Ben Crenshaw once said that “the closer you get to the hole, the more mental the game becomes” Putting is indeed more mental than any other part of the game because on the putting green, doubt, indecision, and fear cripple the strongest of golfers.
The first part of my instruction assumes that you must be aware of the mental traps inherent in golf that prevent you from putting your best. Players often hurt their chances of making more putts on the greens, without even knowing it. One of the most common errors golfers make in putting is what I called “wishy-washy putting.”
Players who engage in wishy-washy putting basically have trouble making decisions. They can’t decide on a specific plan for each putt. They change their mind often about how to hit a putt and can’t commit to a single plan! If you are a wishy-washy putter you change your mind as you over-read a putt and look for breaks in the green that are not present.
The problem is that you fill your mind with doubt. The doubt and indecision kills your ability to stroke the ball with determination. You can’t make a confident stroke because you have not committed to a plan. Indecision and doubt are a putter’s worst enemy.
Usually, a player’s first instinct is the correct one. I think sometimes players talk themselves out of a good read, especially when they have a lot of time to read the putt. They begin to see breaks that don’t exist and then change their mind. You are better off reading the putt once and waiting until it’s your turn to play.
As you move from behind the ball to over the ball, perception changes and so does your prediction of the break of the putt. It’s easy to change your mind if you want to. But the reason why you go behind the ball, get low to the ground, and use both eyes to view the line is so you can see it better and more accurately from that position.
I teach players to stay committed to their line once they select it. I encourage players to keep an image of the target or line in their mind as they step up to the ball and go through the rest of the routine. This way you never lose sight of the target and it’s harder to change your mind.
If the putt reads differently over the ball, just step back and see the line again from behind the ball.
Stick with your initial read, and don’t be wishy-washy!
Dr. Patrick J. Cohn is a leading golf psychologist who consults with tour pros and amateurs. He is the author of The Mental Game of Golf: and The Mental Art of Putting. He also is the leading talent in the video Make Your Most Confident Stroke and the audio Great Putting-Right Now. For more information call 888- 742-7225, or write to Peak Performance Sports, 7380 Sand Lake Rd., Suite 500, Orlando 32819. Website: www.peaksports.com.
