Putting is the one aspect of golf many people, especially beginners, dread more than anything else. However, putting equates for around 40% of your shots during a round of golf so it pays to practice and give it the attention it deserves.
Windy conditions can cause problems off the tee and on approach shots for players but it can also be troublesome when putting on the green. You may think wind will have no impact on your putting but it can easily lead to a loss of balance which will cause your putt to travel away from the target.
Today we have some small tips which will help you when putting in the wind.
The key to successful putting in the wind is to create a good, solid stance. To do this, take your regular putting stance and then widen it by moving both feet away from the ball.
The ball should remain in the centre of your stance but by creating a little extra width, you will give yourself a stronger and more secure base on which to make your putt. With a wider stance, even a strong gust of wind should not cause you to lose your balance when making a putt.
You should be wearing spikes to play golf so now is the time to use them. Make sure the spikes are rooted in the green and this will give you increased stability on the putt.
With this stance in place, you make your usual putting stroke, keeping the head and hips as still as possible.
If you feel you are struggling to keep control of the putter in your hands when it is very windy, try gripping the club further down the grip. By doing this you are shortening the time it takes between the back swing and the follow through, thus cutting down the time the wind has to make an impact on the swing.
You will also be able to strike the ball more aggressively and if you are struggling to keep control of the putter in windy conditions, the faster you can make the stroke the better. However, you do not want to be sending the ball beyond the hole so keep that in mind.
Finally, you must consider the direction of the wind before making your putt.
You will always look at the undulations on the green and predict how they are going to change the direction and speed of the ball. The same applies to the wind when it is blowing strong.
If you are hitting into the wind, you need to hit the ball with more aggression but if you are putting with the wind, you must hit the ball more softly. If the wind is blowing from right to left or vice versa try and compensate for that when assessing the line of your putt.
Recent Comments