| Drive for show, putt for dough. Relax the nerves, trust | | | | minutes per practice session is required for most |
| your line. Eyes over the ball, smooth take away. | | | | golfers to drop strokes quickly. Here are some tips for |
| Accelerate through the ball, and… | | | | finding right training aids or a combination of training |
| Klinka tinka tinka—yes! The sweet sound of a | | | | aids to maximize your results: |
| birdie putt, or even a 6-footer for par, dropping into the | | | | 1. Look for training aids that allow you to easily see the |
| cup. It's a great feeling, especially if you just finished the | | | | following things: square clubface, shoulder alignment, |
| 18th for a personal best round. Or if you just won 5 | | | | eye placement (over the ball), foot alignment, and |
| skins to make your buddies shell out some serious | | | | stroke path. Some devices use mirrors, some use |
| coin. A hot day with the putter can make you feel like | | | | low-power lasers. Most training aids have physical |
| a million bucks. Actually, in the case of a PGA tour pro, | | | | barriers that keep the putter on the right path during |
| it can earn you a million bucks. | | | | the stroke. |
| Too bad that for the average golfer those days seem | | | | 2. For eye alignment you can always do this: line up |
| to come so infrequently. The average Joe uses up | | | | the putt and address the ball as if you were going to |
| anywhere between 32 and 40 putts per round, while | | | | hit the putt. Then take a ball from your pocket, put it |
| the best pros average around 30. Tour pros make just | | | | between your eyes, and allow it to drop straight down. |
| under 90% of their putts from 4-5 feet, while average | | | | Wherever the ball lands is where your eyes are lined |
| guys make around 50%. That's a lot of shots to give | | | | up. They should be directly over the target ball. |
| up! Think about this: if you are a thirteen handicapper, | | | | 3. Whatever device(s) you choose, make sure that |
| your average score is around 85, and you average 36 | | | | they are not too large and/or awkward. My |
| putts per round, then 42% of your shots are putts! And | | | | experience is that you don't use the device unless it is |
| what do you spend most of your time doing at the | | | | convenient. |
| range? If you're like most guys (and gals) then you | | | | 4. Follow through is also important, so make sure that |
| spend most of your time beating balls with your driver | | | | the training aid gives you feedback for the whole |
| or mid-irons. Yet, according to the numbers you should | | | | stroke. You need to see that your stroke path is |
| be spending almost half of your time on the putting | | | | straight and putter face releases properly after |
| green. | | | | contact, otherwise you will have consistency problems. |
| So how can busy people with little time for golf | | | | 5. Use the golf training aid consistently, every time you |
| practice still improve their putting game without doubling | | | | practice. You need to groove the stroke and you can't |
| practice time or drastically reducing the amount of time | | | | do that unless you keep at it. Also, if possible, use the |
| spent practicing their full shots? Golf training aids are | | | | device at home or at the office when you have a |
| the answer. Many training aids exist that can quickly | | | | spare minute. This extra practice time really helps. |
| improve your putting stroke and green reading without | | | | I wish you good luck and a hot blade! |
| spending hours on the putting green. Just 10 to 15 | | | | |