to you the most. To remember the swing movement correctly subconsciously, you will have to repeat the exercise several hundred to a thousand times, so it is important to work on it one to three times a week. Or you can plan ten minutes for it every day.
Enjoy practicing!
