Golf tip from Steve Charters

Editor's note: Steve Charters is in his 14th year as a pro at Twin Pines Golf Course. Born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Charters competed at Central College in Pella and has been a pro for 21 years in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids. 

A new golf season is upon us.

You've spent the winter working on your flexibility, increasing your golf knowledge through books, Golf Channel, etc. Maybe you headed to the occasional hitting net or simulator to keep some tempo and rhythm to your swing. Maybe you even worked on some swing improvements while the snow was flying.

Now it's outdoors time and let's sharpen up your putting on real turf to get the season going.

The most important thing in putting is to hit the ball off the center of the clubface. To practice this, use some powder spray (Gold Bond, for example) either on the ball or the putter face and take a stroke to see where the ball is coming off the putter face. Adjust accordingly, as needed.

A drill to help get better centered hits is to set two tees in the ground, one a quarter inch outside the heel of the putter and another a quarter inch outside the toe of the putter. Then practice putting with the putter head in between these tees. If your putter head is not striking either tee then you're making solid contact off the center of the face.

You can read the correct line of a putt and think you have the correct speed for that putt, but if you don't hit the center of the clubface, odds are good your green reading and speed control will go to waste.

Just like in the full swing, mis-centered hits affect both.