TLDNR: Any tips for getting a better feel for speed/distance and which way the putt is going to break (reading the green).

Seems to be about the worst part of my game for a while now. Seems like I three put 4-6 times per 18 (sometimes more like last Monday 5 times in 9 holes).

I've got the getting it going in the correct direction part OK. As in, if I'm aiming for a spot on the green on a long putt or at the hole on straight putts, it's usually going where I'm aiming. I recently starting using a marker tool to draw a complete circle around the ball and when I hit it, the line is not wobbling around as the ball rolls so that tells me I'm hitting it straight.

My biggest issue is I can't seem to get a feel for speed at all. I'm either a 1-2 feet short or 5+ feet past the hole. I've been trying to practice more (just go to the local course and hit around the various holes on the practice green). I usually make 3 balls with me and start 10-feet away to get a feel for distance. But even after 20 minutes and you'd think I'd have a feel for how fast the green is but I'm still coming up short A LOT. This morning after 20-minutes of practice one series of 3 putts in a row all were 6 to 12 inches short....like, HTF can I not have a feel for speed at this point and come up short from the same distance 3 times in a row. I'd practiced 40+ putts by then. I will say, it's been extremely hot and humid here the last few weeks + windy and the greens feel very slick (not super fast, just slick).

Second biggest issue is reading the green. I would say 1 of 8 times I get the direction completely wrong. As in, I think it's going left to right and it gets halfway to the hole and breaks left leaving me 4+ feet downhill from the hole (then I miss that one and 3-putt the hole). Someone said something to me once about seeing how the grass is cut and I'm just not seeing it at all and obviously not seeing the the correct break at times.

But speed is just a huge issue. You miss 100% of the putts you leave short and I leave a lot of them short.

If your miss is consistently short, your putter swing weight might be too heavy. If your putter has removable weights, try taking them out completely and then hit a bunch of medium/long putts. Keep track of how many miss long vs short. If you start missing them long instead of short, then swing weight is probably your issue.

G Martin 87 said:

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If your miss is consistently short, your putter swing weight might be too heavy. If your putter has removable weights, try taking them out completely and then hit a bunch of medium/long putts. Keep track of how many miss long vs short. If you start missing them long instead of short, then swing weight is probably your issue.

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I thought about not saying anything because I'm not that good at golf especially putting.

This is purely anecdotal and my own personal experience.

So I had the same issue as you - inconsistent speed control with leaving putts both short and long. Before, I would set up with my arms hanging freely and my putting stroke was too armsy and wristy. I was messing around on the putting green and decided to try pinning my upper arms against the sides of my body to encourage me to use my shoulders and chest to motor the stroke. This basically took my arms out of the equation.

And ever since this change, I've been more consistent with my speed. I still once in a while leave it short or long but there is not as huge of a variance as before.

It's all about distance control. You have to find a method or a feel to be consistent with your distance. It's different for everyone so you just have to find or hear something you think might help and try it.

For me, this is how it feels….slow take away, ever so slight transition/pause to get a tiny bit of lag and then let gravity do most of the work but 100% there is slow acceleration through the ball.

Then through impact my elbows "roll" and it feels like my left elbow is moving around to my hip. It's all subtle stuff but that is how it feels for me.

Maybe one of those thoughts help. If so great. Bottom line is don't hit the ball, roll it.

Take a lesson or two from a professional.

Peter Piper said:

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The only fix is to buy a new putter, of course.

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haha, I actually did that a few weeks ago, practiced a bunch then the first time I played it I 3 putted 5 times in 9 holes. My son said "sounds like it's time for a new putter".

Buck Compton said:

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So, some good advice here, but I'll point out the obvious. Being 6-12" short isn't causing three putts.overall it definitely seems like speed and break are probably both a bit off.

How many of those three putts was the second putt within 5 feet and you missed it? Get nails at putts inside the flagstick.

Same thing from 20' and you probably have a problem.

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No, I can usually convert the 12" putts.

Yes, I would say I miss half my putts ~4-feet out. I get in a hurry and don't carefully line up my putt then pull/push it past the hole.

The courses I play I'm not usually left with putts much longer than 20-feet. But yes, most of those 3-putts are from ~20-feet or so.

