How To Improve Your Putting
Here’s the question of the week from my yips survey:
“How do I keep my concentration or routine on short putts? It seems like I have no control over my putting stroke in competition when I have 2-5 footers.”
Your putting routine is very important to helping you make putts and perform consistently. That’s because it helps you focus on the process and on positive thoughts, instead of missing…
Too many golfers, who have the yips, focus on all the wrong stuff during their routine:
You might think:
- I hope I don’t jab another one.
- Don’t embarrass yourself like you did on the last putt.
- If you hit it too hard, you’ll have another three-footer coming back.
- If I miss this, I’ll go to four over par.
What’s wrong with these thoughts?
The focus on the outcome, which produce the anxiety or fear about missing.
So one huge benefit of having a preshot routine is to help you stay locked into the process and not focus on negative outcomes–as long as you have a DEFINED routine.
What are the ingredients of a good preputt routine?
- Get a good read and commit to you line or path.
- Stay focused on your line/path as you approach.
- Use positive self-talk to help you feel confident.
- Take a couple free rehearsal strokes — feeling freedom.
- Set up and feel comfortable/relaxed over the ball.
- Focus on the target or feel the speed and trust it.
Top Breakdowns in the Routine:
You also want to be aware of the top breakdowns in your preshot routine.
These include:
- Focusing too much on the outcome.
- Not committing to a line.
- Seeing a bad image in your mind (sculling a chip or missing a 3-footer).
- Second-guessing your approach overall.
- Not trusting your stroke or intuitive process.
- Fear of embarrassment or what others think.
When you can focus all your energy on your routine, it can help you feel more relaxed–as long as you stick to your routine and not allow fear of grip you…
Related Golf Psychology Articles:
- Overcome the Yips With a Better Putting Routine
- Where Do the Driver Yips Come From?
- How to Manage the Yips in Golf
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