Putting – Learning how hard to hit it?
Harvey Penick used to always tell me that the good golfers will spend 80% of their time on chipping and putting. Ironically, when you go to most driving ranges, they are packed with people young and old, whacking balls.
With my girls, I do my best to spend the bulk of our time playing games on the putting green. One game I think is especially effective to teach a youngster how hard to hit a putt is “The Rolling the Ball Game.”
It is a very easy and highly effective drill (especially for kids). Here is how you do it… instead of using a putter, go roll the balls around the putting green. What this will do is teach you how far to swing your arms (vs. hit the ball) to get the ball to the hole. Additionally, it teaches the child the pendulum motion.
Additionally, this drill creates some great muscle memory. For example, when Ally is playing in a tournament, I tell her “pretend you are rolling the ball to the hole.” This is a great trigger to help her know how much to swing her arms.
I can promise you that if you spend 10-15 minutes playing the “Rolling the Ball Game” your child will learn to be a better putter. Take Harvey’s advice… start your child on the putting green!