Considering energy transfer initially, when putts are hit off centre from the putter face, the golf ball will not be struck as far as it is when hit from the sweet spot. Therefore, this makes distance control of your putts very difficult if you are varying where on the face you make contact with the ball. Off centre struck putts will always fall short of the target. If you are looking to become more consistent with your distance control, then striking from the sweet spot will produce a more constant result and make it much easier for you to control the length of your putts, especially those from a distance.

Considering accuracy now with your putting, if you strike the golf ball from the centre of the club face, or the sweet spot, the ball will travel forward off the face at its straightest and if the face is aiming down the target line, the ball will travel directly along the target line and the ball will roll head over heel around its horizontal axis. However, if you strike your putts from off centre towards the toe, that it the far end of the putter head from where you are standing, then as the ball connects with the toe, the heel of the putter face will rotate and twist.

This happens because of the impact with the golf ball. The end of the putter head that impacts with the ball slows down due to the collision between the putter head and the stationary golf ball. The other end of the putter head continues to travel at the same speed and is not slowed down as it is not colliding with anything and as a result of this, the putter head twists to the right of the target, or opens.

The opposite is true if the ball is struck from off centre towards the heel and this time the putter head will twist to the left of the target and close. As this happens the ball now rolls along the putter face and then travels forward. This is known as gear effect and it imparts tilted axis spin on the golf ball. As a result of this the golf ball does not roll head over heel, but rather off its horizontal axis and the ball will not hold the target line, making it extremely difficult to achieve accuracy with your putts.

To improve where you make contact with the golf ball from the putter face, work on the following drill. Place the putter head next to the golf ball and set up as though you are going to play the putt. Take a tee peg and place it into the green by the toe and then place another one by the heel, so that the putter head is directly between the two tee pegs. If you are practicing this inside on the carpet, simply turn the tee pegs upside down. Practice hitting putts without hitting either tee peg and this will ensure that you return the putter head back to the ball centred, as if you do not, you will hit one of the tee pegs.

This drill will ensure you strike your putts much more from the centre of the putter face and as a result you will become much more accurate, improve your distance control and take fewer shots on the green, lowering your golf score.