That's a different problem than the feel of the speed of putts.

Sounds like you don't have a repeatable process and just in general have the yips. Pulling and pushing is a different issue and is mostly mental. Might not even have the right motion of the club. Might be worth a lesson or two from a pro on putting motion before a putting green session.

For me, working on 4 footers/short putts means a modified version of the clock drill. Go to a putting green, find a hole that isn't flat and has some different break from different sides of the hole, and bring 5 balls. Put tees in the ground on four sides of the hole at 3 feet. Putt five times from each tee (do your entire routine, don't just aimlessly putt) and see how you do. Do this at 3 feet until you can make all 20 putts. Then do it for 4' and 5' and eventually 6'. It took me a year of off/on practice before I got to 6' the first timegoing 60/60 is damn hard at 3-5 feet.

Now I just do the drill randomly at each of those distances without always starting at 3'.

But next time you go, start back at 3' and 4' before doing any 5' and 6'. Just get super comfortable with both left and right breaks and speed at those short distances. Don't move up in distance unless you go 20/20.

Confidence at short range takes the pressure off lag putts for me. And 20' isn't a lag putt. I know you can't measure every putt, but 20' isn't as long as you think on a course. I've found when I ask buddies how long they think a putt is, they're typically way off.

So, it'll also help every time you play to try to track actual distance to cup from every stroke. That'll pinpoint the real issues.

Everyone is giving some great technical advice. I use those tips too. It's not a big revelation to say that there's a big confidence aspect of it too. Amazing the number of times you get a few to fall early, you carry it through the round. And...of course the opposite too. So how do you putt well early? Don't have a clue. The only non-technical advice that seems to help me is to really visualize a putt going in. You have an idea of the break, watch it happen in your head. Sounds cheesy, but you hear this as a commonality in almost all sports. Must be a little something to it.

I was given an indoor putting mat by a nice poster on this board. It has really helped my putting. I have it in my home office and I hit a few quite often, especially during long dull conferences calls. I would tell you to stalk this board and wait for him to unload another putting green thing and jump on it before the next guy.

In seriousness, practicing more helps. Get your head over the ball. I like the artificial mat because it is consistent. I can dial in my distance on the mat, then when I hit a few before a round on the practice green, I just adjust the speed a little. Still takes a few holes to dial it in, but I am no pro. Watch a couple YouTubes and see what one makes sense to you, then incorporate it into your practice. And when all else fails, take a lesson.

Someone mentioned grain, or the way the grass is cut. Here is what I have been taught, look at the cup. One side of the grass around the rim of the cut will look more ragged, or furry than the other side. The furry side draws the ball to it. I don't know how to say it in reference to which way the grain is going or all that, just that the fuzzy side draws it. And, it isn't a huge pull. Just one really small factor. Usually I don't factor it in my decision making, I just use it as an excuse why I missed the putt.

Get putting mat and make 30 puts in a row from 3' out. Don't do change distances until you make 30 in a row. Try making 100 from 1' too. Both helped me.

Agreed with this. Sounds more like a swing repeatability issue than anything else. If that isn't fixed, the extra practice won't be near as beneficial.

My favorite part of a golf broadcast "player has a 5 footer here" player then takes 4 full length strides to get to the hole.

As far as pace, I like to "feel" what it would take to roll a ball there with my bottom hand (right). That tends to help me feel it out.

Pace is critical because that determines what line you need to start the put on.

dc509 said:

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Get putting mat and make 30 puts in a row from 3' out. Don't do change distances until you make 30 in a row. Try making 100 from 1' too. Both helped me.

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What's the benefit of practicing 1 footers?

Listen to the "Look and Shoot" podcast by Wicked Smart Golf. Helped me more than anything else with putting. If you have a decent putting stroke, you need to not be thinking over top of the ball. Pick your start line, commit to the line and send it.

Peter Piper said:

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dc509 said:

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Get putting mat and make 30 puts in a row from 3' out. Don't do change distances until you make 30 in a row. Try making 100 from 1' too. Both helped me.

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What's the benefit of practicing 1 footers?

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Starting the ball on line.

You have to have distance control and start the ball online.

