Your Secret Weapon In Good Putting

When you're on , you're on. It seems like no one can stop you. But you also know when you're in a bad funk - these are the days when even Brian Griffin (the cartoon dog, not some unknown golfer) can get a higher 18-hole score than you.

You were using the exact same club, and everything felt like it would when you'd be playing well. You were using the exact same equipment and stance, so why the bad game?

Is putting merely a game of luck? Not a chance. It can often seem that there is no 100% correct way to putt. True enough, there is no rule of thumb when it comes to putting.

If putting happens to be the reason you were a train wreck out there on the golf course, everything can be summarized in one syllable. Stiff. That's right, you may have been too stiff, resulting in an awkward-looking stroke and a lack of accuracy in your shots.

When you tense up your muscles, you are only making golf into a challenge. The basis of good putting, as with all other shots, is absolute relaxation of the muscles. Fluid movement allows for perfect freedom and play. But if you're desperately trying to maintain your balance, then your game might as well go down like a lead zeppelin.

If you are putting successfully, nothing can shake your confidence. But if you miss what seems to be a gimme, this makes you tense and you develop a tendency to brace yourself. And with more bracing actions comes increased mental and physical tension. Consequently, your putting suffers.

It's your call - you're free to choose a different putter, imitate your golfing heroes and adjust your stance to theirs. Still, it won't work unless your muscles are relaxed. Turn your muscles into a tub of Jell-O. Your muscles are jelly - that should be your mantra.

Anxiety can ruin a good game. You can easily ruin your putting if you look tense and/or glare at the ball as if you want to have it for a post-game meal. When you're in the zone you can hit shot after shot, but when you're out of it you'll seem to miss every shot no matter what approach you take. When that happens, it's time to turn your muscles into a delectable plate of Jell-O. Without actually falling to the ground, make your muscles feel so limp that you'll feel like you are.

The extra bonus here is that as you use this method of relaxation and putt more successfully, your confidence will increase and you'll be even more relaxed on the green.

Loosening those muscles really is the magic bullet when it comes to putting!