Starting the Ball on Your Line

Master Putting Clinic

Fredrik Lindblom

Golf Pro

Summary

This class focuses on improving the start direction of putts, ensuring the ball begins on the intended line by controlling clubface alignment at impact. The class introduces the gate drill, a popular method used by top players to practice starting the ball correctly. By setting up a gate on a straight putt and placing the ball a grip length away, players aim to roll the ball through the gate without touching it. Consistently achieving this indicates good control of start direction.

Key Takeaways:

Start Direction Importance: Correct start direction ensures the ball rolls on the intended line, crucial for making putts.

Gate Drill: A practical drill using a gate or tees to practice starting the ball within a degree of margin of error. Aiming for 8 out of 10 successful putts through the gate is a good benchmark.

Consistency in Setup: Maintaining a consistent distance between the ball and the gate is essential for effective practice.

Additional Tools: Other tools like the start line string can help practice starting the ball on the correct line.

Precision is Key: Starting a putt more than one degree off can result in missing the hole, especially from outside eight feet.

Next Focus: The next class will cover distance control, another critical aspect of putting.