Mastering the Art of Putting: Tips to Sharpen Your Short Game – Chat GPT AI suggestions

I asked Chat GPT for tips to improve putting. Since AI is the future of the internet, maybe it can also help my golf game! Here is the response. Do you agree and would you add anything to these putting tips?

Written by Chat GPT

Putting is often considered the most crucial aspect of golf. It’s where the game is won or lost, and improving your putting can drastically lower your scores. Here are some key putting tips and techniques to help you become a more confident and consistent putter.

1. Focus on the Fundamentals

• Grip: Your grip should be light but firm enough to maintain control. Experiment with different grips (such as the conventional, cross-handed, or claw grip) to find what feels most comfortable and provides the best control for you.
• Stance and Alignment: Your stance should be balanced and comfortable. Position your eyes directly over the ball or slightly inside the line. Use alignment aids on the putter or practice with a chalk line to ensure your shoulders, hips, and feet are parallel to the target line.
• Ball Position: Place the ball slightly forward in your stance. This helps in achieving a slight upward strike, promoting a good roll.

2. Master Your Stroke

• Pendulum Motion: Imagine your arms and shoulders forming a pendulum, with your shoulders controlling the stroke. This motion helps to keep the putter on a consistent path and ensures a smooth, controlled strike.
• Maintain a Square Face: It’s crucial to keep the putter face square throughout the stroke. Practice with alignment rods or a putting mirror to ensure that your putter face stays square to the target line.
• Distance Control: Practice different length strokes to gauge how far the ball rolls. The key to good distance control is consistent rhythm and tempo, not necessarily the speed of your stroke.

3. Reading Greens

• Study the Slope: Before making your putt, walk around the hole to get a feel for the slope. Observe how water would flow across the green; this can help you understand how the ball will break.
• Visualize the Path: Imagine the ball’s journey from the putter to the hole, including the break. Some golfers find it helpful to pick an intermediate target, like a spot on the green that the ball needs to roll over to stay on line.
• Practice the Process: Spend time on the practice green, not just hitting putts but practicing reading greens. Set up drills where you have to read the break and hit putts to a certain spot.

4. Practice with Purpose

• Short Putts: Focus on mastering putts within six feet. These are the most common putts and can be a game-changer. Use drills like the "clock drill" where you set up balls around the hole at different angles and distances, and practice making each one.
• Lag Putting: For longer putts, work on your lag putting to ensure you leave yourself with easy tap-ins. Practice hitting putts to specific zones on the green rather than always trying to make the putt.
• Pressure Situations: Simulate the pressure of real rounds by setting up drills that require you to make a certain number of putts in a row before moving on. This helps build confidence under pressure.

5. Mental Approach

• Stay Positive: Putting can be frustrating, but maintaining a positive attitude is essential. Focus on the process rather than the result and trust your stroke.
• Routine is Key: Develop a pre-putt routine that you follow every time. This routine will help you stay focused and calm, especially under pressure.
• Visualization and Confidence: Before each putt, visualize the ball going into the hole. Positive imagery can enhance your confidence and increase the likelihood of making the putt.

6. Use Technology and Tools

• Putting Aids: Consider using tools like putting mirrors, alignment sticks, or even apps that analyze your stroke. These can provide valuable feedback and help you identify areas for improvement.
• Putter Fitting: Ensure your putter is suited to your stroke. A putter that fits your height, stroke type, and personal preferences can make a significant difference in your putting performance.

7. Continuous Improvement

• Keep Learning: Watch professional golfers and analyze their putting techniques. Pay attention to their routines, how they read greens, and their overall approach.
• Take Lessons: If you’re struggling with a particular aspect of your putting, consider taking a lesson with a golf professional. A fresh set of eyes can identify issues you might not be aware of.

Conclusion

Improving your putting is about more than just technique; it’s about confidence, consistency, and practice. By focusing on these key areas and dedicating time to practice, you’ll find yourself sinking more putts and lowering your scores. Remember, the best golfers are the ones who put in the work on the greens!

Five #Golf Tips for Practice Without an Instructor

Golf for Beginners knows that there is no substitute for taking instructions from a professional golf instructor but, what happens when you want to hit a few but you're not taking a lesson?

