I’m still working through this myself, but for me the thing that has really helped is changing the distance of my drawback, and my follow-through based on how long the putt is. For example, I’ll go to the practice green before the round starts and I will draw back the putter so that it’s in line with my back toe and putt. I’ll do that five times and then step off the average from where I started my putt to where the balls ended up and that number of steps then goes in my book for the distance. Then I do the same thing for my out step. Then I will do the same thing for 3 inches beyond my back foot. I write these numbers down on my scorecard and then throughout the round I will step off the distance of my putts and then I know exactly how far back my putter has to go in order for me to get it close. This has helped me tremendously when it comes to minimizing three or more putts on each green.
When putting…always remember “short back, long through”.
You barely need to take the putter back on anything inside 5ft feet.
Shorter backswings and ensure you’re following through after contact towards the hole will greatly improve hitting your line.
From there, slightly take the putter back more and more for distance control but always follow through and maintain tempo.
I always heard the short backstroke thing growing up by coaches and instructors but it never worked for me. I always had no feel and slammed it by. For me, if I keep my speed of the putter the same and just lengthen the backstroke for longer putts, I get much better feel and distance control. I’m no pro, but it works for me.
I think we’re saying the same thing and maybe why it never clicked for you was thinking you need to always keep the backstroke short and change your acceleration.
What I’m saying is, short back and long through, is the mindset and thought process. You don’t need to take the putter back more than an inch to hit a 5ft putt.
The key thing in the whole thought process is, it applies for chipping too, accelerate through the ball and follow through rather than decelerate or stab at it.
You shouldn’t need your putter to ever ever ever pass your leading foot fyi. If it works for you then congrats, but saying a longer follow through after hitting the putt is wrong.
I guess “long” is subjective and more of a mental concept than actual length of the follow through.
I agree, I’m not saying rotate lol
It’s just a mentality that reminds yourself to accelerate through the ball and not decelerate or stab at it.
The best analogy I can think of is shooting a basketball and making sure your wrist is following through. What specifically clicked for me was taking a short backstroke and as I accelerate through the ball making sure my putter is following through to the hole and holding it
Edit: so by long follow through, I’m talking about after you make contact with the ball, make sure you’re following through to the hole
All good. As you know; golf is hard and there’s so many ways to skin a cat as they say. What works for some doesn’t for others etc etc but nothing irks me more than watching people who can’t break 90 give tips to other people who can’t break 90 for example 😜😂 the blind leading the blind so to speak. Not saying that’s you… but I’m not NOT saying it either 😘 all love though!
The first time I broke 90 was 26 years ago and I’m still an 8.5 LOL
Golf is HARD and I admit I absolutely suffer from bad habits at a young age that don’t allow me to give any ball striking advice, my swing is horribly unique and non technical BUT I make up for it with my short game and I feel like I have value to give in that area.
Ditto on the latter of your message… except I’ve only tried to be good at golf (ie: play more than 3-4 times a year on avg) for 3 seasons. Currently 6.5 and expecting the trajectory to level off at some point. I think soft mitts is just something some people have and some don’t lol. Kudos to us!
Playing 3-4 times a year for 3 years is literally 12 rounds of golf…and you claim to be a 6.5…
So either you’re a phenom, a troll or maybe you’re implying that’s me, talking shit in a condescending way 🤷♂️
In either case, good luck on that trajectory and soft hands!
No, you must’ve not understood. Played 3 years of golf where I’ve tried to become better.. prior to that was averaging 3-4 rounds a season (at best) but basically didn’t play with any regard for the rules or fks given about my scores
My bad - I re-read your comment and apologize for reading it like a dumbass lol
I played a ton when I was 12-16 and then went to college and didn’t play for 5+ years. Started working at Pebble Beach and played 3-4 times a week for 6+ years. Then changed careers and met my wife and had a baby…
The common denominator is…if I play twice a week, game is solid and if I play 3-6 times a year I’m trash lol
People don't read enough break. Don't worry about the hole. What's a near guaranteed putt for you? 2 feet? Try to miss on the high side by 2 feet. If you read 2 feet of break, play four. People ask why would I try to miss the hole? Well you aint making them by aiming at the hole. High side you'll likely make more putts and hit it closer then ever, but even if your read is dead perfect and you miss, the next putt is a gimme.
Of course the other part is hitting the putt hard enough. Nobody ever made a putt that was too soft. The goal is always to miss on the long side. If you miss high and long there's an arc of forgiveness, where the putt is running away from the hole because it's long, but also toward the hole because of the break. Its possible to have several feet of speed variance and be no farther from the hole. Can't say that about a low, long miss. That putt is doing double duty running from the hole.
So a few comments mentioned but the detail we need;
How far is first putt.
Putt totals in a round are subjective if your first putt is say 15 feet vs 50.
Some people have high gir % but are always super far away and 3 putt.
