A Positive Mindset

Most golfers will admit that golf is 90% mental, yet most spend all their time and efforts on the mechanical aspect of the game. The golfing industry hasn't helped the trend by breaking down the golf swing and analyzing each of its components. The average handicap for club players is still the same as it was 20 years ago. Even with all the new technology in equipment and video analysis.

Everyone seems to be teaching or learning the perfect swing, but little do people realize that almost no one has a perfect swing, not even the pros. Each of us has a certain way of swinging the club, even if we are taught the correct way in the beginning. Negative feelings have a lot to do with our swing. If you have a good swing, and negative thoughts, you still will not play good golf.

Most players are distracted and not totally concentrating on their shot at one time or another. Each time this happens, you can lose a stroke or two. If this happens only 4-5 times a round, it could add a lot of strokes to your score.

The main principles behind good golf are simple. You must be able to focus on the task at hand and stay in the present, then pick a small target and empty all unwanted thoughts from your mind.

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Sink those putts ...

One of the worst things a golfer can do is think too much about putting. It’s better to take one quick look at the line from behind the ball and another from beyond the hole and then hit the putt based on your first conclusion.

Too many golfers examine putts from all directions, plumb-bob with their putters-that’s the strange exercise that involves dangling the club vertically in front of your face and closing one eye-when they know neither what they’re doing it. Then they stand over the putt, staring at the line until they start seeing all manner of bumps and swales and breaks, and before they know it they’re all but frozen stiff and incapable of putting a good roll on the ball.

Trust your instincts, instead-and the first impression usually is based on instinct. Addressing your ball and hitting it swiftly won’t necessarily make you hole more putts, but you’ll eliminate any opportunity for double to creep in and you’ll also get into a good rhythm.

When faced with an uphill putt, don’t be afraid to hit it more firmly than you might think necessary. For one thing, gravity is on your side. Another plus is that the far side of the hole is higher than the near side, so in effect the back of the hole becomes a backstop. Assuming you’ve chosen the correct line-uphill putts tend not to break much at all-you can then make a run at it safe in the knowledge that when your ball passes over the hole it will fall slightly and hit the “wall” behind the hole-the back of the cup.

So, relax before putting, let your golfing instinct guide the ball into the cup!

Try this video for more tips on using the putter

Want to break through to the next level of golf? Then visit Think and Reach Par for more great free golf swing improvement tips and training DVDs to buy, or Golf for Leftys golf tips to improve your stance, grip and left handed golf swing.

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Simple Steps that are Virtually Guaranteed to Improve Your Putting Skills

How can it be that on one day you putt beautifully, and the next you're all but helpless on the greens?

Putting in golf is one of the most inconsistent skills in all of sports. Good putters usually putt well, but even the smooth strokers go into short or prolonged slumps.

Pros are fairly equal from tee to green, with a few notable exceptions like Tiger. It's the guy or gal who putts well throughout a tournament that brings home the bacon.

Unlike the basics - golf set up, grip, and swing - putting is a world unto itself. There's no right way or wrong way; it's what works for you that counts.

Your putting grip is important, but what feels good and works for you might be a handicap for a fellow player. Check with some good putters and see how they place their hands on the club. It doesn't hurt to experiment with new methods occasionally. The putter - as a club - is vital to your success or lack thereof. And it doesn't have to cost $100; some of the prices for golf clubs have become ridiculous.

Foremost, you need a putter that looks good to you; that seems silly, but if you don't gain confidence from your putter's appearance, you won't putt well with it. Clubheads on putters come in so many diverse shapes and sizes that just selecting one that seems right for you can be a chore in itself.

The weight is important, but only insofar as it feels right to you; almost everyone has a different weight preference for their putter. Don't hesitate to buy an inexpensive or used putter if you find one you think might fit your style. If you like everything but the grip, you can get that changed in a golf shop. And it's not expensive.

If you have and old and trusted putter that has served you well and you're slumping, try placing a new and different-sized grip on it. All of these seemingly insignificant changes can give your confidence a needed boost.

Don't neglect your putting when you do your golf practice. But avoid becoming obsessive about it. If you practice putting over a long period of time, your back will begin to ache and your concentration will wander to greener pastures.

The majority of golfers ignore two important shots while practicing their putting: They don't work on putting from the fringe. And that's a shot that most golfers use frequently on the golf course.

Make sure you devote part of your putting practice to stroking approach putts from the fringe, both close to the actual putting surface and - depending on the texture of the fringe - as much as eight to ten feet off the green. A second troublesome putt that should be practiced from time to time is the dilemma that's presented when your ball comes to rest on the putting surface against the first cut of the fringe. That can be a daunting shot if you haven't practiced it. The key is hitting the top half of the ball while stroking the putter smoothly over the top of the fringe. If you try and chop down on this putt, it can have disastrous results. However, having said that, sometimes chopping down on the putt is the only way you can hit the shot if the fringe is fairly high. You have to experiment to find the method that works best for you.

Short and focused putting practice is better than long, tiring sessions that become boring. You can work on just about every type of putt in a 15-20 minute practice period.

Another key to good putting is to keep a journal of thoughts that work well for you when you're going well. And, conversely, record what is wrong when you're in a slump. It might be something that will recur - both good and bad - and if you have a journal to refer back to, you might head off potential problems at the pass.

Want to break through to the next level of golf? Then visit Think and Reach Par for more great free golf swing improvement tips and training DVDs to buy, or Golf for Leftys golf tips to improve your stance, grip and left handed golf swing.

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