Putting Tips

Sinking Short Putts

There are many mental putting tips to keep you in the best state of mind during your round. In regard to short putts, keep these mental putting strategies in focus.

There is nothing worse than blowing a short putt, especially early in a round. A missed five-footer on the second hole can lead to a round filled with three-putts and a smashed putter on the 18th green. Here are some putting tips to help you get more of those in the hole.

Mental Training for Short Putts

The first tip to remember: Relax! This short putt is just like any other putt, only shorter. Take a deep breath, stand over the ball, and make your usual stroke. You probably wouldn't try to guide a ten-foot putt into the hole, so don't try it with a two-footer either. In fact, this is the time to be even more conscious of form, since a solid stroke and good aim should get the ball in the hole. Think of your upper body as a pendulum, and stroke the ball accordingly, making sure to accelerate through the ball and follow through as you would any other putt.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking “I can’t hit this hard, so I’m going to stop the club as soon as I make contact,” but doing that leads golfers to chop at the ball and keeps it from resulting in that end-over-end roll that leads right to the cup.

Keep this putting tip in mind: take a shorter back swing, but don’t forget to follow through and bring the putter head straight through the ball. That will keep the ball rolling smoothly on a line.

Speed and Club Head Position are Important

Remember that speed is far more important than break for putts of six feet or less. A putt that short isn't going to break very much, so don't get too creative trying to figure out whether to aim for the left edge or three inches further left than that. When in doubt, a solidly-hit putt at the center of the cup from that short a distance is likely to drop in the cup.

Finally, one of the best tips on putting is to be conscious of the positioning of your head throughout your putting stroke. There's a huge temptation to jerk your head up to watch the ball go into the hole, but doing that throws off the entire stroke. Keep your head still until contact, and only then lift your eyes to watch it roll into the cup.