Every player is different in terms of the way they approach each shot on the golf course. Some players will step up to the ball and take very little time in playing their shot. Other players will take as much time as they can realistically get away with before playing their shot and some players will take so long, it starts to become frustrating for everyone else in the group. However, slow play is not only bad for those looking on, it is bad for the player who is doing it.
Average golfers tend to spend most of their time on the green. There is nothing wrong with lining up your putt but you do not want to be spending too long over it because the amount of time you spend looking at a putt, does not correlate to the success ratio of making them. Instead, you want to play efficiently and with confidence on the green and we have a few tips will help with that.
Do not wait until it is your turn putt, to start looking at what you must do to make the putt. You should never be caught out when it is your turn to putt. Start looking at your line while the other players in your group are putting. You do not need to be on the green to do this and you will not be interfering in any way. Having worked out your line while the others are putting, you can step onto the green, replace your ball and take a few seconds to confirm your read, before making your putt with confidence.
Do not worry yourself too much over the speed of the putt. You should know what your normal speed of putt is for the distance you are faced with. There is no need to step up and start thinking about how hard you need to hit the ball to make it reach the hole. Practice will allow you to have a set speed in mind for the various distances you will face on most greens. Do not second guess yourself once on the course because if you start doing that, you will take much longer over your putting and lose confidence in your putting stroke.
When you replace your ball and stand over your putt, it is going to look different than it did when you were lining it up earlier. Do not let this change your pattern and concentration. Look at the hole and imagine the way the ball is going to drop into it. Will it be going in to the hole at 6 o’clock, 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock? This will change depending on whether it is a straight putt or breaking from one side but these are the three main scenarios you will face. It does not need to be more complicated than that. Once you have made that quick decision, you are ready to make your putt with confidence. This will make you a faster, better putter.