Practicing on a driving range is good - proper practice is essential! No one wants to ingrain bad habits into the golf swing or into your round; they're so difficult to break! Instead, when you are alone with your golf clubs and no pro in sight, practice your lessons and keep these tips in mind:

1. Just because you are practicing on a range doesn't mean you shouldn't first warm up your body - stretching before you begin will help improve the fluidity of your swing and, chances are, you won't pull a ligament or tendon.

2. Get your tempo down before you start swinging - practice tempo either with a training aid or think "1, 2, 3" (like a waltz) to the top of your back swing and then again "1, 2, 3" to the finish. Also, try holding your position at the top for a sec before your downswing -  this will slow you down and improve your rhythm.

3. Practice a comfortable hold on your grip - if you're holding on too tight it can cause a pull hook and callouses on your fingers. If you have problems with your grip pressure, there are grips that you don't play with but can help properly align your hands and fingers.

4. You're not John Daly so don't practice with a "grip it and rip it mentality"- there's no need to take a mighty swing every time. Instead, start your routine with quarter and half swings to improve ball contact. And, since golf is a target sport, pick the smallest specific target you're aiming at before you take your practice swing. Practice your visualization - how you look at a hole and the course.

5. Make sure you spend some time each session on the putting green - practice your putting stroke which is the beginning of your golf swing so you can see and hear the ball fall into the cup.

What practice tips can you share? Share on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on this golf blog.

photo: en.wikipedia.org, Golf for Beginners

How to Be the Comeback Kid in Golf

In Wiktionary.org, the comeback kid is "a person who repeatedly demonstrates the propensity to overcome downturns or periods of bad publicity and rebound to victory or popularity." In golf, the comeback kid has been related to Tommy Fleetwood, Patrick Cantlay, and Rory McIlroy for rebounding after trying circumstances during a tournament.

After nearly five years on the European Tour without a win, Paul Casey finally broke through and has now earned the title! Rolling in two clutch birdies on the 16th and 17th holes on Sunday at the Porsche European Open secured Casey's win.

Overcoming adversity on the golf course or coming from a stroke (or more) back may be easier for the tour pros but not so simple for the average golfer.

Although not everyone has the longest drive or can make all of their GIR's (greens in regulation), golfers can learn to master the art of putting. Almost any golfer can learn to putt well to save the hole. (How many times have you breathed a huge sigh of relief after sinking a long bogey putt?)

Here are a few tips to help you assess your round, stop the slippage and use your putter to be the comeback kid on the golf course.

1. Visit the practice green before every round and roll a few putts to get down the speed and see the line.

2. While practicing, try to get within the "circle of trust" near the hole.

3. "Think Roll, Not Hit" - according to Dave Stockton, this mental golf tip is the key to distance control while putting. The two main thoughts surrounding putting are speed and line - you get the idea behind distance control and you are halfway to being a better putter.

Let's end this golf blog with a few statistics. Short game guru Dave Pelz states that "putting accounts for approximately 43 percent of your total strokes." Both putting and chipping account for "fifty percent of shots are hit within forty yards of the hole," according to GolfStateofMind.com.

I will leave you with this great putting demonstration by way of Phil Mickelson on Twitter. Enjoy!

A little taste of Augusta. Spending all week putting on my green with speed at 15.6-16😎⛳️ #Lefty pic.twitter.com/GprpRJCXTB

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) April 5, 2019

3 Golf Tips to Start Putting Better Now

Putting is often overlooked when you are practicing your golf game; it's usually placed on the back burner after you've hit everything from driver to wedge. This practice probably has you missing more putts during a round which may lead you to grumble about an inflated score.

Instead of pulling out the driver or irons first during your range session, make it a practice to head over to the chipping and putting area first, and then again during practice, to work on the short game.

According to short game guru Dave Pelz, chipping and putting are the two most important aspects in your golf game, although he believes that, in order to save more strokes, concentrate on your wedge game.

Even so, Pelz states that "putting accounts for approximately 43 percent of your total strokes."

That's almost half of your golf game!

