How to Stop Three Putting

Putting amounts to 40 to 50 percent of your golf score. Therefore, the quickest way to improve your game is to stop three putting and sink the ball into the bottom of the cup. Here are some tricks of the trade to help you putt like the pros.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Stay focused on the target as you prepare for your stroke. Rather than looking down at the ball, keep your eyes fixed on the pin. Also, try to expand the pin. Make it seem like a three-foot ocean--thus relieving the mental stress of such a tiny hole and making the target seem expansive.
2. Take rehearsal swings with your head still focused on the oasis you've created. Remember to keep your hands quiet, which is a nice way of saying don't move your wrists and think about the movement of a pendulum.
3. Aim the putter. Step up to the ball and using your dominant hand, set the putter behind the ball. As you assume your stance, place your non-dominant hand on the club. Then allow yourself to settle into position.
4. Stroke your golf ball toward the hole. Remember to keep the hands quiet, otherwise you cannot control the distance your ball will travel. Repeat this simple approach to putting several times before moving on to the next piece.
5. Add an egg. Place the egg between your dominant wrist and the putter. Practice putting so that the egg doesn't break. This will ensure that the dominant hand is not adding any pressure. If it does, the yolk will be on you.
6. Check your hands at the end of your swing. Another drill that is very popular is to check the positioning of your hands after you have completed the swing. The non-dominant hand should be flat while the dominant wrist should bend slightly. If both wrists are bent, you have incorrectly moved your wrists.
7. Utilize lag putting. Aside from the previous drills that will help you become a better putter overall and should reduce your score, try Lag Putting. If you have a seemingly impossibly long putt, rather than sinking it in one, try to sink it in two shots by simply getting it "close enough" to the hole. What you want to avoid is that disaster of severely over or undershooting the hole and ending up making three or more putts.

Tips & Warnings

• Hit the practice green to really master your technique before playing a full round. Your score will be lower and your confidence will be higher.