Warming up your putting before playing is critical. That's why its one of the first things I discuss whenever I give a golf lesson on putting. Warming up does three things: It focuses your mind. It instills confidence. And it provides a feel for the speed of the greens. Watch any player with a low golf handicap and you'll see him or her visit the practice green before playing every time he or she plays.

Warming up also makes you feel comfortable on the greens. And feeling comfortable on the greens is a key to putting well. Among other things, it breeds confidence. You know what to expect on the greens when you play. And you know you can make putts because you just did it. It's hard to make tough putts if you lack confidence in your game. A good warm-up provides a feeling of comfort and confidence.

Develop A Warm-Up Routine
If you're serious about lowering your golf handicap, you should develop a good warm-up routine. The speed and texture of greens change from course to course, thanks to type of grass, undulations, grains, and length of cut. Even the greens on your home course change from day to day depending on how low the grass was cut that day and the whether conditions. The best way of developing a feel for the greens that day is through a good warm-up routine.

One of the best ways to gain a feel for the green is to hit several long putts when you first begin. Start with several 30-, 40-, and 50-foot putts. Try lagging them as close to the hole as possible. Hit them from both above and below the hole. You may not have any long putts during your round, but this method is the best way of developing a sense for how the green plays.

Now hit several long breaking putts. These putts will give you an idea of how much the greens are breaking that day. Hit several right to left putts and several left to right putts, with big and small breaks. You don't necessarily want to sink these putts as much as get a feel for the break. If possible, try hitting some long uphill putts and some long downhill putts as well. By the time you finish, you should have a good feel for the greens.

Boost Your Confidence
Once you've developed a feel for the greens you need to work on boosting your confidence. To do that, you want to create a positive mental picture of the ball dropping in the hole. Your confidence erodes when you hit putts that don't go in the hole. The greater the backlog of images of putts dropping in the hole the better off you will be when it comes time to play.

The best method of developing a backlog of positive images is by hitting putts of three feet or less. Sinking those three-footers not only builds u p a backlog of images, it also alleviates the jitters when facing your first short putt. As each putt goes in you see it go in, you hear it go in, and you feel it go in. These short putts build fresh images in your mind so that you feel comfortable when it's time to play.

Practice Time
How long you spend on the practice green depends on your needs. Some players like to spend a lot of time on the greens to gain a sense of touch and tempo. Others like to keep the time on the practice time short. About 10 to 15 minutes should be enough time to hit the long putts and short putts you need to tell how the greens are playing that day. But every player is different, so you need to determine ho long you need get warmed-p, not what somebody else needs.

If you're an a player with a low golf handicap, you probably already know how much time you need on the practice green to get ready for a round. If you're a player with a high golf handicap and you don't have a warm-up routine, you probably don't know how much time you need to get warmed up properly. Develop a routine based on what we've said above and vary the length of tie you spend warming up. Eventually, you'll develop a feel for how long it takes you to get warmed up.

How Many Balls
Most players use two or three balls when they practice. It's more efficient than using just one. You can hit three balls in less time than it takes to hit one ball, go get it, and hit another. Others favor one ball. Their argument is you only use one ball when your playing. Using one ball is closer to the way you play the game. Again, it's a matter of personal preference.

One last point I always make in my golf lessons on putting: Your pre-round routine is a warm-up for what follows. It's not practice. You want to gain a feel for the greens, not practice your stroke or address any mechanical flaws you may have. If you want to make changes, save it for another day. Your pre-round routine is all about gaining a feel for the greens before playing and building up confidence. Concentrate on those things during warm up and you'll sink more putts and lower your golf handicap.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

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How To Break 80 Newsletter

August 29, 2007

"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter"
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In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Eliminating Toe Hits
2) Reading the Rough
3) Question of the Week - How to Eliminate Topping
4) Article - Warming Up Your Putter
5) Article - Four Ways To Use the Hybrid

Jack’s Note: I hope everyone gets a chance to relax and play a round this Labor day weekend. In case you missed my message the other day, be sure and read about my buddy Kevin’s father-in-law. He can give me a run for my money and also doled out some of the best advice I’ve ever had related to Senior Golf. If you’re a senior and looking to improve your game, you don’t want to miss this story. Go here to read more.

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1) Eliminating Toe Hits
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Toe hits are one of the most common ballstriking errors in golf. They're also one of the game's most maddening (and embarrassing) flubs, especially if it happens on the first tee. They are also maddening if the hit follows a good drive down the center of the fairway or the ball is lost out of bounds or sliced into a hazard. That's when you could just scream. But you can keep toe hits from occurring.