For the time that you are at the range, consider these 3 golf putting tips:

1. Putts that are short, never go in - although this statement is pretty self-explanatory, practice the speed of your putts so that your golf ball makes into the "circle of trust" which is within about three feet.

2. Make sure your golf ball drops into the cup. It's great to hear (and oh so satisfying) the sound a golf ball when it hits the bottom, isn't it?

3. Take the time to read the lie and line of each putt and ask yourself a few questions before taking the putt such as, are you looking at an uphill, downhill or sideways lie? Make adjustments to speed and lie and "feel it" to the hole.


In the game of golf, visualization is key - your mind can help you "see" the putts rolling in if you relax and study each line.

Remember, putting is all about the speed, your line...and feel!

Add your golf putting tips in the comments area of this golf blog and tag us with your tips on Twitter @Golf4beginners.


Photo by tyler hendy from Pexels

7 Ways to Make Golf Off-Season More Productive

For many players in the north, snow and brutally cold temperatures herald in golf's off-season. Golf clubs are carried into the garage from the trunk, and, instead of walking the fairways, golfers find themselves wandering the local PGA Tour Superstore.

Even though spring will be at your doorstep before you know it, a little preparation now will get you out on the course with the first official mowing of the short grass!

Golf for Beginners, a leading blog for amateurs of all levels, has created a list of seven ways to make the golf off-season more productive. You may not be playing golf now but, chances are, you are thinking about it, so why not plan ahead!

1. Identify ways to improve your game and score. Do you flub a lot of your chips? Are you regularly 3-putting?

2. Find a good teaching professional and talk about your weaknesses. Many pros teach indoors and/or, not every day is too cold to get into the sunshine.

3. Clean out your golf bag - junk accumulates! From old, half-eaten snack bars to the hundreds of tees you have stashed in all of those pockets, your golf bag can get really heavy! Rummage through your clubs during the offseason to identify which ones you just don't use and replace them with clubs that you want to try at the range come spring thaw.

4. Regrip your clubs - after reviewing which golf clubs you intend to keep in your bag for the new season, check and regrip the slippery ones!

5. Re-cleat, and clean your golf shoes - do this task regularly as I have been lax here only to find out that some soft spikes do not come out easily if they have been in their socket for too long! Your golf shoes will last longer and give you years of good gripping power on the course.

6. Tis the season for deals! Think ahead for spring - now is the time to find sales on golf balls ...for all the balls you will lose next year!

7. Practice your putting in your living room. If there is one part of your game that you can always find a place to practice, it is your putting! Get out that red Dixie cup and dunk a few, or drive over to the local superstore in your area and roll a few putts while purchasing your golf balls, soft spikes and new grips!

Photo: Footjoy Ladies LoPro golf shoes

Is Winning or Losing in Golf in the Putting?

Two golf tournaments ran simultaneously recently, the Quicken Loans National and the U.S. Senior Open - for both winners, it all boiled down to putting skills.

Both Francesco Molinari and David Toms were rolling phenomenal putts; Molinari's 50-footer for eagle at the 10th hole made putting look easy.

The AP article on PGA Tour website said about Toms, "On a course where the greens perplexed the entire field for four straight days, Toms rolled in a 15-footer for a go-ahead birdie on No. 16, then coaxed in a downhill, 20-foot slider to save par after driving into a fairway bunker on the 530-yard, par-4 17th." 

In a previous Golf for Beginners blog, we discussed Golf Shots You Need To Practice to Score Low; golf gurus such as Ben Hogan thought the tee shot was the most important while "PGAProfessional " thought that putting was of top priority. After both tournaments, I think we can concur that, without a solid putting game, most golfers can not score low.

Using Tiger Woods' performance at The National as an example, although a tie for 4th place is worthy of accolades, his inconsistent putting game is what stopped him from gaining momentum...you just can't miss four-footers! As Tiger concurred after his defeat, "Those are things I can't afford to do and expect to win a golf tournament."

David Toms is 5th in putting average on the Champions Tour with a 1.734 putting average while Molinari's putts per greens-in-regulation are at 1.8...similar statistics gaining similar results although, as GolfWorld states, "putting has kept him from raising a few trophies in America previously", further provides evidence that it is the flat stick which wins tournaments.

