Almost everyone can hit a putt, but very few people putt as well as they would like. There are multiple factors from setup to mechanics to feel that are extremely important when learning to putt your best.

Another dynamic of putting, which nearly every golfer will attest to its importance, is the mental factor. You need a consistent putting stroke and solid distance control, but you also need belief in yourself and your putting ability. While this can be challenging, there are 5 steps you can build into your practice that will help you gain and preserve confidence.

Take an honest look at your putting

In putting, positive change starts with taking a realistic appraisal of your game. Understand your strengths and areas for improvement. This can include using statistics and seeking assistance from putting experts, club fitters, eye doctors, and other professionals. In this day and age, there is a lot of great information about how you should properly setup, what your mechanics should look like, what types of putters compliment your style, as well as technologies that monitor your tendencies like Sam PuttLab.

The trick is using this information to maximize your potential by taking an honest look at your putting, creating a consistent plan you believe in, honing your skills, and then making your approach simple and natural again. I do not suggest becoming a golfer that is constantly searching; that is a great way to ruin your putting. Find the information you need from professionals, and then trust and execute your plan.

The next four steps provide some ways to use your plan to improve, as well as how to take it to the course with confidence.

Practice your putting strengths and areas for improvement equally

I typically encourage my clients to embrace their strengths more than the areas that are lacking. For instance, if their strength is driving accuracy I encourage them to play their game and not get into long-drive contests with fellow playing partners. This is slightly different when it comes working on your putting and practicing. You need to work on your strengths to preserve and create confidence, but you also need to develop the parts of your putting that can cause fear or frustration. If distance control is your strength, I encourage you to practice this half the time so you feel confident in your ability. But I also want you to practice the areas that needs improvement, such as short putts, the other half of the time.

Always end your practice session on a positive note

If you want to build confidence, you need to finish every practice session on the putting green on a positive note. You want your last experience on the putting green to be something positive that you can take with you. Think about it; this is your last mental imprint until you visit the putting green again. If you finish on a positive note, it’s much more likely that you will think about how the day was a success and how you’re improving. I’ve worked with golfers who struggle to do this; they consistently find a way turn a positive putting session into a negative experience. They continue working on their stroke until they leave confused and frustrated. If this isn’t a recipe for disaster, I’m not sure what is.

If you want to adhere to suggestions Nos. 1 and 2 in a simple way, I recommend sandwiching your area for improvement during practice. Let the first 25 percent of your practice be your strengths, the middle 50 percent be what you’re working on to improve your putting, and the last 25 percent be another strength.

“Isn’t that being disingenuous, purposely finishing with your strength?”

No, it’s not! It’s being smart and setting yourself up for success. You’re still practicing the areas you wish to improve, but you’re doing it in an intelligent way that builds confidence.

Recognize your successes

It’s not enough to finish on a high note. It’s also important to make a conscious effort to reaffirm what you did well. I suggest every client I work with take a minute or two following every practice session to make a deliberate effort to focus on what they did well. This could be as simple as stating it out loud, calling your coach and leaving a message about what you found positive, or journaling it. The most beneficial of these I have found is to write it out in a journal. This way you not only have a simple ritual that you can follow at the end of every practice, but it’s also recorded for future reference whenever you want to go back and read it. Additionally, there is scientific evidence that suggests the practice of writing strengthens associations and neurological connections in your brain. In essence, every time you write out your successes, you’re creating pathways to confidence in your mind.

Develop and practice your pre-putting routine

The pre-shot routine is one of the most important mental skills you can develop in golf and putting. It not only helps you transfer and preserve your skills from the putting green to the course; it also helps you better manage stress and pressure. While this article isn’t dedicated to pre-shot routines, I have written in-depth in a previous article about routines and encourage you to check it out for suggestions, “Adding P.E.P. to your mental game.”

The first step to almost every successful pre-putt routine is that you make a decisive decision about starting line and speed prior to rehearsing and stepping up to the ball. This will help alleviate hesitation and second-guessing when standing up over a putt. The second step is to find a consistent set of actions that will give you confidence during your routine. Finally, you should go through your routine on the putting green during practice to ingrain it and add in pressure situations to mirror the pressure you feel during competitive golf.

While this may be just the start and other mental training techniques — practices such as self-talk and imagery can continue to help you build confidence on the putting green — I believe that if you start with these 5 steps you’ll be well on your way to believing more in your putting.