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Improve Your Putting Game

Topic: SportsPublished May 7, 2012

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“Rocky” is one of the most celebrated films in American cinematic history. It’s a film that eagerly displays the heart of a true contender and a man’s tremendous effort to participate in a fight that he ultimately has little chance to win. One of the most famous sequences of the film is set to the film’s theme, “Gonna Fly Now.” It’s a sequence in which we see the humble Rocky Balboa train for his upcoming fight against the bombastic Apollo Creed. He spends hours in a meat locker, punching away at large slabs of meat, and he heroically ascends the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. These are not atypical training methods for fighters, and because of the film, they now have a certain dramatic weight attached to them. Unfortunately, there is little of that same attached to a golfer looking to partake in drills to improve his or her putting game. But Justin Leonard’s 45 foot putt at the Ryder Cup was the shot that made the difference between a rare victory for Team USA over Team Europe, and that was pretty dramatic. A clutch putting game is one of best facets a golfer can have at his or her disposal. But what drills are available in order to improve it? One of the most popular drills is the circle drill. This one is frequently used by professionals like Phil Mickelson. For this drill, simply build a circle of five or six golf balls around a hole. Set them all up so they are roughly ten feet away. That way these shots are automatics, but aren’t especially difficult either. The goal for this drill should be to sink ten of these in a row. By doing this, amateur golfer can improve their game in two ways. First off, obviously the short putting game should see an improvement, and short putting is actually one of the skills that most amateurs struggle with the most. This drill will also heighten the confidence level of golfers. Continually sinking balls is a good way to reinforce one’s own ability to play the game. The line drill has also historically proved to be an effective method for amateur golfers looking to improve their golf game. The idea behind this drill is to simply line up again five or six balls in a row, directly behind each other. Separate these balls so they are roughly five feet away from each other. Ideally, you should have one ball five feet away from the hole, one ten feet away, one fifteen away and so on and so forth. This drill is designed to improve a golfer’s distance game. By having the balls lined up, the golfer should be able to discern how much a putt will break, resulting in the golfer’s ability to understand his or her own distance control. The final drill to help amateur golfers is known as the head drill. This is for those golfers who never seem to be able get their ball to follow the line that it was meant to. This drill is simple enough. The golfer can putt from wherever he or she chooses to. All the golfer needs to do is keep his or her head down during the entire putt. The typical reason a ball does not adhere to the line it should have is a golfer’s tendency to move his or head before the follow through on the shot is finished. This drill will go a long way in improving the form of any amateur. Are the drills glamorous? No, not particularly. No one is playing inspirational music while a golfer continues to putt up the stairs of a famed museum. But a golfer will feel inspired by these drills with the growing success he or she ultimately accomplishes. If you’re interested in Branson, MO golf and Branson resorts, check these out.

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About the Author

David Bryce is an online publisher for Thousand Hills Golf Resort in Branson, MO.

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