There's an old saying that goes something like this "Driving is for show and putting is for dough". When it comes to golf this statement is dead on. It's clear with the way the game of golf goes even if you have the ability to drive a golf ball 250 yards or more with a single swing of your driver, it does you know good if you need 5 strokes with your putter to sink the ball. Unfortunately there is no such thing as perfect putting but with the tips provided below you can significantly improve your golf game and who knows, you could end up wearing the fabled green jacket.

The two most basic elements of solid putting revolve around your grip and you stance. The first thing you should do is lightly place your hands around your putter. Remember this isn't a weight that you're lifting to gain muscles so treat the club gently. In case you're wondering how light of a grip, focus on using 60 - 70% of your normal grip strength with your pinky finger actually sitting on the club, as opposed to overlapping it or interlocking it when utilizing a regular grip. Always make sure to avoid holding the club at an angle and squarely address the gold ball while in a relaxed state both physically and mentally.

While in your state of focused relaxation make sure to address the golf ball correctly by having the ball towards the front of your stance and centered directly between your shoulders. Now keeping your hands lightly gripped near the top of the putter while simultaneously focusing your eyes directly on the golf ball underneath you start to develop in your mind's eye the path you want your golf ball to take after your putter makes contact. Visualize the golf ball going into the hole. This simple technique will allow your swing to follow a natural pendulum stroke along the putting target line.

During this whole process your feet should generally be set inside of your hips with your weight evenly balanced toward the inside of you respective heels. Remember the golf ball is directly centered in between your stance. Improper addressing of the golf ball will eliminate an error free swing along the projected putter glide path and will hamper any ability for a proper follow through.

Now that you've successfully achieved the proper grip needed to putt with and have a solid stance evenly centered over the golf ball you're ready to putt. The key here is to firmly tap the golf ball with the center of your putter; this is commonly referred to as the sweet spot. Concentrate on a smooth stroke following through with a forward motion and the net result should be a nice putt into the hole or as close as possible.

Speaking of golf balls, one bit of advice is to always use the same golf balls. The reality is not all golf balls are created equal. A properly built ball will be evenly balanced with solid core materials and a cover that is of equal thickness all the way around the golf ball. As soon as you determine the golf ball that best fits your style of golfing always make sure to continue to use that same brand of ball.

Perhaps the single biggest factor to dramatically increasing your putting proficiency is through practice and I mean plenty of it. Practice putting doesn't just revolve around putting the golf ball down on the green and hitting it. Instead you need to practice putting from different angles and from different distances from the cup. For example start putting from 1 foot, then as you master it go to 2 feet, then 3 feet, then 5 feet, then 7 feet. etc. Don't get alarmed if you don't sink the ball every time instead focus on consistently placing the golf ball as close to the cup as possible.

By following the simple tips outlined in this article you will soon be able to significantly lower your golf score as a direct result of your new and improved putting proficiency.