Golfing Basics: Your Putting Game

In golf, a fantastic drive may make up for a mediocre putting game, but good drives won't help if you can't putt at all. Roughly half of your golf game depends on how well you can roll the ball into the hole.

Driving, in popular theory is easier than putting as there seem to be fewer factors involved with the shot, but in truth, that isn't the case. At its core, putting really depends on two factors: the line and the speed. Of course each of these have other determining conditions involved with them, but once you recognize them, putting becomes less frightening.

The line is the imaginary line between the golf ball and the hole. When preparing to putt a ball, you must line up the ball and the hole. This is the imaginary line your ball will travel into the hole if all goes as planned.

Speed involves more consideration. Obviously if the line follows an upward slant, you will need to hit the ball harder to make it drop in. Conversely, if the line follows a downward slant, you will need a softer touch. Sometimes the line takes a journey up, then down and maybe even back up again. Again, the speed of the ball will have to be adjusted. Speed depends on the power of your putt coupled with the angles of the line.

There is more. What about the turf? Depending on geography and weather conditions, the grass will vary, the ground may be softer or harder, or the green may even be wet. All of these will affect the speed of your putt and you have to adjust your power accordingly. If the ground is hard, the ball will travel faster with less power behind it. If it is soft, it will take a stronger putt to get the golf ball where you want it to go. A wet green is even trickier to maneuver. Water slows the ball down even more on an upward slant, speeds it up on a downward slant, or causes the ball to go in a direction away from the hole.

How do you adjust for these factors? It's all about speed and where your putter comes in contact with the golf ball. Tapping the ball slightly left of center will cause the ball to roll slightly to the right and vise-versa. Tapping just below the center will give the ball a lift. If you have a long putt to the hole, this may work for you.

The key to good putting as with every other aspect of golfing is in practice. Practicing your putt in all types of scenarios will benefit your golf game in the long run. With enough repetition in different scenarios, putting will become second nature.