Can you improve yoru scores without going to the driving range? Day after day you look at the full driving range and look over at the practice putting green and it is always the same story. There are only a few players working on or even warming up their putting stroke while the driving range is lined up from end to end with golfers trying to improve their full swing. This continues to happen at country clubs and golf courses all over the world even though it has been said many times over that you can lower your score faster by improving your short game and even more precisely your putting stroke. To improve your scores and lower your handicap, follow these putting fundamentals for your putting stroke.

Making sure that your shoulders are square to the target line is an important putting fundamental that is often over looked. Many players use an open stance while they putt. Allowing your feet and hips to be open at address is fine. However, the shoulders must be square to your target line. As you bend over and let your arms hang freely to make your putting stroke. Your arms will naturally swing back and forth in the direction the your shoulders are pointing.

Since while you are putting you must stand to the side of the golf ball, your eyes must be over the golf ball. We have all heard this one before, correct? In addition, your eyes should not be ahead of the golf ball either. To learn where your eyes are positioned during your putting stroke, simply take your putting stance. Then drop a golf ball from the bridge of your nose and between your eyes. The ball should drop onto the ball on the ground or just behind it on the target line. There are also many golf putting aids that can assist you with where you are positioning your eyes while putting.

In order to strike a solid putt, the putter head should travel low to the ground on the back swing as well as the forward swing. This allows the putter head move back and through to the target line and gives you the best chance to make solid contact. Solid contact not only is important to put the ball on the correct line, it is imperative for your distance control. If you are hitting a different spot on the putter on every single putting stroke, it will be impossible to hit two balls in a row the same speed or distance. Translating this to the golf course, even if you do get the putt started on the correct line, the putt will typically end up short of the hole because they have not been hit in the center of the putter face.

The last thing you should practice to improve your putting stroke is to simply hold your finish for a count of three seconds. This is important for a couple of reasons. Holding your finish will make sure that you are accelerating during your stroke. In addition, this will give you time to reflect on what went well and what could have gone better.

Do not fall into the rest of the crowd and spend all of your time on the driving range. Use these putting tips and or putting aids on the putting green to improve your putting stroke and you will see your scores improve very quickly.