Putting is a game onto itself. Let’s try to make it simple and less nerve-wracking. I am not a fan of overly technical questions like, “am I straight back and straight through? or do I swing on an arc? or what grip should I use? or how much loft should my putter face have?” etc. For most players and especially amateurs, all of that causes confusion and tension. A confused mind and tense hands and arms is a sure recipe for missed putts! If you’re at the level where you average 30 putts per round, improving those technical areas might help you drop that to 29 or 28. Everyone, raise your hand if you currently average 30 putts per round or better. I didn’t think so.
So, what should you do? I will say one thing about your putting stance; you must be in balance. Luckily, we are all blessed (with a few exceptions) with an amazingly accurate balance detecting feature—our toes. Please stand straight up. Notice your weight distributed evenly from the balls or your feet to your heels. Call that balanced. Now lean forward just slightly. Feel your toes press into the floor? It doesn’t take much of a lean for your toes to engage. If you lean back from the balanced position, your toes lift. Whatever your stance looks like or how far you stand from the ball, make sure your toes are not digging in or lifting. Stay balanced.
Next, concentrate on distance, not the line. I cannot emphasize this enough. Most amateurs and even some pros spend far too much time agonizing over how much the putt will break and far too little on the speed required. The amount a putt curves depends on the slope of the green and the ball’s velocity. All putts are straight if you hit them hard enough! Of course, most putts hit that way won’t go in the hole, but they will be straight. Think about your current putting skill level. How many times do you miss a ten-foot putt two or three feet offline? I seriously doubt that often happens, if at all. Now, how often you leave a ten-foot putt two or three feet short, two or three (or more) feet long? I bet that is a frequent occurrence. Strive to putt with speed such that if the ball does not go in, it will finish 18 inches beyond the hole. Trying to use a dead weight speed to end precisely at the cup will almost always result in the putt coming up short. Too much speed has two adverse effects. The most obvious is that your next putt is going to be longer than the desired 18 inches. The second problem is that the faster the ball is rolling, the smaller the hole’s practical size. The ball’s equator must get below the rim of the cup to fall in. The more speed the ball has as it approaches the cup, the more it must be dead on line. Any variation to the left or right and the ball won’t have time to fall in the hole before it passes by. Putting with a speed that would leave the ball 18 inches past the hole will provide a better chance for the ball to fall in instead of lipping out.
How do you develop a feel for this speed? The ladder drill is what you need to use. The ladder drill is excellent for practice sessions but can also be used just before playing a round to get your feel for the day. With this drill, you will not hole out putts, but you will develop a sense for the proper speed. On the practice green, line up three balls, each one about six inches farther in front of you. Take a practice swing first, then step up to the first one and strike it. Do not, I repeat, do not look up to see where the ball went. Immediately step up to the second ball and hit it with the intent of making it go two feet past the first one. No practice swing. Immediately hit the next ball. Again, no peeking; use your feel. Step up to the third and try to hit it two feet past the second one. It’s best to mark the balls 1, 2, and 3 with a sharpie beforehand, so you know which is which after you’ve hit them. The critical thing is not to look between putts. Just trust your hands and arms to hit each one just past the previous. After you’ve hit all three, look and learn from the resulting pattern. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Work on your distance control with the ladder drill as often as possible and make it a habit before heading to the first tee.
Knowing the slope of the green is essential but not helpful if you don’t know how fast the ball will be rolling as it heads to the hole. Use the ladder drill to improve your putting speed and distance control. 100% of short putts do not go in! Eighteen inches past the hole is the goal.
Concentrate on your speed and distance control and your putting will improve.
Have fun out there!
Doug