Cheap Putting Practice Devices

We are writing this article today to save everyone a bundle of money off those TV products that golfers purchase to practice and improve their putting game. If you will only utilize the items shown here, your putting will improve dramatically.

Items required are three (3) tees & two (2) old shafts or sticks.

In photo 1, most golfers have a problem with deceleration in the putting stroke. This is symptomatic of a backstroke that is too long. This forces the golfer to decelerate through the ball. In photo one, we stick a tee in the ground even with the outside of the back foot in the putting stance. This will force the golfer to shorten up his or her putting stroke and accelerate through the ball. This is great practice for the putts inside 10 feet or so. Watch other golfers. The decelerate through the ball. We don't decelerate through the ball with the driver do we? Then why do we decelerate with the putter? Fear of hitting the ball past the hole AND trying to aim the putt instead of stroking it.

In photo 2, we have stuck two tees in the ground in front of our ball. This acts as a gate for the follow through after striking the ball. The second largest problem for golfers is the follow through. Believe me when I tell you, if your putter head / face is not following through to the target then the ball was probably mishit and won't be on line to the hole.

In photo 3, we have combined the two to force the shorter backstroke and improve the follow through. When you begin practicing with these simple devices follow the order shown in these photos. You want to get accustomed to accelerating through the ball before working on the putter staying on line after striking the ball. Once accustomed to these first two practices, one may combine them to accelerate and come through the "gate". Believe me, it will be difficult at first when accelerating to not hit one of the tees in the "gate".

Photo 4 - After one has gotten comfortable with the tee system it is time to move to the set up of the golfer over the ball. A lot of putts are missed prior to stroking the putt due to misalignment. Putting is nothing more than recognizing the parallel lines required to set up square to your target. The two shafts are set on the green to show A) the path of the putt and B) the path of the feet alignment. Notice that the feet are never aligned to the target. They are always a little left of target. How many golfers have you ever seen that line their feet up to the hole on a five feet putt then miss the putt to the right of the hole? A lot of golfers do this! Just think of the letter H. The legs of the H are the 2 shafts and the crossbar of the H is the putter shaft crossing them. Easy as pie! This will assure you are aligning properly on every putt.

Photo 5 - Actually photos 4 and 5 show the use of the parallel lines and the back tee for acceleration. When you get comfortable at this point with your alignment, acceleration, and follow through the gate, you should be hitting a lot more putts in that 3 feet to 15 feet range.

If you will practice with these simple cheap items found in the average golfers bag, closet, or garage, you will be taking the bets home at your local course every time you play. Just a couple times a week for 30 minutes will pay dividends. Three times a week for one hour would be ideal. All it amounts to is developing a consistent stroke on the short putts while accelerating through the ball. Don't be afraid to run the ball 3 feet past on an eight feet putt. You will start banging em home like the pros in no time. Answer me this...would you rather be 4 out of 10 on eight footers because you left too many short of the hole or would you rather be 7 or 8 out of 10 on eight footers with 2 or 3 three footers left to clean up? I thought so...and you don't have to spend a lot of money on practice devices to do it!!!