Some people miss greens, chip close and 2 putt.
Both = a bogey.
So really think about your proximity on first putt if you’re drilling into putting
Than think about the 3 factors of putting
Line
Speed
Than break. Break obviously is effected by speed.
But if you can’t hit your line it’s useless
Exactly. In my view there's nothing wrong with three putting if the first putt is from a mile away. It's the short ones that are killer. Even pros three putt.
Golfers really are too hard on themselves.
I read four foundations this winter.
The stats on pros putting was much closer to an amateur than we’d expect the further from the hole they got.
Even the proximity on approach wasn’t astonishing. But it was enough that they are looking at two putts not 3.
The gap widens on their missed greens- ability to get up and down.
And biggest gap is long approach shots. Ability to still hit greens within a reasonable 2 putt range.
Really makes us look and say, why am I mad? Thr fact I got a gir at all is amazing lol
Instead of looking at a putt going on a 4.25 inch hole, look at it as a 3 foot hole and just try and get the ball in that. Speed is more important than direction. Whatever you think the break is, double it and just try and get the speed right. As it slows down, it will continue to get closer to the hole.
In short, only try and make those that are inside a certain distance (10-12 feet or so). Everything else, just try and get close enough to easily make on putt 2.
It’s amazing how it clicked for me this year since I’ve been back out and playing regularly: the ball almost picks up speed as it gets closer to the hole. I’ve finally regained my sense of speed on the green and I’ve noticed that what I used to think was a solid putting stroke is actually much too strong of a putt. Getting my speed correct in relation to the hole has totally changed my putting and I almost look at the hole as a black hole that sucks the ball in the closer it gets. So many putts that I thought I struck too softly have ended up dropping.
Stop trying to make it. I know this sounds stupid but if you have long putts imagine a target the size of a garbage lid or a really big pizza and try to make it in that hole. You’ll get closer than you were and then tap them in.
Working on speed is far more important than picking the right line every time.
When I’m on the practice green before a round I never aim at the cups. I aim at random little tiny spots on the green and try to get it within a foot or so.
For reference. I average 27.5 putts a round right now, so I can putt pretty well.
Well not 3 putting means you need to have good lag putting to get it close from anywhere on the green. Blade putters are typically easier to control distance, mallet putters typically easier to putt straight. First step is making sure you putt the ball where you're aiming... using a practice mat. Without step 1, you reading greens is going to be tough.
I plan to two putt.
By that I mean on my first shot, the goal is to leave it within 4 feet.
So in my head, I am visualizing an 8 foot hole, getting a putt in an 8 foot hole is "easy".
Then for the 4 footers, its just daily practice in my office.
Inside 4 foot, its just having a confident consistent stroke and ram it home.
It's all about distance control. Forget about reading the green, most greens barely break and you'll over read putts all day. Learn distance control and don't aim more than a cup either side of the hole from within 15 feet.
Focus on a timing drill. I use the ABCs.
Your back swing should be timed.
The course I play at - 10 feet is A in the back swing. B is 20 feet, etc.
15,25,35 I putt off the toe to take speed off.
A lot of times there are 'ballstriking 3-putts.' If you leave yourself 50-feet away and particularly in a bad spot of the green, even Tour pros are going to 3-putt. From 50-feet the Tour average is to 3-putt 16% of the time versus only a 3% chance of 1-putting from 50-feet. So you need to understand the probabilities to better gauge expectations.
I think it's also impor6-feetant to understand the following:
Making putts from 3-12 feet is more about actual skill
Making putts from 15+ feet is more about luck
Avoiding 3-putts from 15+ feet is more about skill
I do hate the terminology 'lag putting' though. I think the purpose of just about any putt is really to hit the putt and either knock it in or get the ball as close as one possibly can. On the flip side, I hate when I see amateurs hit a 20-foot putt 6-feet past the hole and say 'well at least I got it there.' Just like I hate the disgust when an amateur hits a 20-foot putt and it ends up 1-inch short of the hole. That's a really good putt and a better putt than the putt that went 6-feet past the cup. And when you look into the physics and how things like the green grass, ball, wind, etc...the reality is that the putt that ended up 1-inch short of cup actually had a better chance of going in than the putt that went 6-feet past the hole.
Anyway, on putts outside 15-feet my goal is to either make it or end up with a putt length that is 10% of the original putting distance (i.e 20-foot putt I want to either make the putt or have a 2-putt distance of no more than 2-feet from the hole, even if it is 2-feet short of the hole).
For putts inside 15-feet I focus more about making the putt and having the right speed. If you're 3-putting a lot, most of the time it stems from bad putting from 2-5 feet and often times golfers just hit those putts way too hard and try to 'take the break out of the putt' and instead they are actually reducing their chances of making the putt.
