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DRILL OVERVIEW · PUTTING CARD 33
Hover or Ground: Compare Your Putting Start
Your drill at a glance
Try both starts. Notice the difference. Hover or Ground: Compare Your Putting Start is Putting Card 33 in the Golf Practice Made Fun App.
Does your putter need to rest on the green before you start? This simple comparison gives you a way to find out what suits you. Play nine putts with the putter hovering just above the surface, then nine with a grounded start. Keep the putt and your grip the same, and note the quality of contact and how comfortable each start feels.
The aim is to explore a lighter-feeling setup and a smooth start. Let your own strike and comfort guide the comparison.
Jump to choose your putt, try both starts or compare your notes.
Watch the hover putter lesson.
Susie Mathews from Kooyonga Golf Club demonstrates hovering the putter just above the ground to explore a smoother start and consistent grip pressure.
Step 1. Choose a short putt.
Use one short, straight putt and your normal grip for both groups.
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Find a straight putt | Choose a short putt on a reasonably level part of the practice green. |
| Set your starting position | Return the ball to the same position for each attempt so you can make a useful comparison. |
| Use your normal grip | Take your usual stance and grip. Keep these as consistent as you can throughout the round. |
| Keep one simple focus | You are comparing how the stroke starts: putter hovering or putter grounded. |
One ball is enough. Retrieve it after each putt and return to your starting spot.
Step 2. Try both starts.
Play nine putts with each method, keeping the hover small and the stroke smooth.
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Hovered start: nine putts | Hold the putter just clear of the surface behind the ball. Make a smooth stroke from that starting position. |
| Keep the hover small | You only need a small gap beneath the sole. Avoid lifting the head high above the ball. |
| Grounded start: nine putts | Rest the putter lightly on the surface behind the ball before beginning your normal stroke. |
| Notice strike and comfort | After each attempt, notice how contact felt and whether the setup and start felt comfortable. |
Keep your grip and stance familiar. You are giving each method a fair try, rather than trying to manufacture a particular result.
Step 3. Compare your notes.
Complete 18 attempts, then compare the strike and comfort notes from both groups.
| Action | What to do |
|---|---|
| Complete both groups | Play nine hovered starts and nine grounded starts, making 18 attempts in total. |
| Record the attempts | In the App, tick one completed attempt for each putt. A missed putt still counts as an attempt. |
| Keep notes for each method | Record strike and comfort separately for the hovered and grounded starts. |
| Compare the two | Which start felt easier to repeat? Which gave you the more comfortable setup and cleaner-feeling contact? |
Your practice record
| Part of the round | Record |
|---|---|
| Hovered starts | Completed: ___ / 9 · Strike: ___ · Comfort: ___ |
| Grounded starts | Completed: ___ / 9 · Strike: ___ · Comfort: ___ |
| Total attempts | ___ / 18 |
| Next practice | The start I want to try again: ___ |
This is an attempts-and-notes drill. Complete 18 putts and compare both groups. Holed putts do not earn extra points.
George’s Practice Tip.
Give each method its full nine putts before choosing a favourite. One lovely roll can be persuasive; one scruffy one can be very persuasive. A few short notes across the whole group will tell you more.
If the hover makes you tense your hands, keep the gap small and notice that in your comparison. Comfort is part of the record, so an honest “grounded felt easier” is a useful result too.
For another grip-pressure comparison, try Trail Index Finger: Try a Lighter Grip. For a repeatable routine before the stroke, explore Picture, Look, Roll.
MAKE THE NEXT BUCKET COUNT
Pick a card. Practise with purpose.