Distance control is something learned there isn't a science to it unless you find a science that repeats the stroke to be consistent in distance. It is largely feel but home a technique to get you there.

As far as starting the ball inline - use a putting gate there are tons on the market but if you get better at distance control and starting the ball online you will 3 putt far less and even probably start making a bunch.

Square contact is also something to practice - various methods but these help:

https://golfusa.com/product/puttout-devil-ball-putting-trainer/

Or draw a line in the ball and try to get it to track straight that way.

Peter Piper said:

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dc509 said:

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Get putting mat and make 30 puts in a row from 3' out. Don't do change distances until you make 30 in a row. Try making 100 from 1' too. Both helped me.

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What's the benefit of practicing 1 footers?

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Basically it makes you focus on what you're doing. It sucks to get to 80 or 90 and miss one because you're already mentally moving on. Try it and see how many you make in a row on the first attempt (if you're really good, this isn't for you).

CapCity12thMan said:

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Square contact is also something to practice - various methods but these help:

https://golfusa.com/product/puttout-devil-ball-putting-trainer/

Or draw a line in the ball and try to get it to track straight that way.

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Metal yardstick drill works wonders too.

I would take a lesson and make sure your setup is solid. There is so much that goes into putting, but a majority of issues can be corrected with a proper setup.

Other things:
-a longer back swing than forward. Most amateurs do the opposite. The putter should fall into the ball and the strike should slow the putter down.
-start line like others have mentioned (square club face at impact so you don't slice or hook).
-reading greens, recognizing speed differences, and adjusting the backswing distance accordingly.

CapCity12thMan said:

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" The putter should fall into the ball and the strike should slow the putter down"

You're not serious are u?

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I saw a video of Tiger saying something similar.

A lot of says to skin a cat, I guess.

CapCity12thMan said:

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" The putter should fall into the ball and the strike should slow the putter down"

You're not serious are u?

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There are many ways, but I'm seeing most advanced players with a longer backswing, shorter forward swing...you get a better line on the ball and better speed control. I've had multiple coaches indicate the feel should be letting the putter fall into the ball like a pendulum.

Are you an "accelerate through it" type?

Here's the video.

He still says he accelerates all the way through contact here, FWIW.

Also, he may not like the huge follow through, but he battled toe closure issues while putting if I remember correctly. I think there is a line between slowing down into the ball and doing a huge swinging follow through that he is advocating for here.

I do believe you should have a slight acceleration, by letting the putter head "fall" through the downswing. When you tell me accelerate through the ball, I will actually try to accelerate when I reach impact and have this big follow through…not good for speed control or controlling the line.

Many ways, and we're probably going too far into this, but you hardly see any pros take a short backswing and stab at it with some good ol' "acceleration." I see 80% of amateurs doing this exact thing on the practice green.

CapCity12thMan said:

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Square contact is also something to practice - various methods but these help:

https://golfusa.com/product/puttout-devil-ball-putting-trainer/

Or draw a line in the ball and try to get it to track straight that way.

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Started doing that a few weeks back when I got the new putter. I usually get it going in the right direction and the line tracks straight.

Played 18 today (par 60, only 6 par 4's, rest were Par 3)*. 19 putts on the front, 15 on the back (including a 10-footer for par). 3 putted twice. Second was just me getting in way too much of a hurry. 1-putted 4 times. Other than that, most of them tracked well and went in the right direction. Made several 3-4 footers for 2-putts on a hole.

I'm going to try some of the suggestions posted above (start at 3-feet, make all of them before moving to next distance, etc.).

* Really liked the course. It was in no way shape or form fancy or perfect, but it was great for practicing mostly Iron play and short chips. Two shots out of the sand went really well (which is very unusual for me - must be the new wedges).

Fdsa said:

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I do believe you should have a slight acceleration, by letting the putter head "fall" through the downswing. When you tell me accelerate through the ball, I will actually try to accelerate when I reach impact and have this big follow through…not good for speed control or controlling the line.

Many ways, and we're probably going too far into this, but you hardly see any pros take a short backswing and stab at it with some good ol' "acceleration." I see 80% of amateurs doing this exact thing on the practice green.

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That's how I was taught.

Is everyone saying it should be back stoke so-far then let the putter fall through the ball?