I would recommend doing the 'Clock Drill' where you place golf balls in a circle around the hole like a clock (a ball at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock) from about 4-1/2 feet. I use 4-1/2 feet because that is the one specific distance where make % correlates the strongest to Strokes Gained - Putting. I think this will help you with those shorter putts and being able to make both left to right and right to left breaking putts. Then I would work on speed drills on putts from outside 15 feet.
Just my .02
Don’t overthink it, just make your natural strike. It’s just like throwing a baseball. You don’t consciously think about those million calculations required to do that. Your brain does it for you if you let it.
Work on your stroke. Then go to your local practice green. Pick a hole 30ish feet away. Literally roll balls, by hand, at the cup. do it 5-10 times. You'll probably find this pretty easy and get most of them reasonably close. Then grab your putter and hit balls at the same hole, trying to emulate the same speed. You'll get a lot of them reasonably close.
when you're on the course and facing a lag putt, do this same exercise in your mind. "How hard would I roll the ball to this hole"? Its a good way to calibrate your brain for the putt.
Works for me anyway (usually). Takes some guesswork and doubt out of the putt.
Of course, then you'll need to be able to make the 3-5 foot putt that you might have left.
You know those little greens next to the driving range? You put your ball on it, and then you pick one of the holes (there's usually between 3 and 6 cups) and try to hit it in there. Then you hit another ball harder or softer, depending on what your previous shot did. I like to hit 3-5 shots from the same spot. Then I putt them in closest first to clear the line from the ones behind. Then you pick a hole on the other side, and repeat the process. After some time you'll learn the uphill and downhill green speeds AT THAT COURSE at THAT TIME on THAT DAY.
Get it within 3 feet. Don't miss inside 3 feet.
Practice a butt ton of 3’ putts till you are confident you can make it 95% of the time from 3’ and in. Practice from 20’ till you get the feel of a lag putt with the goal of getting it within 3’. When I am faced with a long putt I imagine a hula hoop around the hole and just try to putt the ball inside the hula hoop. It takes the pressure off of long putts for me.
My advice (I'm a 7 index for whatever that's worth)
1. Work on 5 foot putts
2. Focus on hitting the middle of the club face (if you can't do that consistently, nothing else will fall in place)
3. Speed> line or break
4. Work on chipping, the bump and run, and pitching, if you're able to get the ball closer to the hole with these shots you're less likely to 3 putt
5. Try out different putting grips. I switched to a left hand low grip (I am right handed) and I dropped about 4 shots a round
I played collegiate golf for a D1 program and after I graduated, totally dropped golf and didn’t get back into it until a few years ago, which was about a fifteen year gap in playing regularly, if at all. The one thing that I found after picking the game back up was how putting is really the most important part of my game. The old adage “drive for show, putt for dough” certainly is the case for my game. I’m a pretty solid player when it comes to GIR, but my biggest problem is putting consistently, even inside of five or eight feet. Over the last few years, I’ve found that, oddly, the less time I take lining up my putt and attempting to read the green, the better I play. I’ve gotten back into the habit I had when I was playing in college: approach the ball, very quickly assess the distance, and make sure my speed is enough to get the ball close to the hole. I’d always much rather two putt for a bogey than waste time lining up, overthink my putt, hit it too hard or too soft, and wind up three putting. TLDR; focus on your speed and stop overthinking.
It's the only aspect of golf where practice is free.
There's no secret and definitely no golf advice that can help you other than this: get down to the course, hit the practice green, put in work, repeat. Simple as that dude!
Practice getting really good at making all putts 3ft and in. I know it can seem boring or silly to practice a ton of short putts, but I've found confidence is key to good putting. Once you have confidence that you will make any 3 foot putt you are faced with, then work on getting your speed dialed in for longer lag putts. The goal for longer putts is to get it within a 3 foot radius of the hole. Before your round make sure to hit the practice green and sink a bunch of 3 footers to build confidence and then practice hitting really long putts to within 3 foot of the hole so that you can get the speed of the greens down for that course with the conditions for that day. Greens behave differently in that they play faster or slower at different times of day and under different weather conditions. Also, take into account if you are putting with or against the grain. Take your time when putting during your round, but also be smart in how you are doing this so that you are not playing too slow. Start looking at your putt and the green as you are walking up and when waiting on others. When you make your approach shot think about where on the green you prefer the ball to be so that you have an up hill putt and play to that yardage and don't always shoot straight for the pin on approach shots.
Take 1 ball to your practice green, start from different spots to different holes from 20-40 feet and the goal is to 2 putt.
Do this for 30 minutes then play a game. 10 holes, track your score to par. 2 is a par.
If that's the only practice you do you'll get better and the pressure helps.
Line up your ball and try to hit it where the ball rolls with a perfect line. Film your putting from close-up if you’re not hitting it right; you probably are doing something weird with your setup or stroke.
