Starting the ball on your intended line is the key to making more putts. Sounds simple, but you have to put in the work. I recommend that, at least twice a week, you grind on straight four-footers to make it second nature.
Copy my practice station: a hanging string line (so you can ensure the ball comes off straight and rolls straight) and a Putting Plate (puttingplates.com), developed by teacher Derek Uyeda to help you set the putter face square from the start. What you’ll find is that once you learn to hit a straight four-foot putt exactly where you want, all other putts become much easier.
Get into a comfy address position — your choice — but at the very least set your eyes directly over the ball. Now, roll putts. With the help of the plate and using the line as your guide, you should get into a good rhythm of setting up square to the ball and rolling it dead straight.
This may seem boring, but the practice is invaluable. Think about how many four footers you face in a typical round. And learning to aim your putter face correctly — to say nothing of starting the ball on line — is huge. Even on breaking putts, getting the ball to begin its roll in the direction you intend will make all the difference in the world.
Bryan Lebedevitch is the director of instruction at PGA WEST Golf Academy in La Quinta, Calif.
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