It’s getting colder outside, and a lot of us won’t have an opportunity to golf for a few months. Now is a really good time to practice our putting skills. Get a feel for the putter and how the ball rolls. The way the putter strokes the ball and the type of roll it produces is a good indication of a good putt. Most bad putts are caused by pulling the putt, or moving the hands or wrists.

After struggling with putting for some time, a fellow golfer gave me a tip which really helped my putting game. This method can be practiced anywhere and at anytime. You don’t even need a ball or a putter! Just your arms and shoulders!

Try this: Hold your hands in front of you. If you’re right handed, your right hand will be on the bottom - palm up with fingers pointing to the left. Your left hand will then be placed palm down above the right hand, with those fingers pointing to your right. Pretend you are holding a large phone book between your two hands and let your shoulders roll as if you are putting.

You can actually start this exercise using a real book to make sure you are doing it properly. After you get the feel of it, take the book away and practice without it for a while. When you are comfortable and have a good feel for the stroke, pick up your putter and putt around for a while. You will find your ball rolls straighter, truer, and you can even gauge the distance of your putt better than before!