Rickie Fowler's Golf Tips - Mindful Putting

putting tips

Here are some great mental tips from Rickie Fowler in Golf Digest : How To Be A Clutch Putter -- Make The Ones That Matter

“I know what you're thinking. They all matter. …here's what's going through my head when I look at one that really matters

  • Where is the exact spot of the cup I want the ball to enter? …I work backward from this spot to imagine the line all the way to my coin. At what speed must the ball run to follow exactly along this path? …I will look at the cup from multiple angles to find my spot.
  • A feeling of general lightness. When my putting gets a little out of whack, often I realize my grip pressure has become tight or uneven. On a scale of one to 10, I want my grip pressure no more than two or three. The other lightness is hovering my putter just above the ground before I start my stroke. When the putter rests directly on the grass, it has a tendency to snag on the way back.
  • Trying to avoid being anxious. Being impatient is the worst thing you can do. You want to make the putt so bad that you never let the ball leave your sight. You need a quiet mind—and neck—to hit good putts. Throughout my stroke, from the start until well after the ball is on its way, I stay fixated on the spot where my coin was. I don't need to see the ball rattle the cup. I'll hear it."
Mental Game, PuttingEllen Rudolph