GOLF INSTRUCTION

Golf tips: Improve your scoring with Marc Solomon's putting game

Noted golf instructor and columnist, Marc Solomon offers golf tips for GolfInstruction.com readers on all aspects of the game.

(Sept. 15. 2006) - What is the median length of your first putt? Meaning: If you miss a green, how long is your putt for par going to be? And how realistic are the chances you make it?

Read Marc Solomon's golf instruction blog Drive for show, drive for dough Tip: The golf ball is only a target Solomon's Formula of winning wedge play

Here's a putting drill that will help you find that out:

Find two holes (or if you can't find holes, place two tees) on a practice green that are in different directions and are different distances (though have one target being at least 10 yards onto the green and the other target being 15 yards onto the green).

Use 15 balls from three yards off the green and alternately hit to each target (first ball to short target, second ball to far target, third ball short, fourth ball far, etc.)

Select the seven balls that are closest to the two targets and throw them off the green.

The eighth closest ball is your median shot or we could say - the average distance of your first putt when you're playing on the golf course and have a shot from 3 yards off the green.

Find the corresponding distance below to see what skill level you are around the green from a shot that is 3 yards off the green:

105 Golfer	23 feet (8th closest ball to your targets)
95 Golfer	17 feet
85 Golfer	10 feet
75 Golfer	4 feet
PGA Tour Pro	2 feet

Why is this drill so good? Because many Over 90 golfer's only remember those one or two great wedge shots they hit to 2 feet from the flag. Yet they forget the others that rolled way past or didn't even make it to the green! This game find's where your average shot most likely is ending up.

To put this drill in perspective think about how many times out of 10 is the 95 golfer going to make that 17-foot, downhill, right-to-left breaking putt? Is it going to be more or less than the 85 Golfer putting from 10 feet? How about the 75 Golfer putting from 4 feet? Do the same from 10 yards off the green to one flag that is 10 yards onto the green (so basically it's a 10 yard + 10 yard = a 20-yard shot to the flag) and one flag that is 15 yards onto the green (so basically it's a 25 yard shot). These are the distance each group's eighth farthest ball will be from the flag:

105 Golfer	44 feet from the flag (basically 15 yards)
95 Golfer	35 feet (basically 12 yards away from the flag on a 20 and 25 yard shot)
85 Golfer	23 feet (basically 8 yards)
75 Golfer	12 feet (4 yards)
PGA Tour Pro	5 feet (basically a tap-in)

To put this drill in perspective think about how many times out of 10 is the 95 golfer going to make that 35-foot (12-yard) putt? Is it going to be more or less than the 85 golfer putting from 23 feet? Are you going to make as many pars as the 75 golfer putting from 12 feet?

While the 75 golfer will make 3 out of 10 putts from 12 feet - the odds of the 95 golfer making 1 putt from 35 feet is small.

Or how about this eye opener? The 75 golfer is closer to the hole in the second game from 20 yards away than the 95 golfer is in the first game from 13 yards.

PGA Professional Marc Solomon is the founder of the nationally recognized and award-wining school, Golf Made Simple. Solomon and his team of instructors offer tailored four-person classes in Florida and California for three-, five- and seven-day packages that focus on one great, consistent swing for all 13 clubs. Their "Instructor For Life" program encourages golfers to contact their instructor for free customized advice, tips, drills and exercises - for life. For more information, or to read Golf Improvement Weekly (the world's most read golf improvement newsletter), please visit www.GolfMadeSimple.com.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management.