So, how can the average player putt to win against his or her mates? Golf for Beginners have a few putting tips:

In the blog, "Easy Golf Tips to Inspire Confidence on the Putting Green", the one golf tip which resonates is that "touch is one thing very good putters have in common. Touch is the core ingredient for long-term success."

And, as a simple reminder from Tom Watson's book "Getting Up and Down", "Aim the putter, then align your body. Just like a golfer sets up at the tee box, the same is true when standing over a putt. Proper set-up is the beginning of a solid putt."

We encourage you to add to golf putting tips in the comments section below and tag us with your tips on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Photo by tyler hendy from Pexels

Improve Your Short Game in 2 Easy Steps

Did you know that PGA Tour golfers get "up-and-down" only about sixty percent of the time? According to Dave Pelz, that number drops greatly for the average golfer.

Driving the ball moves you down the fairway (maybe), but getting on the green, and finishing in the least number of strokes, is really what the game is all about!

The short game, whether it's chipping, sand saves or putting, should be worked on only at the practice facility - you don't want to start working on your game during a round as that could prove to be disastrous.

Golf for Beginners has compiled a few video tips and drills to help you score better down the stretch.

1. CHIPPING: I just came upon this simple golf video tip from PGA instructor Meredith Kirk yesterday - getting into a good chipping stance.




Read: Tips to Improve Consistency in your golf game


2. PUTTING: According to Dave Pelz, good putts start with tempo. Think "pendulum". Vary the length of your backswing to control the speed of your putts. Watch this Youtube.com video to see how the Master does it:




REMEMBER: Final putting tip for today: the only golf club in the bag specifically made to hit the ball into the cup is the putter – master it first, master it best!

What golf short game tips can you share with our readers? Post in the comments section below and on Twitter, tagging @Golf4Beginners.

Photo: Wikimedia

Why the Line on Your #Golf Ball Could Hurt Your Putting

Do you draw a line on your golf ball and use it to point to where you want your ball to roll on the green? If so, you could be diminishing your chances to hole out.

During a recent lesson with my PGA instructor, Dale Ketola, at the Grande Dunes Golf Performance Center, the focus was on putting and the mental game. Dale made me realize that I don't need the line which I currently place on my ball to point to the target - the line, speed, confidence, and feel are all in my head.

Dale incorporates really high line golf technology into his lessons to show where players need improvement or if they are on the right track. Along with V1 software, BODITRAK and Flightscope, my very able instructor utilizes FocusBand with his students.

FocusBand is a mind-sensing neurofeedback device which shows when a golfer is thinking too much negative thoughts when playing the game. Sounds like it comes from the head of Gene Roddenberry, doesn't it? Several well known PGA Tour, LPGA and Web.com Tour players, such as Jason Day and Michelle Wie, use this apparatus...and now it is my turn to try it out!

We used this headband during my putting lesson to help measure my subconscious thoughts while standing over the ball. Am I:
- Overthinking (Excessive Fear or Anxiety)
- Having Fear of Failure
- Frustrated
- In the Zone

Dale dropped a ball on the green (as if it landed in that perfect position) and watched as I performed my pre-shot routine.

The simple interface showed that, while standing over the ball ready to putt, my brain was "in the red zone".

Uh, oh,...I was definitely thinking too much! But, what was I thinking of? That was for my instructor to determine as machines cannot give you that piece of the puzzle...yet.

It is his experience as a teacher and player that made me understand what I am thinking, sensing and how to limit my thoughts to one visual before striking the ball.

I asked Dale what he does during his pre-shot putting routine. He says that, before taking his putt, he analyzes the green, then stares at the dirt in the bottom of the cup and puts that thought of the circle into his mind; he goes up to the marker, places his ball (with a small circle drawn on top) into position, aims and shoots.

At address, I need to, "Occupy my mind with what's going to happen, not how it's going to happen."

You can also relate putting to driving a car and how you don't consciously think of pressing down on gas or brake pedal or placing your hands on the steering wheel or turning your car to the left or right - you just know how to do it already and make it happen.

