All right, let’s be a little real: there is no such thing as a perfect putt. But the good news is that you can probably kick a lot better than you can now. Here are some helpful ideas to get you started.

Your golf stance and proper grip

It is important that your grip is correct. Keep your hands light and relaxed, there’s no need to squeeze the stick like you’re trying to snap it in half. Check the placement of your little finger – it should be on the stick, not overlapping or intertwined with your other fingers. When you bring your fingers together, make sure the stick is straight, not at an angle. Tackle the ball directly and most importantly – RELAX!

The ball should be centered between your shoulders and positioned toward the front of your stance. Make sure your hands are near the top of the grip. Keep your eyes focused directly on the ball. Your goal is to hit the ball squarely along the target line. Imagine a large line that runs directly down the middle of your body and then add a second line directly perpendicular or at a 90 degree angle. This is your target line. You need to have a relaxed pendulum swing along the target line.

Make sure the face of the putter is perpendicular to the target line, and if you’re right-handed, set your left hand. Reverse that if you’re left-handed. When you lean over the ball, your eyes should be directly parallel to the target line.

Keep your feet hip-width apart, with your weight balanced slightly to the inside of your left heel.

Placing golf balls

Position the ball about halfway between your left instep and the center of your stance. It is important to do this so that the trajectory and clubhead are square before impact. It also means that if there is any angle to the approach, it has time to level off, resulting in good tracking.

your golf shot

Your punch will vary a bit depending on how far you need to kick. If you just need to touch the ball, your shot needs to be centered. For a swept stroke, it is normally placed slightly to the left. Aim to hit the ball right in the sweet spot, or in the center, unless you’re going down a slope. In that situation, it’s best to hit a little closer to the toe of the putter. This helps decrease the force used and helps prevent overshooting the hole. Relax and make a smooth backward movement, followed by a forward movement in the same plane. For righties, the left hand holds, the right hand strikes. Reverse that if you’re left-handed.

practice makes perfect

Look closely at your golf balls and you will probably find that there is a line around the middle where there are no dimples. The ideal golf ball has the same weight on any line through the center, so it is perfectly balanced. Unfortunately, not all golf balls are well constructed. A good fabricator will ensure that the core materials are of uniform density and that the shell is the same thickness throughout.

If you want to test your golf balls, find a flat, dry, level practice green. Align the line of the ball with the target line towards the hole. Starting about 3 to 6 feet from the hole, make a few putts. Then move 10 feet from the hole. Watch the ball to see if there is any tendency to go one way or the other. Be honest about whether or not your own mistakes in posture or striking are contributing!

Place a bunch of markers at various distances from the hole. You could use strings or quarters, for example. Vary the distance too, so have one foot, four feet, seven feet, 10 feet, etc. Practice your putt, not by putting, but by consistently aiming to get the ball into the markers. This helps you gauge how strong the impact is and at what angle it will make the ball roll a certain way.

Change the distances between the markers, making the spaces smaller, and keep practicing until you can get the ball where you want. Maybe you can be a perfect putter after all!