It’s no secret that golf is one of the hardest sports to learn. Whether you’re a first-timer or have played your entire life, there is always something new to learn. With new trends rotating weekly it can be hard to know what or who to believe. Thankfully, guidance from golf professionals can help clear confusion and put you on a path to golf greatness.
One of the biggest struggles yet most important aspects of golf is putting. In fact, an average golfer will have 40% of their totals come from putts. When discussing the importance of putting with PGA Head Professional Scott Callaghan, he says “I think most golfers need to understand the percentages in making putts and having realistic expectations to keep their putting game positive even when they are missing putts”. Knowing that not even the professionals, who play thousands of hours of golf each year, struggle with putting too much can certainly help ease frustrations and make those missed putts sting a little less.
Although missing putts can be incredibly frustrating, keeping some statistics in mind can help ease frustrations. For example, only 40% of professional Tour players make 10 foot putts consistently. Callaghan also shares “If you are making your reads and hitting the putts where you think it will break and you miss, take that as a positive. Do not blame the putter or yourself. Learn from the break and speed and try to improve it on the next hole”. When playing at a new course it can be difficult to adjust to a different green speed or conditions. A great way to ensure that your putting is consistent is to find your “pace”. Simply putt with an easy, natural swing and pace off how far it went. After you know your number, when you are unsure of how hard you should hit your ball, pace off the distance and compare it to the base pace you set at the beginning to determine how hard to hit.
If the short-term fixes are not working, it is never a bad idea to schedule a lesson with a professional to learn new techniques. At Pinnacle, there are opportunities for both group and individual lessons for any area where you may struggle. Group lessons are a great way to get general advice in a certain area while also providing an opportunity to meet new people who may also have tips on how to improve your game. Individual one-on-one lessons with any member of our friendly professional staff are the best way to get more specific feedback on issues you may struggle with such as ball speed or bunker shots.
Written by: Isabella Crego Marketing/ PR Intern
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