Short Putts 101

Short Putting 101: It is all about being educated.

By: Bruce Munch
Head Professional
White River Golf Club, Rochester, Vt.

Think putting is like shooting pool? Think again! Pool tables are flat. Greens are not. Felt is smooth. Grass is not. There are no sure things in putting. The best you can do is to take your best educated guess regarding the line and speed of the putt and learn to trust it.

Here are some tips to help you get better educated.
First: Have a putting routine. Every touring pro has a routine they go through before hitting any putt. Here is a routine you might try. 1) Get 4 or 5 feet behind the ball and get as low as you can to view the line. This is the best view you will ever have of this putt because you are looking down the line the ball will travel. It may look very different when you turn sideways to putt the ball. 2) While in this position make your best educated guess as to the amount of break in the putt. Once you have made this decision, pick out an intermediate target about 2 feet from the ball. 3) Make a few practice strokes, either while continuing to look down the line, (a-la Corey Pavin) or from the more conventional address position. These strokes are your best educated guess as to the stroke needed to carry the ball the necessary distance. 4) Address the ball, square the putter face to your intermediate target and duplicate your practice stroke.

Duplicate your practice stroke!! Sounds so easy and yet how few players do it. Here is why you should. Pressure is the opponent of a good swing. I think you will agree that there is less pressure during a practice swing than there is during an actual stroke. The chances are the practice stroke would have been very effective in rolling the ball in, or near the hole. Why people think they can make a better decision under the pressure of hitting the shot than the decision they made with the pressure less practice stroke is beyond me. Learn to trust your practice stroke.

Why do the pros putt so well? Their years of practice have allowed them to make very good educated guesses. With educated practice your guesses will become better and you will be a much better putter.

Here are a few drills that will help educate your short putting:

1) Failure to follow through is one of the leading causes of poor putting. Try this drill: Set up a straight, 4 foot putt and instead of hitting it, place your putter against the ball and with no back swing, push it too the hole. If you fail to reach the hole, you didn’t follow through. Work at it till you can push the ball straight into the hole. Now take a short back and follow through to the hole. Your putting will improve.

2) Poor putter path will lead to pulled and pushed putts. Try this drill: Take two 2 x 4’s and lay them down parallel to one another, separated by about ½ inch more than the length of your putter head. Practice your putting stroke down the channel you have created and see if you can do it without the toe or heal of our putter hitting either board. Now move them ¼ inch closer together and do it some more.

Above all, realize that you are putting over a living surface. Grass is not as consistent as a pool table and so even well struck putts may not go in. All you can do is make your best educated guess regarding line and speed and trust it. Get your Masters Degree in putting and sink more putts.