Week 6: How to strengthen your putting and your game
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Every golfer knows the importance of putting. A good day on the greens can save you strokes and make the difference between a mediocre round and a great one. In fact, the putter is used at least twice as much as any other club in the bag, and yet it's the aspect of a player's game that is practiced the least. As a result, there are a number of fundamental flaws that creep into players' stroke that inhibit them from making more putts.
The most common flaw is not keeping the head still throughout the putting stroke. Most golfers look up too early, trying to see where the ball is going. When this happens, your shoulders and hips open, and this causes inconsistent contact with the putter face, resulting in both pushed and pulled putts. The bottom line is to keep your head and eyes still over the ball until well after contact has been made. This will keep your body from opening and will keep your putter face on a square and consistent path.
The following three drills will help you build a smooth and repeatable stroke and can be done year-round. If you were to devote just five minutes a day to practice your putting during the off-season, the result would certainly be fewer putts and a lower handicap.
Drill 1: The Wall Drill
Stand facing a wall with your feet parallel to it. Place the putter so the toe of the club is only about an inch from the wall. Set up a ball and take your normal swing. Does your club move away from the wall on your backswing? Does it brush up against the wall? The correct conventional swing has the club staying the same distance from the wall throughout the entire swing.
Drill 2: Putt Two Balls
Set two balls down so they both fit within your putter face, and aim at a target. Make a stroke that contacts both balls at the same time, and sends them off on a straight line. This exercise tests your ability to make square impact and gives immediate feedback.
Drill 3: The Backstroke Test
This is another easy drill to determine if your stroke is on the right path. Simply place a golf ball about six inches behind your ball and make a stroke. If you miss the ball, your stroke is offline, which makes it almost impossible to start the ball on the proper path, and consistency on the greens will remain elusive. This drill is extremely good for building muscle memory, the key to playing good golf.
If you experience knee pain when you perform these drills or out on the course, you might be suffering from osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. If you are living with OA, various treatments do exist, such as ORTHOVISC®, which provides up to 6 months of knee pain relief. Made from ultra-pure natural hyaluronan, which is found in healthy joints, ORTHOVISC® is injected into the knee joint where it acts to replace your natural joint fluid, to help cushion, protect, and lubricate your knee.
Talk to your doctor to see if ORTHOVISC® is right for you.
Or visit our website at www.orthovisc.com for more information on how to maintain your knee health to help you keep playing the game you love.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
ORTHOVISC® is for patients who do not get adequate pain relief from simple pain relievers like acetaminophen or from exercise and physical therapy. ORTHOVISC® is not for use in people with known allergy to hyaluronate preparations, to gram bacterial proteins, with infections or skin diseases in the area of the injection site or joint. Common side effects include joint pain, back pain, headaches and pain or redness at the injection site.
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