No More 3-Putts

Is there anything more frustrating than playing a hole perfectly, having a great chance to make a birdie only to three-putt for a bogey. Most of us have done just that at least once (most of us many more times!) Whether it results in a par, bogey, double or worse, three putting is demoralizing to your psyche and even worse for your scorecard. One of the main causes of the three-putt I see is poor distance control with the putter. When a golfer rams his or her first putt ten feet past the hole or leaves it 8 feet short, it results in a putt that will be missed more often than made. Even the best players in the world only make 50% of 6-10 foot putts. So where does that leave us mere mortals? Well, to stop those three-putts, it better leave us closer to the hole after the first putt. Use the ladder drill to increase your sense of distance control.

How to do it:

You will need four tees to do this drill. From your starting point, take three full strides (approximately 10 feet) and place a tee in the ground. Repeat this until you have tees set up at 10, 20, 30 and 40 feet from your starting point. ** Note: It is best to do this drill straight uphill/downhill rather than on a side slope ** Stand at your starting point and try to roll a putt to the first tee, then to the second, third and fourth. Do this both uphill and downhill and notice the difference in putting strokes to make the ball go the appropriate distances. Concentrate on making a smooth, pendulum stroke, keeping the same grip pressure throughout. The goal is to develop a putting stroke for each of the four distances so that when you are on the course, all you have to do is pace off the length of your putt, read the speed (uphill/downhill) and make a confidant stroke that you know will send the ball the correct distance.

With the proper pace, you should never have more than a two or three footer left over for your second putt.

Happy Practicing!!

Brett Prosser
CPGA Associate Professional