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My uncle used to tell me that the scores are not made on the tee-off but on the putting green. I have lived to tell you that this statement is indeed true in all forms and putting, requires a great amount of practice like any of your clubs. These 4 steps I have came up is my personal tried and tested regimen to remove “putter’s block” as what my uncle used to describe my dilemma at the green.

1.       Visualize

Visualize where you want your ball to be heading. Ignore the brakes while visualizing. Visualize a straight path from the ball to the pin. Align your putter to the appropriate intended direction.  

2.       Calculate

Now is the time to kneel down at the green, remove your gloves, and caress the grass to see how soft or coarse it is. Check to see where the breaks are. Adjust the backswing and follow-through accordingly.

3.       Dry-Stroke

Never underestimate the power of your dry-stroke. Your dry-swing would usually be much more ideal than your actual stroke or it may be much mire undesired. The goal of the dry-stroke is to incorporate all your visualization and calculations into a stroke well-coordinated and adjust it accordingly to any sudden change of external factors.

4.       Approach

If you did your dry-stroke right, approaching the ball, is already half the victory. With the dry-stroke, your ball approach could already hold a subconscious outcome. If your stroke did not go as what was planned, note that any frustration could harm your game. Never try to bail your score out by trying desperate strokes on the green. Be on the safe side and enjoy the game.

The green could be intimidating for some and be a time to make scores for a very few others. “Putter’s block” is natural, and the most natural thing to do to solve this dilemma is to embrace your fear and be optimistic about the outcome.