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Saturday Morning Tip: All about putting

April 22, 2011

You want to break 100, 90 or 80 this weekend? Then focus on what really matters--getting the ball in the hole. Today, legendary putting guru Todd Sones gives you some tips that will work right now, to help you sink more putts. Good luck with your game, and remember to follow me on Twitter at RogerSchiffman.

*Roger Schiffman

Managing Editor

Golf Digest*

Breaking 100: Don't move that head

Keeping your head still is fundamental to good putting. You can practice this by taking your setup with the top of your head against a wall, then hitting some putts. *Editor's note: This is a great tip to do indoors on a carpet, even before you head to the course. And if the toe of your putter slides gently along the wall, you'll know your eyes are correctly positioned over your putting line./RS

*__Breaking 90: Swing longer, not faster

__The length of your stroke should change based on the distance to the hole, but your tempo

should stay the same. Strive for smooth acceleration through impact. To hit putts of different lengths, many golfers alter their tempo instead of the length of the stroke. Focus on swinging back and through the same amount, lengthening your stroke as the putts get longer. *This tip will really help your distance control, and remember, every putt is a distance putt./RS

*__Breaking 80: Narrow your focus

__Practice short putts with a scorecard placed over a third of the hole to learn to zero-in on an entry point. Cover the part of the cup that represents the low side. For example, on right-to-left putts, set the scorecard over the left third of the hole.* A variation on this theme is to practice short, straight putts with two scorecards--one covering each side of the hole, so you have a ball-width gap over the middle of the cup. When you putt to a real hole on the course, it will look like it's 10 inches wide!/RS *

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