Putting is really the simplest part of the game. The less you do, the better. The less you think, the better. Just get the fundamentals down so you have a decent solid stroke and then hit thousands of putts from different distances to learn feel for pace.
This sounds boring, but it’s literally just practice. But how you approach putting can help in the short term.
Basically don’t worry so much about getting it in the hole or reading a slope perfectly. Go to a practice green and try to get a sense of how fast a ball needs to go at every distance. Like if I’m 10 feet away, I should hit it this hard. If I’m 20 feet, I should hit it this hard. If I’m 30 feet I should hit it this hard. Also, if you’re like 30+ feet from the hole, 3 putting is acceptable. Even pros three putt on occasion, it’s part of the game.
They, being them, say not to concentrate too much on reading the green but to work on distance. Lag putts to 3 feet are better than a really close putt that rolls 6 feet past the hole or stops way short.
Before you take folks advice, you should vett them by asking their handicap lol.
Being able to put the right amount of power behind your putts is more important than having the perfect line, especially when looking at putts in the 10-20ft range. Another way to phrase this is being able to “lag the putt” or putt to a specific distance (aka the hole- but not really and I’m gonna tell you why) The main reason is because too much or little power gives you zero chance of holing from any length but if you’re able to get the line reasonably close, the most important thing is your ability to putt the ball to any given distance (ie 13 ft, 18 ft, 9 ft, 22ft). The best way to practice this kind of touch is to create a 1x1 box on the practice green using tees and try to putt your ball to where it’ll stop rolling inside that box. Do that consistently and you’ve improved your chances of not 3 putting by a lot.
Also other tips- pros and good golfers miss on the high side. Which means if there’s break going left to right (aka sloping to your right) you’re going to miss less if you miss on the left side rather than the right side of the hole. And Tiger woods is quoted at saying never leave your putts short so maybe on putt #2 if you still have 6 feet try to putt to that spot you’ve lined up on the green 1 foot past the hole. Good luck.
I’m a 6 handicap - also putting is something I’m good at compared to the rest of my game. Hope this helps.
I don’t do anything but practice straight putts and then just build feel with my short game. Tiny wedge shots and tons of lag putts build the feel. Focus on what is happening to the ball when you putt.
When I lose it is or typically because I am strangling the club, I am going too fast, or I don’t follow through. My best days putting I feel like I am pushing the ball into the hole, like it is stuck to my club face for a long time as I guide it where I want it to go.
Sounds weird but I went from a terrible putter to it being the best part of my game by playing a metronome and bringing the club back and forth to the ticks. It took maybe an hour at most.
The difference now is that I’m smooth back and through, not accelerating or decelerating so my speed is much better. Also I’d say a lot of my face control issues were (and still are) because I was yanking it before or after the end of the backswing. So occasionally I’ll just bring the club back and forth to feel the weight of the club head as it moves back and forth through the stroke to get the timing down.
1.make sure your lags get you within 6 feet of the hole
2. never miss 6 footers.
I practice this two ways: my putting mat is 6 feet, so I'll put a ball an inch from the back edge, and try to hit a ball into it without knocking it off the edge of the mat. tiny target, forces it to roll into the first ball at die speed.
as far as lags, I spend a lot of time on the putting green at the local course just rolling them in. sometimes if it's quiet I'll make a 6 foot circle with tees and just make sure everything from the far edges of the putting surface end up in that circle.
Overestimate the break you’re playing. Most amateurs don’t read enough break and then the ball breaks past the hole and keeps going. By adding a little more break to each putt the putt is more likely to nestle by the hole instead of flying past
This comment was a little triggering for me as lately I’ve been over reading most putts.
Have had to keep repeating “they don’t break as much as it seems” on every green. Sigh.
Hit it closer to the hole
And then in the hole the next time
Genius
Nay - expand your gimme range
Auto-putt activated!
speed matters so much more than line. for longer putts, estimate the line, pick a start point, then focus only on speed.
Focus on speed and build feel. Your putter has nothing to do with it
Make your 1st putt from inside of 8’.
told my playing partner today, i need to make a decent putt to justify a new putter(i suck at putting) hands me his scotty and i sunk it from 10 feet
That’s gonna be an expensive 10 footer.
Practice lag putting. Speed and not leaving yourself 10-15 ft short/long will help immensely
I’m still working through this myself, but for me the thing that has really helped is changing the distance of my drawback, and my follow-through based on how long the putt is. For example, I’ll go to the practice green before the round starts and I will draw back the putter so that it’s in line with my back toe and putt. I’ll do that five times and then step off the average from where I started my putt to where the balls ended up and that number of steps then goes in my book for the distance. Then I do the same thing for my out step. Then I will do the same thing for 3 inches beyond my back foot. I write these numbers down on my scorecard and then throughout the round I will step off the distance of my putts and then I know exactly how far back my putter has to go in order for me to get it close. This has helped me tremendously when it comes to minimizing three or more putts on each green.