I learned quite a bit during my putting lesson at the Golf Performance Center - thank you, Dale! Now, I need to practice my new routine so that, when I get onto the course, my brain is in the "green zone" on the green!

A parting thought about the importance of putting...

After his sobering loss at the 99th PGA Championship, David Duval said of Hideki Matsuyama, "On a Sunday, I don't think you have to make a ton of 15-footers, but you have to make the four and five footers to win a golf tournament."

Here is a great putt from Justin Thomas during the 3rd round of the U.S. Open which helps prove that the mind is what gets the golf ball to the hole:

ARE YOU KIDDING? WHAT. A. PUTT! @JustinThomas34 #USOpen (🎥: @usopengolf) pic.twitter.com/foKFJsNo1K

— GOLF.com (@golf_com) June 17, 2017

What techniques do you use to "see" the ball to the hole? Let's talk putting! Post comments below on this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

#Golf Training Aids Spotlight: The Delta Putt

Do you consider yourself to be a strong putter or do you feel you could improve your make percentage on the green? Most amateurs could use help with the flat stick!

Poor lag putting, missing on the low side, 3-putts, the yips...all are solvable.

The art of putting comes down to two concepts, speed and alignment. If either one of them is off, your putt won't go in the hole...it's that simple.

How do you sink more putts? Practice, practice, practice.

You can try training aids if your visual skills or feel are off; Golf for Beginners has tried many types of training aids over the years and most of them are effective but you have to use them in order for them to help you gain positive results.

This brings me to a training aid called The Delta Putt by Gsix Products. I received this putting trainer recently to test and will give you my honest opinion with regards to its functionality. First, a product description.."

The Delta Putt comes with two components - a lined mat and a triangular "puck" with "amateur", "pro" and "tour" markings on the flat sides with a bump out near each of the markings.

Place the triangular puck onto the mat with the "amateur" in line with your putter face and make a putt. The puck should slide straight on the mat and land on its intended target - the "hole" - a picture of the puck at the end of the mat.

Any veering or spinning of the puck means you have not hit your putter face on its sweet spot (the toe was closed or open at impact). Don't move onto the next level, "PRO", until you have mastered the amateur side of the puck, which means straight down the intended line without spinning or veering left or right.

As mentioned in the Delta Putt video instruction guide, "If you can make it to the "TOUR" level, "you have developed yourself into one really fine putter."




Although Golf for Beginners does not endorse any one product, I can say that The Delta Putt has the ability to guide you to a better stroke if you use it. After a few putts, I noticed the Delta Putt "puck" began to move straight down the line. Yes, I did try it on the "PRO" and "TOUR" levels, and I quickly backed down to AMATEUR! The only way I can truly tell if this training aid works is to continue to use it and then to test my putting in a real-life scenario.

READ: Easy Golf Tips to Inspire Confidence on the Putting Green

Which training aids do you use to improve putting? Let us know in the comments section of this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Golf Tips to Help You Improve Lag Putt Percentages

Probably one of the most important golf tips we can offer on Golf for Beginners has to do with putting.

Dave Pelz said that the "make percentage" of PGA Tour players averages just over twenty-nine putts per round compared with twenty to thirty handicappers who average a staggering thirty-five and more putts per round! Knowing this one simple stat makes you really want to work on your short game.

Golfers know that it is extremely important NOT to choke on those easy three-footers, but it is crucial to learn the art of lag putting to get the average player into the "circle of trust".

Move that little white ball safely into the hole in the least number of strokes and your score will drop.

In his recent Golf Digest article, "4 Shots You Need to Win at Augusta (and Anywhere)", Brooks Koepka notes that a "tricky lag" was needed during The Masters in order to compensate for the speed and swing on the greens although the short putts were equally as treacherous.

"Nowhere else do you see four-footers that break three cups. You have to hit the short ones with authority, but to even get those, your lag putting needs to be dialed in," noted Koepka.

This week, Golf for Beginners has put together a few easy golf tips and drills to avoid posting those nasty three-putts to your scorecard. If, as Pelz states, "PGA Tour pros three-putt an average of 2.4 times—per event," you can imagine how many strokes the average player is throwing away!

