10 Best Putting Tips for New Golfers (with Bonus Tips!)
Are you ready to learn my best putting tips for new golfers?
Lower your golf score at least 5 strokes per round of golf by improving only your putting! Yes, it’s true. Your putting can really make that big of difference in your golf score.
Reduce 3 putts and 4 putts and instead start taking only 1 or 2 putts maximum on each green. You should strive for 36 putts or less for 18 holes of golf. If you are taking 40-50 putts for 18 holes, you have a putting problem!
Let’s start with these 5 simple putting tips for beginners and new golfers to help you improve your short game and start reducing your score by eliminating wasted strokes on the green.
Tip #1: Perfect Your Aim
The very first putting tip for a beginner is to focus on perfecting your aim and aligning correcting to your target line.
Start with flat putts with no break in them since these are easiest to check your alignment. The ball should roll straight to the hole giving you an easy way to judge if your putt started on line or not.
To begin, have a golf ball with an alignment line drawn on it with red sharpie. If not, use the words on the side of the ball to position the line straight at the hole.
Now set your putter behind the golf ball and center the ball so it’s in the middle of the putter face, not closer to the heel or toe of the putter.
Once you think you have the perfect alignment straight at the hole, step back and look at where your putter is pointing.
To do so you’ll need to keep your putter head planted on the ground where it is and move out from your putting stance while keeping one hand on the putter grip to hold it still as you move behind it to take a look.
To do this drill indoors, find a wall in your house and mark a small 4 inch wide section to pretend is the cup to aim at.
Then align your putter at your target and step back to check it’s aim. Use a laser pointer and point where your putter is facing to test your aim.
Tip #2: Perfect Your Speed Control
Once you’ve worked on putting tip #1 above and perfected aligning your putter so it’s aimed properly at your target line, next work on distance control.
Spend hours hitting putts from various distances between 20 feet away and 65 feet away.
Mark off 5 foot increments on the green with tees so you can keep track of how far away you are from the hole and gain visual perception skills of understanding approximate distances.
You can also measure a putt’s distance by stepping it off with one stride equaling about 3 feet or use your putter which is almost 3 feet in length by laying it down multiple times to measure the putt.
Hit 20 putts to gain feel at a certain distance on the putting green then move to the next location until you’ve gain lots of experience and distance control from all over the green.
Resource: Golf Practice System (Practice Plans + Videos + Worksheets)
Tip #3: Check Your Posture & Stance
If you’re having trouble seeing putts you may have a stance or posture problem when setting up to hit putts on the green.
Your eyes should be over the golf ball so that if you drew a line from your eyes down to the ball they would connect.
If you’re hunched over too far your eyes may be outside your putting line and if you’re too upright in your stance your eyes may be inside the putting line.
Work on your posture and stance until your eyes are on top off your putting line and this will help you see putts better and make better putting strokes!
Tip #4: Give Yourself Break, Don’t Short Side Putts
It’s easy as a beginner to leave putts on the short side where it breaks too much and the ball never had a chance.
A putting tip that has helped me make more putts is after I think I’ve chosen my proper putting line to play a breaking putt, I’ll slightly adjust the putter to give myself just a little more break.
I’d rather just miss the putt on the high side from making this minor adjustment or better yet sink the putt and be proven correct than keep my current line and watch it come up on the short side wishing I had given it just a little more break.
Tip #5: Analyze Your Golf Rounds and Make Adjustments
While most of these tips for putting have thus far been on the practice green to help you prepare for a round of golf, you should also analyze actual performance out on the course to learn what your tendencies are when the pressure is on.
If you find yourself leaving putts short, long, left, right, etc. take this data feedback and determine a practice routine you can go through to fix these problems.
Resource: Golf Practice System (Practice Plans + Videos + Worksheets)
Tip #6: Grip Techniques for Consistency
One of the first fundamentals to master as a beginner is the proper putting grip. A consistent grip provides control over the putter face, helping you maintain a square impact.
The most common grip for putting is the reverse overlap grip, where your left-hand index finger (for right-handed golfers) overlaps the fingers of your right hand.
This technique minimizes wrist movement and keeps the stroke smooth and controlled. Experiment with grips like the claw grip or cross-handed grip to find what feels most comfortable and delivers the best results.
Tip #7: Green Reading Made Simple
Understanding how to read greens can be the difference between making or missing putts. Start by assessing the slope: does the green tilt left, right, uphill, or downhill?
Walk around your putt’s line to gain perspective on the terrain. Look for subtle breaks and use your feet to feel slopes when in doubt.
Beginners can use tools like the plumb-bobbing technique or align with visible landmarks to get an accurate read. Mastering this skill will help you align correctly and commit to the right line every time.
Tip #8: Develop a Pre-Shot Routine
A pre-shot routine ensures consistency and helps you focus under pressure. Begin by visualizing the path of the ball to the hole, imagining the ball rolling on the correct line at the perfect speed.
Next, align your putter to your intended target, settle into your stance, and take a deep breath to calm your nerves. Stick to this sequence for every putt, whether it’s a 3-footer or a 30-footer. A solid routine builds confidence and reduces errors.
Tip #9: Visualization Techniques for Success
Visualization is a powerful tool in golf. Picture the putt’s path in your mind before taking your stroke. Imagine the ball rolling steadily along the line you’ve chosen, with the right speed to reach the hole.
Visualizing successful putts not only boosts your confidence but also reinforces your ability to execute them. Practice this mental technique during both practice sessions and rounds to sharpen your focus.
Tip #10: Practice Drills for Putting Precision
Incorporate drills into your practice routine to fine-tune your putting. For example:
Clock Putting Drill:
Place tees around the hole at 3-foot intervals in a clock pattern. Putt from each position, focusing on consistency and accuracy.
Ladder Drill: Set up tees at varying distances from the hole (e.g., 5, 10, 15 feet) and aim to sink putts from each distance in succession.
These drills improve distance control, alignment, and overall precision.
Bonus Tip: Practice Your Putting A Lot
To become good at putting in golf you have to put in many hours of practice! I would spend at least 2 hours a day practicing putting when I was at the golf course.
Start with a half hour before your round of golf and then complete another 60-90 minutes of putting practice after your round of golf.
Who cares if your buddies all leave and go home after playing 18, stay and work on your game while you’re already at the course. Or come back tomorrow and just practice, no play.
By incorporating these additional tips into your practice and play, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the greens and shaving strokes off your score.
Golf is a game of precision and patience, and putting is where you can truly make the biggest impact. Enjoy the process, and watch your skills improve! You can also check out this skills assessment to see how good your putting is.
Thanks for reading today’s 10 putting tips for beginner golfers and our bonus tip! If you enjoyed, please subscribe to the email newsletter for more free golf tips.
Resource: Step by Step Golf Practice Plans