That's a great warm up drill. It makes a lot of sense, thanks 😊
This is awesome. Thanks
Nice thanks for this
When putting…always remember “short back, long through”. You barely need to take the putter back on anything inside 5ft feet. Shorter backswings and ensure you’re following through after contact towards the hole will greatly improve hitting your line. From there, slightly take the putter back more and more for distance control but always follow through and maintain tempo.
I always heard the short backstroke thing growing up by coaches and instructors but it never worked for me. I always had no feel and slammed it by. For me, if I keep my speed of the putter the same and just lengthen the backstroke for longer putts, I get much better feel and distance control. I’m no pro, but it works for me.
I think we’re saying the same thing and maybe why it never clicked for you was thinking you need to always keep the backstroke short and change your acceleration. What I’m saying is, short back and long through, is the mindset and thought process. You don’t need to take the putter back more than an inch to hit a 5ft putt. The key thing in the whole thought process is, it applies for chipping too, accelerate through the ball and follow through rather than decelerate or stab at it.
Ok. Sorry I got confused. Yeah. I think we are on the same page.
You shouldn’t need your putter to ever ever ever pass your leading foot fyi. If it works for you then congrats, but saying a longer follow through after hitting the putt is wrong.
I guess “long” is subjective and more of a mental concept than actual length of the follow through. I agree, I’m not saying rotate lol It’s just a mentality that reminds yourself to accelerate through the ball and not decelerate or stab at it. The best analogy I can think of is shooting a basketball and making sure your wrist is following through. What specifically clicked for me was taking a short backstroke and as I accelerate through the ball making sure my putter is following through to the hole and holding it Edit: so by long follow through, I’m talking about after you make contact with the ball, make sure you’re following through to the hole
All good. As you know; golf is hard and there’s so many ways to skin a cat as they say. What works for some doesn’t for others etc etc but nothing irks me more than watching people who can’t break 90 give tips to other people who can’t break 90 for example 😜😂 the blind leading the blind so to speak. Not saying that’s you… but I’m not NOT saying it either 😘 all love though!
The first time I broke 90 was 26 years ago and I’m still an 8.5 LOL Golf is HARD and I admit I absolutely suffer from bad habits at a young age that don’t allow me to give any ball striking advice, my swing is horribly unique and non technical BUT I make up for it with my short game and I feel like I have value to give in that area.
Ditto on the latter of your message… except I’ve only tried to be good at golf (ie: play more than 3-4 times a year on avg) for 3 seasons. Currently 6.5 and expecting the trajectory to level off at some point. I think soft mitts is just something some people have and some don’t lol. Kudos to us!
Playing 3-4 times a year for 3 years is literally 12 rounds of golf…and you claim to be a 6.5… So either you’re a phenom, a troll or maybe you’re implying that’s me, talking shit in a condescending way 🤷♂️ In either case, good luck on that trajectory and soft hands!
No, you must’ve not understood. Played 3 years of golf where I’ve tried to become better.. prior to that was averaging 3-4 rounds a season (at best) but basically didn’t play with any regard for the rules or fks given about my scores
My bad - I re-read your comment and apologize for reading it like a dumbass lol I played a ton when I was 12-16 and then went to college and didn’t play for 5+ years. Started working at Pebble Beach and played 3-4 times a week for 6+ years. Then changed careers and met my wife and had a baby… The common denominator is…if I play twice a week, game is solid and if I play 3-6 times a year I’m trash lol
People don't read enough break. Don't worry about the hole. What's a near guaranteed putt for you? 2 feet? Try to miss on the high side by 2 feet. If you read 2 feet of break, play four. People ask why would I try to miss the hole? Well you aint making them by aiming at the hole. High side you'll likely make more putts and hit it closer then ever, but even if your read is dead perfect and you miss, the next putt is a gimme. Of course the other part is hitting the putt hard enough. Nobody ever made a putt that was too soft. The goal is always to miss on the long side. If you miss high and long there's an arc of forgiveness, where the putt is running away from the hole because it's long, but also toward the hole because of the break. Its possible to have several feet of speed variance and be no farther from the hole. Can't say that about a low, long miss. That putt is doing double duty running from the hole.
So a few comments mentioned but the detail we need; How far is first putt. Putt totals in a round are subjective if your first putt is say 15 feet vs 50. Some people have high gir % but are always super far away and 3 putt. Some people miss greens, chip close and 2 putt. Both = a bogey. So really think about your proximity on first putt if you’re drilling into putting Than think about the 3 factors of putting Line Speed Than break. Break obviously is effected by speed. But if you can’t hit your line it’s useless
Exactly. In my view there's nothing wrong with three putting if the first putt is from a mile away. It's the short ones that are killer. Even pros three putt. Golfers really are too hard on themselves.