- If you are the type of golfer who always seems to lag the ball short of the hole, Dave Pelz suggests putting with a chipping stroke. "Add a little wrist hinge both back and through. Again, this will help you avoid hitting the ball too softly and coming up short."

- Bradenton Country Club’s Head Pro, Brian Lake, says that "feel" is overrated. "You’ll learn distance control faster, applying science."

"If you play just by feel, it takes you three times longer to finally teach your brain what those distances are,”  Lake states. The science behind the tip is, for every one inch you swing your putter behind and forward of the ball, the ball is going to roll approximately one foot. If you swing your putter two inches back then two inches forward, the ball should travel approximately two feet, and so on.

Golf for Beginners certainly doesn't want to overwhelm players so, since these two tips are easy to remember, try them the next time you practice your putting and let us know how these putting drills worked for you in our golf blog comments section below or on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

Golf Putting Tips that are Elementary for Mr. Watson

Tom Watson has been in the news lately with mixed publicity, most notably as Ryder Cup Captain and most recently as honoree of the NAIA Champions of Character Foundation.

Golf for Beginners considers Mr. Watson to be a distinguished sportsman as well as one of the greatest short-game players to ever grace a green.

In this golf blog we will review a few of the putting tips that helped "Huckleberry Dillinger" win thirty-nine events on the PGA Tour as well as five Champions Tour major events.

In Watson's book, "Getting Up and Down", putting takes center stage and with good reason; Tom mentions that "putting is half the game so it deserves half of your practice time." Feel, set-up, aim and a good judge of distance are essentials to being a great putter.

To practice his putting when not on Tour, Tom has just installed a SYNLawn putting green in his own backyard (and what a view!)

Tom Watson's putting green installed by SYNLawn!

Golf putting tips from short game master Tom Watson:

Aim the Putter, then Align Your Body

Just like a golfer sets up at the tee box, the same is true when standing over a putt. Proper set-up is the beginning of a solid putt.

Sometimes, the best golf advice we ever receive is from our dads. Such is the case with Watson who, in the November issue of Golf Digest Magazine, offered up this simple dimple tip.

Eye on the Ball

"Pick out a dimple in the middle of the back of the ball and hit that dimple with the middle of the putter, keeping your eyes on it as you swing through." Eyes focused on the dimple keeps your head still and gives you a more "consistent stroke".

Swivel your head, don't lift it: "You'll see the line of the putt and you'll be less prone to look up too soon."

Most importantly, DON'T LOOK UP! Watson follows Sam Snead's advice of not looking where the golf ball goes but listening for the hopeful clink into the cup!

Finally, something every golfer who thinks about pulling out his wedge should consider - as Tom Watson states, "even the best chippers putt when they can."


Share how you practice your putting with Golf for Beginners blog and SYNLawn Golf: Twitter @Golf4Beginners and @SYNLawn_golf.


Photo credit: SYNLawn Golf, SF Gate blog


Disclosure: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

To Chip or To Putt? A Golf Dilemma Answered!

Your golf ball lies on the fringe of the green with the pin forty feet in the distance - you're scratching your head... are you going to pull out the putter, a pitching wedge or a 7-iron?

You want to keep the ball low for the best results. Arnold Palmer mentioned that a low ball means a lower risk - your worst putt may probably be much better than your worst chip.

Although you can strike the ball with any club in your bag, Golf Tip Reviews writes that amateurs "should putt whenever they can. It will save you strokes on the golf course."

Dave Pelz suggests a unique idea - the "Chiputt" for very long putts.

"The longer the putt, the more likely you are to leave it short, because your stroke (and everyone else's) naturally evolves to favor accuracy over power. You can overcome this tendency by adding a chipping motion to your putting stroke-think of it as 'chipping with your putter.'"

Dave goes on to say, "On super-long putts, stand upright for a better perspective on distance, and then putt with the same body motion you use to chip with a 5-iron. On 75- to 110-foot putts, every golfer I've tested, including Tour professionals, lags closer to the hole with the 'chiputt' method."

A few more creative ideas for using a putter during a game?

Golflink suggests that you can use your putter for getting a ball out of the rough and back into the fairway, from behind a tree or even out of a greenside bunker (if there is no lip and it is reasonably flat!)