Below are five keys to eliminating toe hits.

* Swing down on the ball
* Keeps arms extended
* Focus on center-face contact
* Swing club arm your body
* Visualize two balls before hitting

Toe hits occur when the arms lose extension through impact. This occurs when you try to lift the ball off the ground, pulling the swing path in. To cure the problem, focus on swinging down on the ball and making center-face contact. Also, try swinging the club around your body more. Here's a simple drill that'll help you do all this.

Stick two tees in the ground about a clubhead length apart. One tee should be closer to you and one farther away. Set up to the tee that's closer to you, but swing at the one that's farther away. Try picking the tee out of the ground on your swing. The drill flattens your downswing path and forces you to extend your arms through impact. It also gets you to swing the club around your body more. When you're on the course or the range, visualize two balls and try hitting the outside one.

The tee drill is a simple but effective. Practice it until you can pick the tee out of the ground instinctively. It will eliminate toe hits and save you strokes…and your sanity as well.

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2) Reading the Rough
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Catching a flyer out of the grass less of a concern now than several years ago. With the way irons are weighted today, your chances of hitting a flyer are much less. The weight behind the club helps the ball come off the clubface more consistently. But you still must read the rough correctly to hit good shots from deep grass.

Here are five keys to keep in mind when in deep grass:

* Check the lie closely
* Club selection is key
* Play the ball back
* Open the clubface
* Swing down steeply

When you play the ball from the rough, you're basically deciding how close to a standard shot you can hit. If the ball is sitting up in the grass, about three-quarters exposed, you can play it as a standard shot. The club will slow down a bit as it goes through the grass, but the reduced backspin will make the ball roll more.

But you can't do that in deep grass. Instead, drop down a club and play the ball back in your stance an inch or two. If you would normally hit a 7-iron 150 yards out, use a 6-iron in deep grass to get the same distance. Swing down on the ball at a steeper angle to catch the ball first, play the ball slightly left, and open the clubface at address.

You'll get more height on your shot with this approach and the club will cut through the grass more easily. Practice this approach on the range first. Then use it on the course. Reading the rough correctly makes it easier to hit from deep grass.

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3) Question of the Week - How to Eliminate Topping
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Q. Hi, Jack. I really enjoy your newsletter and book. I have a question if you will. I've been playing golf for about 15 years, and I shoot about in my low 90's for 18 holes, but every now and then I can come up with a beginner's mistake: topping the ball. Sometimes when I top the ball, it only rolls about 10-20 yards, and that's off the tee! Could you please tell my how to correct this embarrassing mistake?

Thank you very much,
Sam Rizk Jr.

A. Thanks for the question, Sam. If you're topping the ball, you’re probably trying to hit the ball on the upswing to scoop or lift the ball. Neither move is good. The key is remembering that golf is a game of opposites. If you want to hit the ball up, you have to swing down, even when hitting a fairway wood or a hybrid club.

To eliminate topping address the ball as usual, but make sure it's no further forward than the inside of your left heel, the base of your swing arc, fostering contact at the lowest point of your swing. Use a one-piece takeaway and strike the ball with a descending blow. Finish in balance.

Moving the ball back in your stance generates height because it adds backspin when the ball is hit. More backspin equals a higher trajectory and works to negate sidespin, if and when it’s applied.

For practice, try this: put a tee in the spot you would normally use for a driver. Instead of hitting from that tee, place another tee with a ball two inches behind the empty tee. As you hit a few shots focus on grazing the empty tee after you make contact with the ball. Repeat several times. As you practice, you’ll see your shots gaining more and more height.

If you've got a golf question you'd like answered, send an email to us at questions@howtobreak80.com and we'll review it. I can't guarantee that we'll use it but if we do, we'll make sure to include your name and where you're from.

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If you want to truly discover the secrets of shooting like the Pros and creating a more reliable and consistent swing, check out: http://www.HowToBreak80.com

Also, for past issues of this newsletter and some of my most recent articles, visit our blog at www.HowToBreak80.com/blog

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter08292007.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article - Warming Up Your Putter
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/warmputt.html

5) Article - Four Ways To Use the Hybrid
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/fourways.html
Until next time,
Go Low!

Jack

P.S. Feel free to share this newsletter with family and friends. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, send a blank email to break80ezine@aweber.com

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About the Author
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Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 and Shoot Like the Pros!". He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicaps quickly. His free weekly newsletter goes out to thousands of golfers worldwide and provides the latest golf tips, strategies, techniques and instruction on how to improve your golf game.