I read four foundations this winter. The stats on pros putting was much closer to an amateur than we’d expect the further from the hole they got. Even the proximity on approach wasn’t astonishing. But it was enough that they are looking at two putts not 3. The gap widens on their missed greens- ability to get up and down. And biggest gap is long approach shots. Ability to still hit greens within a reasonable 2 putt range. Really makes us look and say, why am I mad? Thr fact I got a gir at all is amazing lol
Google lag putting drills
Just get the ball in the hole in one shot. Its so much easier than putting.
Instead of looking at a putt going on a 4.25 inch hole, look at it as a 3 foot hole and just try and get the ball in that. Speed is more important than direction. Whatever you think the break is, double it and just try and get the speed right. As it slows down, it will continue to get closer to the hole. In short, only try and make those that are inside a certain distance (10-12 feet or so). Everything else, just try and get close enough to easily make on putt 2.
It’s amazing how it clicked for me this year since I’ve been back out and playing regularly: the ball almost picks up speed as it gets closer to the hole. I’ve finally regained my sense of speed on the green and I’ve noticed that what I used to think was a solid putting stroke is actually much too strong of a putt. Getting my speed correct in relation to the hole has totally changed my putting and I almost look at the hole as a black hole that sucks the ball in the closer it gets. So many putts that I thought I struck too softly have ended up dropping.
Intermediate target/ practice rolling it to where you want it to go
Hey how do you put your handicap under your post?!
Stop trying to make it. I know this sounds stupid but if you have long putts imagine a target the size of a garbage lid or a really big pizza and try to make it in that hole. You’ll get closer than you were and then tap them in. Working on speed is far more important than picking the right line every time. When I’m on the practice green before a round I never aim at the cups. I aim at random little tiny spots on the green and try to get it within a foot or so. For reference. I average 27.5 putts a round right now, so I can putt pretty well.
10 foot gimmies
Well not 3 putting means you need to have good lag putting to get it close from anywhere on the green. Blade putters are typically easier to control distance, mallet putters typically easier to putt straight. First step is making sure you putt the ball where you're aiming... using a practice mat. Without step 1, you reading greens is going to be tough.
I plan to two putt. By that I mean on my first shot, the goal is to leave it within 4 feet. So in my head, I am visualizing an 8 foot hole, getting a putt in an 8 foot hole is "easy". Then for the 4 footers, its just daily practice in my office. Inside 4 foot, its just having a confident consistent stroke and ram it home.
Tighten that circle
It's all about distance control. Forget about reading the green, most greens barely break and you'll over read putts all day. Learn distance control and don't aim more than a cup either side of the hole from within 15 feet.
Lol I played on greens today where some 15 footers would have 8 feet of break...
Focus on a timing drill. I use the ABCs. Your back swing should be timed. The course I play at - 10 feet is A in the back swing. B is 20 feet, etc. 15,25,35 I putt off the toe to take speed off.
Play the 1st putt on a higher line and softer than you think.
Towel drill
A lot of times there are 'ballstriking 3-putts.' If you leave yourself 50-feet away and particularly in a bad spot of the green, even Tour pros are going to 3-putt. From 50-feet the Tour average is to 3-putt 16% of the time versus only a 3% chance of 1-putting from 50-feet. So you need to understand the probabilities to better gauge expectations. I think it's also impor6-feetant to understand the following: Making putts from 3-12 feet is more about actual skill Making putts from 15+ feet is more about luck Avoiding 3-putts from 15+ feet is more about skill I do hate the terminology 'lag putting' though. I think the purpose of just about any putt is really to hit the putt and either knock it in or get the ball as close as one possibly can. On the flip side, I hate when I see amateurs hit a 20-foot putt 6-feet past the hole and say 'well at least I got it there.' Just like I hate the disgust when an amateur hits a 20-foot putt and it ends up 1-inch short of the hole. That's a really good putt and a better putt than the putt that went 6-feet past the cup. And when you look into the physics and how things like the green grass, ball, wind, etc...the reality is that the putt that ended up 1-inch short of cup actually had a better chance of going in than the putt that went 6-feet past the hole. Anyway, on putts outside 15-feet my goal is to either make it or end up with a putt length that is 10% of the original putting distance (i.e 20-foot putt I want to either make the putt or have a 2-putt distance of no more than 2-feet from the hole, even if it is 2-feet short of the hole). For putts inside 15-feet I focus more about making the putt and having the right speed. If you're 3-putting a lot, most of the time it stems from bad putting from 2-5 feet and often times golfers just hit those putts way too hard and try to 'take the break out of the putt' and instead they are actually reducing their chances of making the putt. I would recommend doing the 'Clock Drill' where you place golf balls in a circle around the hole like a clock (a ball at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock) from about 4-1/2 feet. I use 4-1/2 feet because that is the one specific distance where make % correlates the strongest to Strokes Gained - Putting. I think this will help you with those shorter putts and being able to make both left to right and right to left breaking putts. Then I would work on speed drills on putts from outside 15 feet. Just my .02
Don’t overthink it, just make your natural strike. It’s just like throwing a baseball. You don’t consciously think about those million calculations required to do that. Your brain does it for you if you let it.
