Thoughts about making more short putts under pressure.

[NevinW]

I played in my first scratch amateur tournament in about 10 years this weekend. I didn't play well at all, but did make a hole in one (216 yards, 3 hybrid, my 4th!). That was about the only highlight. One of the problems is that I missed a bunch of 3-5 footers that were stroked very poorly with a twitchy, lift-the-head-up-and-pull-it-to-the-left stroke. It is apparent that if I want to play some serious tournament golf, one of the things I have to figure out how to make a better stroke on the short putts. Interestingly I chipped quite well under pressure.

I do practice my short putting and the stroke is pretty smooth on the practice green, but I have always had some problems when it counts. So I would like to hear suggestions about how you improved your short putt efforts. I'm open to all suggestions.

[Hawkeye77]

Never played in a serious amateur tourney so won't make any suggestions, but responding to say way to go with an ace in competition!

[juststeve]

If you are rolling it well in practice but not in your first scratch tournament in 10nyears the problem may well be mental, not physical. Not easy to do but you need to learn to think of a short put as just that, a short putt, no matter whether its in practice or a tournament.

 

Do you have a putting routine that you follow on every putt, whether in practice of a tournament? Learn to follow the same sequence of motions from the time you step up to the ball until the putt is away. If you do that your will find that the pressure of making a particular putt melts away when you just follow your routine.

 

Steve

[SNIPERBBB]

Gotta have a routine developed so that you get into an autopilot zen-like state.

[smashdn]

Practice more 6-10 footers.

[ThinkingPlus]

Whether or not you make a short putt (any putt for that matter) depends on 4 things. First you need to read the putt correctly, then hit that line, and also get the speed right. Finally the green has to be smooth enough to not knock the ball offline. This last factor is out of the golfer's control. So, to a certain extent, whether a putt goes in or not is out of our control. Acknowledging and accepting this fact is vitally important to good putting. It reduces your mental intent from "making the putt" to "execute a stroke on my line with the correct speed". Once success is defined to be something within your control then you have a direct tie between practice green work and success. This instills confidence thus reducing nervousness and more putts will go in.

[jut111]

Small tip from Monte that has really helped me on short putts. Inhale to start putter stroke, exhale on transition forward. Keeps me from getting quick and stabby.

[cwglum]

Have to practice w/ pressure. Go through your drills and whatever else you do at putting green, but end each session with a handful of different 3-5 foot putts that you have to make consecutively to be finished. Drop 4 balls from 3-5 feet, 6 balls from 3-5 feet, etc., when you're on that last putt you will be simulating the tournament make situations ... figure out what your tendencies are when you miss those and come up with a plan to address.

 

If you do miss one on the way ... don't immediately start over. Finish the circuit that you started before setting up a new one. The most important 5-foot putt in a tournament can often be the very next one you have after just missing a short one. Equally important to be ready for the next putt no matter what the prior results have been.

[iutodd]

> @cwglum said:

> Have to practice w/ pressure. Go through your drills and whatever else you do at putting green, but end each session with a handful of different 3-5 foot putts that you have to make consecutively to be finished. Drop 4 balls from 3-5 feet, 6 balls from 3-5 feet, etc., when you're on that last putt you will be simulating the tournament make situations ... figure out what your tendencies are when you miss those and come up with a plan to address.

>

> If you do miss one on the way ... don't immediately start over. Finish the circuit that you started before setting up a new one. The most important 5-foot putt in a tournament can often be the very next one you have after just missing a short one. Equally important to be ready for the next putt no matter what the prior results have been.

 

Absolutely this. Practice the pressure.

 

The “star” drill where you have to make every putt or you have to start over...the last few putts are full of pressure.

 

[Pete O'Tube]

I copied Jordan Speith and practised 5 footers looking at the hole and ignoring the stroke. It works!

I now hole out confidently from short range in competition and always look at the hole on 3 footers or less. Take the brain out of it - if you have a good putting stroke, let it flow.

[Barfolomew]

Hand out cash to strangers!

 

Bet yourself on short putts...if you miss hand out cash to guys around you and tell em I missed putts and must pay the price.

 

Or get in a very nice groove on a familiar practice hole and try visualizing that exact spot and putt when you step up to one on the course in competition.... works