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Distance Control When Putting

Often times the golf course conditions create difficulty judging the correct distance to roll your long putts.  Each golf course has different types of grass, maintenance practices, or conditions that result in faster or slower green speeds.  It varies so much so that often times you can see a noticeable difference between different holes even when on the same golf course!

Weather conditions can also play a factor in this dilemma. Even the time of day that you play your round can have an effect.  Golfers must realize that we don’t have control over many of these situations.  However, we do have control over some aspects of putting that help us to have more consistency when judging distance during longer putts.

1. Keep the putter moving thru impact
   Don’t slow down the putter as it is striking the ball.  Keep the putter moving low on the line you want the ball to roll as long as you can.   In other words extend the putter in the direction you want the ball to roll.  Don’t stop the putter once it has made contact with the ball.
   
   
2. Distance is controlled by the length of the backswing motion
   It is quite simple really.  If you want to want to hit a putt farther, make a bigger swing motion.  If you don’t want the ball to go as far, a smaller swing motion will be a more favorable option.   A common mistake is to take too big of a backswing and attempt to slow down or limit the follow thru motion in order to control the distance of the putt.  Although the ideal motion is to move the putter about the same distance back as the distance thru, you would have more success if you were to err on the side of too much follow thru.  This is because you would be assuring that the putter was accelerating through impact. 
   
   
3. Manage the speed of the putter head
   The speed in which we roll the putt has a tremendous effect on the distance the putt will roll.  I know that sounds very obvious, but speed is not any easy variable to master.  In fact, it really only comes from lots of practice and repetition.  Like anything you do often, putting improves the more you do it.  Practicing putts from different places (uphill, downhill, side hill, flat etc.) and in different conditions (wet, dry, cold, warm, etc.) you will start to get a feel for what speed is needed to ultimately accomplish the goal.  And the goal is getting it close to or in the hole.

Oddly enough an effective putting drill to help you gain a better understanding of all three of these factors does not require putting at all.  The “Toss & Roll” drill works very well to help you judge just how big of a motion is needed to get the ball to roll specific distances.  The drill begins by practicing your putting stroke without a putter while standing in your normal putting stance and address position.  Next with a ball in your hand toss and roll the ball toward the hole.  Once you have a good feel for how big the motion needs to be and just how hard to roll it, put the putter back in your hand and use the same motion to hit the ball.   You will be surprised that often times it really does not need a very big motion to get the ball to the hole.  This drill is very effective because most of us are very familiar with the sensation of throwing a ball and seem to make the connection much easier than with the putter in hand.  Just think of the putter as an extension of your hand and apply a similar size motion to your putt.   You will be happy with the result.

Do you want to improve your putting?  If so, schedule a putting lesson with me here at Deerfield Golf Club.  Call me at 302-368-6640 or email me at kzolbe@deerfieldgolfclub.com.   We also have short game clinics on the schedule for 2008 that might help you accomplish your goal of being a better putter.

Kurt Zolbe
PGA Golf Professional

Archived Golf Tips:

08/08 – Ladder Drill
07/08 – Easy Does It
06/08 – Distance Control When Putting
05/08 – If The Shoe Fits
02/08 – Sand Dollars
01/08 – Getting More Power Out Of Your Swing
12/07 – Winter Club Maintenance
11/07 – Hillside Lies
08/07 – Lift
07/07 – Hybrids
05/07 – Practice
04/07 – Golf Club Fitting
03/07 – The Iron Triangle