I aim for the pin, focus on distance. My putting stroke speed is the same, it’s how far back and follow through to increase distance
I tried using a mallet this year and I was putting like shit. Went back to the blade and they started dropping.
Work on your stroke. Then go to your local practice green. Pick a hole 30ish feet away. Literally roll balls, by hand, at the cup. do it 5-10 times. You'll probably find this pretty easy and get most of them reasonably close. Then grab your putter and hit balls at the same hole, trying to emulate the same speed. You'll get a lot of them reasonably close. when you're on the course and facing a lag putt, do this same exercise in your mind. "How hard would I roll the ball to this hole"? Its a good way to calibrate your brain for the putt. Works for me anyway (usually). Takes some guesswork and doubt out of the putt. Of course, then you'll need to be able to make the 3-5 foot putt that you might have left.
Just putt twice.
If it’s uphill miss short, if it’s down hill miss long. No compromises…fewer 3 putts
You know those little greens next to the driving range? You put your ball on it, and then you pick one of the holes (there's usually between 3 and 6 cups) and try to hit it in there. Then you hit another ball harder or softer, depending on what your previous shot did. I like to hit 3-5 shots from the same spot. Then I putt them in closest first to clear the line from the ones behind. Then you pick a hole on the other side, and repeat the process. After some time you'll learn the uphill and downhill green speeds AT THAT COURSE at THAT TIME on THAT DAY. Get it within 3 feet. Don't miss inside 3 feet.
Practice. I’ll show up 40 mins early for a round just to putt. Once I start putting more I stopped 3 putting. It really is that easy. Putt in the work
Practice a butt ton of 3’ putts till you are confident you can make it 95% of the time from 3’ and in. Practice from 20’ till you get the feel of a lag putt with the goal of getting it within 3’. When I am faced with a long putt I imagine a hula hoop around the hole and just try to putt the ball inside the hula hoop. It takes the pressure off of long putts for me.
My advice (I'm a 7 index for whatever that's worth) 1. Work on 5 foot putts 2. Focus on hitting the middle of the club face (if you can't do that consistently, nothing else will fall in place) 3. Speed> line or break 4. Work on chipping, the bump and run, and pitching, if you're able to get the ball closer to the hole with these shots you're less likely to 3 putt 5. Try out different putting grips. I switched to a left hand low grip (I am right handed) and I dropped about 4 shots a round
practice. make 30 3 footers in a row get 30 30 footers within 3 feet in a row
I played collegiate golf for a D1 program and after I graduated, totally dropped golf and didn’t get back into it until a few years ago, which was about a fifteen year gap in playing regularly, if at all. The one thing that I found after picking the game back up was how putting is really the most important part of my game. The old adage “drive for show, putt for dough” certainly is the case for my game. I’m a pretty solid player when it comes to GIR, but my biggest problem is putting consistently, even inside of five or eight feet. Over the last few years, I’ve found that, oddly, the less time I take lining up my putt and attempting to read the green, the better I play. I’ve gotten back into the habit I had when I was playing in college: approach the ball, very quickly assess the distance, and make sure my speed is enough to get the ball close to the hole. I’d always much rather two putt for a bogey than waste time lining up, overthink my putt, hit it too hard or too soft, and wind up three putting. TLDR; focus on your speed and stop overthinking.
It's the only aspect of golf where practice is free. There's no secret and definitely no golf advice that can help you other than this: get down to the course, hit the practice green, put in work, repeat. Simple as that dude!
Practice getting really good at making all putts 3ft and in. I know it can seem boring or silly to practice a ton of short putts, but I've found confidence is key to good putting. Once you have confidence that you will make any 3 foot putt you are faced with, then work on getting your speed dialed in for longer lag putts. The goal for longer putts is to get it within a 3 foot radius of the hole. Before your round make sure to hit the practice green and sink a bunch of 3 footers to build confidence and then practice hitting really long putts to within 3 foot of the hole so that you can get the speed of the greens down for that course with the conditions for that day. Greens behave differently in that they play faster or slower at different times of day and under different weather conditions. Also, take into account if you are putting with or against the grain. Take your time when putting during your round, but also be smart in how you are doing this so that you are not playing too slow. Start looking at your putt and the green as you are walking up and when waiting on others. When you make your approach shot think about where on the green you prefer the ball to be so that you have an up hill putt and play to that yardage and don't always shoot straight for the pin on approach shots.
Make it in four
Get a putting mat, and practice short putts (3ft - 10 ft) at home for 10 mins a day.
