Putting Tip: Hover the Putter for a Smooth Stroke

Take it from someone who’s putting stroke has held him back for years – Putting is the most important part of the game! For most amateurs, putting accounts for 40-50% of your score. Just keep track of your putts one day and you’ll see. I see many amateur golfers that have a jerky stroke, especially on the critical putts inside 10 feet, but there is an easy way to smooth out your stroke. Jack Nicklaus did it, so why don’t you try it?

Hover the putter for a smooth putting stroke

Hover the putter slightly above the ground before making your stroke. Just set your putter down behind the ball, then raise it slightly off the ground, then start your backstroke. Hovering the putter allows you to feel the full weight of the club in your hands. When you sole your putter on the ground the tendency is to lean on it a bit, and that weight pushing down on the putter robs you of feel and a smooth start to your backstroke. Start out with 3 and 4 foot putts and you’ll notice the putter starts back a little slower and smoother, and you’ll make more putts. Eventually you can incorporate the hover move for all your putts.

Putting practice is often overlooked, but saving just a stroke or two every round can make a big difference in your scores. On the PGA Tour, saving a couple strokes per day can be the difference between missing the cut or winning the tournament. Even if you live in a part of the world that is covered in snow right now, you can work on this in your living room, office, or wherever with a putting target like the Dead Zero Putting Disk.

Give this tip a try and see if it doesn’t help you shave a few stroke off your scores, and let us know how it works!