Putting Fundamentals
Also known as: how to putt, how to putt better, putting basics, putting setup, putting technique, putting tips
Set up with your eyes over or just inside the ball, the ball a little forward of center and a light grip. Rock your shoulders to move the putter back and through with quiet wrists. Aim the face first, then focus most of your practice on speed.
Most good putters share a few basics even though styles vary. Many use a reverse-overlap grip, with the lead index finger resting over the trail hand's fingers. The palms face each other and grip pressure stays light. Bend from the hips so your eyes sit over the ball or just inside it, and let your arms hang. The ball usually sits a little forward of center. That helps the putter strike it level or slightly upward for a smoother roll.
The stroke is mostly a rocking of the shoulders, with the arms and putter moving together and the wrists quiet. Keep the backstroke and through-stroke roughly the same length. Control distance with the length of the stroke, not by hitting harder. The putter should move at a steady, even pace through the ball. To aim, read the putt and pick a spot on your line a few inches ahead of the ball. Set the face to it before your body.
Speed decides most long putts. Short-game researcher Dave Pelz suggested rolling missed putts about 17 inches past the hole. A ball with that pace holds its line better through the bumpy ground near the cup. Practice speed with ladder drills to different distances, and start line with a gate of two tees. A putter fitting can match length, lie and loft to your setup.
Tips by skill level
Hit ten putts to the fringe from the middle of the green, trying to stop each one just short of it. That builds speed control faster than putting at a hole.
Measure your stroke length for different distances on your home greens. A repeatable length for each distance makes lag putting far less of a guess.
Example
A beginner keeps leaving long putts short. She sets her eyes over the ball, lightens her grip and makes the stroke with her shoulders. By using stroke length to control distance, her first putts start finishing within a couple of feet.
Why it matters
Putting makes up a large share of strokes in every round. A simple, repeatable setup and stroke turns many three-putts into two-putts.
Common mistakes
- Gripping the putter tightly and using the wrists to hit at the ball
- Making a short backstroke and then jabbing to make up the distance
- Setting the body first and then twisting the face toward the target
- Practicing only short putts and never working on speed
Frequently asked questions
How do I putt better?
Use a light grip, set your eyes over or just inside the ball and rock your shoulders with quiet wrists. Aim the face first. Then spend most of your practice on speed, because pace decides most long putts.
What is the correct putting setup?
Bend from the hips with your eyes over or just inside the ball and the ball a little forward of center. Let your arms hang, keep grip pressure light and square the face to your line.
How hard should I hit a putt?
Aim for a pace that would roll the ball a little past the hole if it misses. Dave Pelz suggested about 17 inches past on longer putts, since that pace holds its line better near the cup.
Sources
Related terms
- PuttingPutting is rolling the ball along the ground toward the hole using a flat-faced club (putter). A round of 90 with 36 putts spends 40% of its strokes on the green, so putting adds up fast.
- Putting StrokeThe putting stroke is the controlled pendulum motion that rolls the ball along the intended line. Good mechanics include a square face at impact, consistent tempo, and path that matches the putter's arc.
- Speed Control (Putting)Speed control is calibrating stroke length and tempo so a putt rolls the intended distance. It is widely considered the single most important putting skill.
- Green ReadingGreen reading is judging a green's slope, grain, and speed. The goal is to predict how much, and which way, a putt will curve from its starting line.
- Lag PuttingLag putting is the deliberate strategy of putting distance control ahead of making a long putt. The aim is a short, stress-free second putt rather than an aggressive attack on the hole.
- Putter FittingPutter fitting matches a putter's length, lie angle, loft, and balance style to a golfer's actual stroke path, using putting-specific measuring tools.
Related guides & benchmarks
Put this into practice
Ask SwingVantage a follow-up question about this, or keep reading the related terms above.