Missing long putts can kill your chances of breaking 80. You can recover from a bad drive or a bad approach shot. But you can’t recover from a bad putt. Leaving a long putt too short or drilling it past the hole also eats at your confidence, which can cause you to miss easy putts. Running through our five-point checklist the next time you have a long putt helps you stop three-putting on these shots.
1. Take a good look
2. Visualize the line
3. Grip the putter lightly
4. Use the same pace
5. Go blank before putting
Every green has its danger points—slopes, drainage lines, swales, etc. So take a good look at your putt. Note the green’s slope and grain. Also note imperfections like ball marks and old holes as well as the ground near the hole where golfers step to remove their balls.
You can’t touch your putting line. That’s a two-stroke penalty or loss of hole in match play.
But you can visualize the line. Use the clues from the previous checklist to determine the line. If you can’t see it, step off and review the putt again.
Many golfers grip the club tighter when under pressure. Instead, hold the club just tight enough so you don’t lose it. A light grip improves feel and lets you release the clubhead on longer putts
Can’t decide how hard to hit long putts? Take another approach. Hit every putt with the same pace. For longer putts make a longer stroke but keep the pace the same. Using a consistent pace helps you control distance and build feel.
Thinking about your mechanics when putting can hurt you. Instead, go blank just before putting. If you can’t seem to go blank, say the number 1 to yourself as you take the club back and the number 2 as you come forward. Counting helps create a consistent pace to your putts.
Don’t let long putts hang you up. Run through our five-point checklist before putting and you’ll stop three-putting for good. Every green has its danger points—slopes, drainage lines, swales, etc. So take a good look at your putt. Note the green’s slope and grain. Also note imperfections like ball marks and old holes as well as the ground near the hole where golfers step to remove their balls.
You can’t touch your putting line. That’s a two-stroke penalty or loss of hole in match play. But you can visualize the line. Use the clues from the previous checklist to determine the line. If you can’t see it, step off and review the putt again.
Many golfers grip the club tighter when under pressure. Instead, hold the club just tight enough so you don’t lose it. A light grip improves feel and lets you release the clubhead on longer putts.
Can’t decide how hard to hit long putts? Take another approach. Hit every putt with the same pace. For longer putts make a longer stroke but keep the pace the same. Using a consistent pace helps you control distance and build feel.
Thinking about your mechanics when putting can hurt you. Instead, go blank just before putting. If you can’t seem to go blank, say the number 1 to yourself as you take the club back and the number 2 as you come forward. Counting helps create a consistent pace to your putts.
Don’t let long putts hang you up. Run through our five-point checklist before putting and you’ll stop three-putting for good.