Putting tip and drill

"Drive for show - putt for dough". Depending on your handicap, putting is anywhere from a third to a half of all the strokes you take in a round.

It may not be as much fun as booming away big drives on the range, but practising reliable approach putting and good holing-out are two of the most valuable skills you can learn.

Please note: all lessons refer to right-handed golfers

• Many club golfers struggle to hit a consistent speed with their putts and also struggle to hit their intended line.

• One of the main reasons is their wrists are hinging excessively throughout the stroke, affecting the path and the loft of the putter.

• A great drill to improve your stroke and reduce the activity of the wrists is to use an alignment stick. Place the stick into the back of the putter and into your sternum; make sure the stick is parallel to the putter shaft. As you make your stroke ensure the stick remains parallel to the shaft.

• Done correctly this will massively reduce the involvement of the wrists and provide you with greater control of the path and the loft of the putter resulting in a consistency of strike and better distance control.