When should you opt for a golf club other than your putter and still keep the ball low?

When you have to go over bouncy, rough ground.
When there is an obstruction like a sprinkler head on your putting line.
You may not want to putt when the green is very elevated above your ball position.

The iron, wedge or wood you choose depends on how far the cup is from your position. The further the distance, the lower number club you use. For example, if the pin is close, you might use a pitching wedge - if the pin is very far, you would perhaps choose a 5- or 6-iron (as Dave Pelz explains above).

You should definitely practice these techniques on an outdoor putting green before you play your round of golf. You'll please yourself and amaze your golf buddies!

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on our Golf for Beginners blog.

Photo credit: SYNLawngolf.com

How to Get Your Spouse and Kids On Par With #Golf

The answer to our title query is simple - get your spouse and family to have fun practicing golf with you without ever leaving your property.

If the scenario at home is one where, when you mention the word golf everyone groans, let me explain how you can turn those frowns upside down.

The first obstacle to overcome is that those who don't identify with the sport can't understand what makes you enjoy it so much!

Conquer a lack of exposure with education. We all know that elements of the game can be taught more easily when they're fun to learn.

With golf being so time consuming away from the home, it's much more difficult to create this learning experience. One great way to initiate a love of golf is with a home putting green. Think about it...no more having to take the family out to play mini-golf; you could have your very own green right at home!

In association with short game instructor extraordinaire Dave Pelz, SYNLawn Golf has masterfully created everything from portable greens to backyard putting greens with short game areas that rival the finest golf course practice areas so the enjoyment factor begins the minute you pull out your putter. Next, it's time to bring the family into the equation (after you have tested the greens of course!)

It's time to create backyard family fun with your spouse and kids!

Here are a few Putting Tips for Beginners of any Age from Dave Pelz:
1. Before you actually take your first putt, together, learn a proper putting grip - Use Your Lifeline to hold the grip, not your wrists!

2. Learn "touch". Pelz says that, "As soon as you start to putt, you see results and begin filing them away. Whether you realize it or not, you have recorded the results of every putt you have ever made."

3. Good putts start with tempo - think "pendulum". Vary the length of your backswing to control the speed of your putts. Watch this Youtube.com video to see how the Master does it:

Now, Let the Games Begin!
No putting green experience is complete without games for all skill levels. Mr. Pelz designed Elements of Practice to maximize the use of SYNLawn greens so golfers can create the ultimate experience right at home, from short putts on the GreenMaker™ Putting Green System, a DIY putting green kit designed and engineered by Dave Pelz, to wedge and bunker shots on custom landscapes.

One of my favorite games taught to me by members of the EWGA (actually a putting drill) is called the Circle of Trust, a circle of three feet which surrounds the hole. You should make every putt from within three feet. Vary the distances you stand to make each putt from 20-foot, 10-foot and in and see who can get the most balls within the circle.

3-foot circle game

Here are a few additional putting games to try, from modified match-play and stroke to horseshoes and Bango/Bongo.



PS...You can even let the family dog roll a few - SYNLawn was created with dogs in mind.  Safe for pets, but watch for chewy golf balls!


Get Competitive!
There is competition on the golf course so why not a family "wager" with your spouse and the kids? Here are a few interesting Prize Ideas:
Who cooks dinner for the husband-wife competition
Spa day for the wife (when she wins)
For Dad, that new putter he's been eyeing...
For the kids - what they'll have for dinner (take-out, Mc D's)
These contests can be short or even last for an entire month to decide the big winner - like who gets to pick the vacation spot that year!

It's probably easier to get kids involved than your wife but...once your spouse beats you the first time in a putting contest (and she will), she might urge you to take her out to twilight golf (date night) ...you can get even more practice and she might even join a league of her own! So, everybody wins!

Finally, one last golf tip. I once asked Mr. Pelz about distance control on wedges. Read his response on Golf for Beginners blog.

Are you trying to get your spouse into golf? Let us know on Twitter @Golf4Beginners. Ask about DIY and Custom Greens @SYNLawn_golf.

Photo credits: SYNLawngolf.com, calligraphybyjeanne.com
Disclosure: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.