As a regular 3-putter, I’m giving away way too many strokes each round.
GOLF.com
Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a new GOLF.com series in which we’re sharing improvements, learnings and takeaways from amateur golfers just like you — including some of the speed bumps and challenges they faced along the way.
When it comes to putting, many mid-to-high handicappers just can’t get out of their own way.
If you’re anything like me, you often find yourself too far from the hole on your first putt, just miss your second putt, and then need to tap in from within a foot or so to finish off the hole.
How this simple mind trick can improve your putting-distance control
As a chronic 3-putter, I’m losing way too many strokes on the green — which is holding me back from breaking 80 for the first time ever.
While I’ve made huge strides when it comes to my ball-striking ability over the past few months, I needed help with the flatstick in a big way!
Lucky for me, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Trillium Rose came to rescue me, not only giving me an entire 3-hole lesson, but also specifically focusing on curing my 3-putting blues. Check out what tips she has to offer to help boost your confidence on the greens!
How to eliminate frustrating 3-putts
Since I know there are fellow 3-putters out there looking for expert help, Rose had me take some shots from a severe slope, forcing me to test my ability reading greens while practicing my distance control.
“I do that so often,” I begrudgingly tell her as I miss a short (but tricky) left-to-right, downhill putt.
To help restore belief in yourself with the flatstick, try using Rose’s tips below.
1. Imagine a full line from beginning to end
“I like the idea of imagining the line it’s going to take from beginning to end,” says Rose. “So as you draw your line back, then you get your start line set.”
With so many golfers being visual learners, this is a great way to help eliminate 3-putts. So long as you can read the break of the slope — which, in this case, is a drastic one for such a close putt — by drawing the line backwards from the hole to the ball, you can commit to your shot as you address the ball.
2. Focus on tempo
“The best putters have really consistent speed [or tempo] no matter what the distance is,” adds Rose. “Whether it’s 3 feet, 10 feet, 20 feet, the tempo of their putt is the same.”
This is a big one for 3-putters like myself to understand.
Speed control is important regardless of how short or long your putt is, but your tempo should be close to the same regardless. This means that the speed with which you swing the putter is consistent each time.
You can check out my full 3-hole lesson with Trillium Rose in the video below.
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