By Seán Hawker
• First, don’t label your putts. Don’t think about it as a par-putt “I need to make this par”, birdie putt, or bogey putt. Look at every putt as just another routine putt. A putt is a putt. Simplify your putting and think about it as another simple task to perform. The task does not change: you are required to roll the ball into the hole the best way you know how. The only thing that changes is how you perceive the task.
• Second, forget about the result. Don’t let your mind slip ahead and think about missing or three-putting. Worrying about the result is where tension and fear come from. Stick to what you need to do to make a good stroke or hit your putt on line — that’s what helps you make putts. You make putts by sticking to the requirements of the task — getting a good read, picking your line and feeling the speed.
• Third, don’t deviate from your normal routine. Do what you normally do with 10-foot putts. Stay focused on stroking the ball solidly on the line you want it to travel.
• Fourth, create a positive picture of the ball rolling on your line into the hole — see or feel the ball go into the hole as you prepare to hit it. This reinforces a positive picture in your mind. Don’t step up to hit the putt until you have a strong image or feeling of the ball rolling into the hole. Lastly, focus only on hitting the ball solid with good speed. A solid struck putt rolls truer and will hold its line better than an off-centre hit.
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Seán Hawker is a bilingual PGA professional – Head professional at Morgado do Reguengo, near Portimão. He is available for golf tuition for players of all levels, from complete beginners to tour winners. 969 188 981 | hawkersean@gmail.com
