Improving Your Putting Confidence
Your putting confidence develops in many ways, but true confidence comes from establishing a foundation for success.
The top putters on the PGA Tour practice in a way that increases their putting competencies, which combined leads to confidence. Players spend time developing their touch on the greens, for example, to increase confidence and feel comfortable with their distance control.
Great putters instill confidence by developing a preshot routine for putting that simplifies their approach to the game. Lastly, great putters develop confidence by committing to the decisions they make on the green.
Great putters develop a solid foundation for putting confidence by generating competence in several areas.
What is it about your putting method that gives you confidence?
Can you repeat your stroke? Do you hit putts solidly time after time? Can you gauge distance accurately? Do you read greens and see the line well?
Mastering the physical and mental requirements of putting provides players with a sense of competence, which can develop self-confidence in the putting game.
Confidence flows from mastering the skills that lead to competence.
This means you should practice your putting with the intent to master the skills that support your putting confidence.
The following are some areas that provide a base of support for developing putting confidence.
- Confidence From Your Practice. Most golfers are not excited about practicing their putting. Professionals spend at least one to two hours per day on the putting greens. This may not reflect what truly great putters do because they only practice enough to retain feel and reinforce their confidence. The key is that practice is vital to maintaining and reinforcing your competence.
- Confidence From Your Pre-Putt Routine. Another foundation for confidence is to develop a consistent pre-putt routine. The purpose of a routine is to lock your mind into the cues that allow you to focus on execution and nothing else. Your routine should help you focus on the task, believe in your method, and trust your decisions, which lead to a smooth and rhythmic stroke.
- Confidence From Experience and Competition. Confidence can come from playing “under the gun” in a competitive golf tournament. You can get a big boost of confidence when you sink that important putt during a club championship or going after your best round ever. Many amateur players exaggerate their poor putting in past rounds and let one bad putting round affect their confidence. This is an error in attitude.
- Confidence From Your Commitment. Confidence comes from trusting your decisions and skills when playing. Confidence flows from being clear in your mind about what you want to do and committing to that plan. Indecision is a putter’s worst enemy. Great putters prepare themselves mentally and physically for every putt. They know the importance of staying committed to their plan and believing that everything they have done to prepare ensures putting success. Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Bob Charles, and Gary Player all talk of the importance of being totally committed to their intended purpose or goal. That purpose is to get the ball into the hole as efficiently as possible.
- Confidence From Your Warm up. A practice routine before play can help you instill confidence. Do you step out of the car and walk to the first tee without even testing the speed of the greens? A warm up is an excellent time to develop a feel for the green. You want to make a few short putts in a row. This helps you gain confidence by seeing, hearing, and feeling putts fall before going to the first tee. Take advantage of a warm up by developing your touch and feel before walking to the first tee.
Related Article: Why Putting Confidence Disappears With The Yips
Overcome The Yips and Enjoy Golf Again!
Golfers, do you suffer from:
- Anxiety, tension and over control of the stroke or swing?
- Performance anxiety about what others will think?
- Inability to wing the club freely on the course, despite the fact that you can in practice?
Check out: Breaking the Yips Cycle
Golfers: Learn how to overcome the fear that keeps you stuck in a vicious cycle
Instructors: Learn how to give your students the mental game edge.
Coaches: Help your team members play with freedom instead of fear or tension.
Breaking The Yips Cycle: How to Putt, Chip, And Pitch Freely and Enjoy Playing Golf Again
What are Golf Psychology Students Saying?
“I wanted to tell you I have broken out of the yips short putt issues. I have won 2 of the last 3 competitions. Right now my putting confidence is sky high. I HAD the putt yips for past 6 years. I contribute the success to two of your drills. First focus hard on the hole, forget about all else. It took awhile to get the 100% focus, but I could see the results coming. Then your advice “Let go and trust your ability.” Immediate result. Wow what a relief. Having putted for so long under yip pressure, I now feel I can be put under extreme pressure to win the club championship. I now look forward to short putts.”
~Ian Dodd
Download Our FREE Anti-Yips Putting Drills
Do you spend most of your practice time trapped by stroke or mechanics on the practice green?
Are you unsure how to practice to hep you overcome the putting yips?
Golfers: Learn how to putt with freedom using proven putting drills!
Download our FREE putting report and drills to help you unlock your putting potential today!
What are golfers saying about our putting yips drills?
“Hank has consistently improved over the summer. He is getting stronger and more confident. He often talks about the mental game techniques that you have shared with him for his success. We visited my home in Wisconsin last week and he shot a 69 on my old home course which is a one-under round. Thanks for your help.”~Billy Dettlaff, Hank’s Father
Overcome The Yips With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental coaching students saying?
“I’ve had the yips for 30 years. With the anchor ban, I thought I needed to quit golf. It was frustrating hearing golf experts and commentators state that no amateur was going to quit golf because of the anchoring ban. Obviously, these experts don’t know anything about the yips. I’m so glad I found you. Your drills really helped. It might sound silly, but the biggest thing that helped me is knowing that the yips is mental. It might sound crazy, for someone to have the yips for 30 years, and not know it’s mental. I also believe I know my reason for having the yips, and I see how my insecurities in every day life contributed to the yips. Thank you for your help.”
~Kevin Stankewicz