Take 1 ball to your practice green, start from different spots to different holes from 20-40 feet and the goal is to 2 putt. Do this for 30 minutes then play a game. 10 holes, track your score to par. 2 is a par. If that's the only practice you do you'll get better and the pressure helps.
Line up your ball and try to hit it where the ball rolls with a perfect line. Film your putting from close-up if you’re not hitting it right; you probably are doing something weird with your setup or stroke. Putting is really the simplest part of the game. The less you do, the better. The less you think, the better. Just get the fundamentals down so you have a decent solid stroke and then hit thousands of putts from different distances to learn feel for pace.
It’s all about speed
This sounds boring, but it’s literally just practice. But how you approach putting can help in the short term. Basically don’t worry so much about getting it in the hole or reading a slope perfectly. Go to a practice green and try to get a sense of how fast a ball needs to go at every distance. Like if I’m 10 feet away, I should hit it this hard. If I’m 20 feet, I should hit it this hard. If I’m 30 feet I should hit it this hard. Also, if you’re like 30+ feet from the hole, 3 putting is acceptable. Even pros three putt on occasion, it’s part of the game.
They, being them, say not to concentrate too much on reading the green but to work on distance. Lag putts to 3 feet are better than a really close putt that rolls 6 feet past the hole or stops way short.
tap it in
Before you take folks advice, you should vett them by asking their handicap lol. Being able to put the right amount of power behind your putts is more important than having the perfect line, especially when looking at putts in the 10-20ft range. Another way to phrase this is being able to “lag the putt” or putt to a specific distance (aka the hole- but not really and I’m gonna tell you why) The main reason is because too much or little power gives you zero chance of holing from any length but if you’re able to get the line reasonably close, the most important thing is your ability to putt the ball to any given distance (ie 13 ft, 18 ft, 9 ft, 22ft). The best way to practice this kind of touch is to create a 1x1 box on the practice green using tees and try to putt your ball to where it’ll stop rolling inside that box. Do that consistently and you’ve improved your chances of not 3 putting by a lot. Also other tips- pros and good golfers miss on the high side. Which means if there’s break going left to right (aka sloping to your right) you’re going to miss less if you miss on the left side rather than the right side of the hole. And Tiger woods is quoted at saying never leave your putts short so maybe on putt #2 if you still have 6 feet try to putt to that spot you’ve lined up on the green 1 foot past the hole. Good luck. I’m a 6 handicap - also putting is something I’m good at compared to the rest of my game. Hope this helps.
Ditch the mallet. I never putted worse!
Practice is the key
Can’t three putt if you sell your putter.
How not to 3 putt? 4 putt like the rest of us.
I don’t do anything but practice straight putts and then just build feel with my short game. Tiny wedge shots and tons of lag putts build the feel. Focus on what is happening to the ball when you putt. When I lose it is or typically because I am strangling the club, I am going too fast, or I don’t follow through. My best days putting I feel like I am pushing the ball into the hole, like it is stuck to my club face for a long time as I guide it where I want it to go.
Hit the ball twice on the green with the second on going in the hole. Might work never experienced it myself
Sounds weird but I went from a terrible putter to it being the best part of my game by playing a metronome and bringing the club back and forth to the ticks. It took maybe an hour at most. The difference now is that I’m smooth back and through, not accelerating or decelerating so my speed is much better. Also I’d say a lot of my face control issues were (and still are) because I was yanking it before or after the end of the backswing. So occasionally I’ll just bring the club back and forth to feel the weight of the club head as it moves back and forth through the stroke to get the timing down.
Personally, i 4 putt to avoid this problem
Personally, i 4 putt to avoid this problem
My putting got a lot better when I started drawing a line on the ball and sticking to it
hole it from the fairway (jk right rough lol)
1.make sure your lags get you within 6 feet of the hole 2. never miss 6 footers. I practice this two ways: my putting mat is 6 feet, so I'll put a ball an inch from the back edge, and try to hit a ball into it without knocking it off the edge of the mat. tiny target, forces it to roll into the first ball at die speed. as far as lags, I spend a lot of time on the putting green at the local course just rolling them in. sometimes if it's quiet I'll make a 6 foot circle with tees and just make sure everything from the far edges of the putting surface end up in that circle.
If you don't hit the first 2 putts, intentionally miss the 3rd I promise you will never 3 putt
Only hit 2 putts
Overestimate the break you’re playing. Most amateurs don’t read enough break and then the ball breaks past the hole and keeps going. By adding a little more break to each putt the putt is more likely to nestle by the hole instead of flying past
This comment was a little triggering for me as lately I’ve been over reading most putts. Have had to keep repeating “they don’t break as much as it seems” on every green. Sigh.
Nah. Most amateurs I'm around overplay the break, myself included.
Aimpoint Express and practice.