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3 Foot Putts

Horton

Horton

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3 Foot Putts... this is my weakness. :banghead:

I worked on my putting all winter in the hopes that I could become a much better putter, and I honestly think I succeeded. I now have a "fundamentally sound" stroke that is repeatable and allows me to control speed and direction comfortably.

In my first two rounds of the year I've accomplished my goals:
1) Have consistently good speed.
2) Make more lengthy putts.

The problem? I have missed at least three putts per round that were inside 4 feet. And I'm not playing at Pebble Beach, these putts have almost no break.

My friends say they can see me really thinking/stressing about the putt as I step over the ball. I tend to think I "over-read" the putt and miss on the high side a lot.

So what do you guys/gals say about these short putts? What are your thoughts when you're reading it or you're standing over the ball? Do they scare you? Do you miss them sometimes? Any tips/thoughts/theories/jokes would be helpful. :act-up:
 
I almost never aim for the center of the cup on these short putts. I like to aim to the upperside of the hole, or if it is totally flat, I am for the "push" side of the hole. If you push it, aim for the pull edge. It helps me, but believe me, I miss them too! You'll progress, just spend time before and after rounds on the range and you'll be better faster than you think. Good luck Horton.

BulldogsGolf
 
I tend to go with my first instinct. Say its a straight looking putt putt I take into account the condition of the green(look at the path of the ball, any divots/footmarks) and then I'll just focus on trying to hit it in the middle of the putter.

I just focus on hitting the middle of the putter and then extending the follow through.
 
I have said this before, but when most get to the course and practice putting, you always see them putting from 20 feet or so gauging speed. The best thing to do is start out with 3 and 4 footers and get stroke down. Practice with a short back swing and push the ball. Its about practice and most skip this.
 
Make sure you keep breathing and follow through. Just stressing easy to do :)
 
What JB said. And while doing it don't let your eyes follow the putter back or forward. Head still, accelerate through the ball.

Not that I can do it. I have a tendency to watch the putter go back at takeaway on shorter putts. I can push or pull them.

Kevin
 
I miss them alot. I get really shaky and tend to overthink the putt. My strategy in this case is to be aggressive and just ram it in the hole. Hopefully your line is good though. I used to have a problem on breaking putts where I can choose to go slow and play the break or be aggressive and take it out. Instead I couldn't decide and used to play the break and be agressive so I would miss the putts by like 5 feet coming back. Just make sure you choose what type of putt you want to make.
 
I just pick them up, look at all you suckers admitting to missing these :alien:


From the iPhone.
 
Thainer21 said:
I just pick them up, look at all you suckers admitting to missing these :alien:


From the iPhone.
Click to expand...

Amazingly enough I think I gave you every one of these and you still have the nickname Hundy. What does that say? :bulgy-eyes:
 
JB said:
Amazingly enough I think I gave you every one of these and you still have the nickname Hundy. What does that say? :bulgy-eyes:
Click to expand...

It says you were trying to get me to hurry up. :D and how clutch my putting is inside 5 feet.


From the iPhone.
 
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Are you possibly trying to see the ball go in to the cup and moving your head to watch it to fast? One thing that I am working on is just hitting my putt and then just listening for my ball to go in. That keeps my focus on making a good smooth stroke.
 
JB said:
I have said this before, but when most get to the course and practice putting, you always see them putting from 20 feet or so gauging speed. The best thing to do is start out with 3 and 4 footers and get stroke down. Practice with a short back swing and push the ball. Its about practice and most skip this.
Click to expand...

I've been following your advice and it does seem to help. I was certainly guilty in the past of being one of those guys practicing 20 footers, hehe.

I do think I tend to abbreviate my follow-through on these short ones, probably causing some misses. And as hypovolemicshok mentioned, I do have a tendency to try and follow the ball into the hole instead of focusing on my contact.

Good to hear some of you guys do miss these tiny putts though!
 
Horton said:
I've been following your advice and it does seem to help. I was certainly guilty in the past of being one of those guys practicing 20 footers, hehe.

I do think I tend to abbreviate my follow-through on these short ones, probably causing some misses. And as hypovolemicshok mentioned, I do have a tendency to try and follow the ball into the hole instead of focusing on my contact.

Good to hear some of you guys do miss these tiny putts though!
Click to expand...

We are going to be putting up some videos with one of the best putting instructors in the world over the next couple of weeks. Some of those should help out quite a bit.
 
Firm, back of the cup. Pick your line, trust it, and for god's sake, don't leave the putt short. We humans have a tendency to over think in this game.
 
JB said:
We are going to be putting up some videos with one of the best putting instructors in the world over the next couple of weeks. Some of those should help out quite a bit.
Click to expand...

Sean Foley?

Kevin
 
Pick a tiny speck of dirt in the cup and watch your ball hitting that spot in your head. Then put it there.
 
JB said:
I have said this before, but when most get to the course and practice putting, you always see them putting from 20 feet or so gauging speed. The best thing to do is start out with 3 and 4 footers and get stroke down. Practice with a short back swing and push the ball. Its about practice and most skip this.
Click to expand...

I agree, now obviously if you're under the gun and only have 5 minutes or so to work with, you want to do longer putts to get the speed (if you're on a road course). Even then it's important to work on the short ones.

Beyond that, the key thing is to make those putts muscle memory. Those drills where you put 3-5 balls at different spots around the hole the same distance and putt each of those in and if you miss you have to start all over, I did (do) that drill over and over and over again so those putts become muscle memory, so when you get on the course you don't think about them or missing them, you just line up and roll them in without thinking about it.
 
Your "problem" has been my solution. On short putts I often watch the putter head and make sure it stays square to my line. On the short ones I think line is everything. You are not likely to be short or go too far by.

Esox said:
What JB said. And while doing it don't let your eyes follow the putter back or forward. Head still, accelerate through the ball.

Not that I can do it. I have a tendency to watch the putter go back at takeaway on shorter putts. I can push or pull them.

Kevin
Click to expand...
 
Hawk said:
Pick a tiny speck of dirt in the cup and watch your ball hitting that spot in your head. Then put it there.
Click to expand...

Really like this tip and will absolutely start trying to visualize my putts this way.
 
The best drill I know to help keep your head still it to watch the ball until after you hit it and you will see a "phantom" ball in its place. The mind does make you see a shadow where the ball was sitting, once you see this you can turn your head to watch the ball as it falls in the cup. Also what was mentioned above, make sure the putter head follows through as if reaching out to the hole, this makes sure that you don't decelerate and leave the putt short. Practice, practice, practice.
 
I play most of my golf in florida on grainy greens, so I tend to play 3' putts with no break and firm. If I used my usual stroke the grain would take over. But JB had a good point, work on your stroke when warming up for your round. I tend to not do that but will start. Banging a bunch of 20 plus footers has made me a good lag putter. Lagging does not equal low scores.

ooh and I miss at least one 3' per side due to lapse in gray matter functions.
 
TC said:
Firm, back of the cup. Pick your line, trust it, and for god's sake, don't leave the putt short. We humans have a tendency to over think in this game.
Click to expand...
This is what I do. Unless it has a massive break, don't give up the hole, and hit it hard. Don't think, just do. Oh, and practice them until you can hit them left handed with the back part of your putter. A 3 foot putt should be one of the easiest shots in golf.
 
Last few years this is what I have done. It flat out works.

Take your stance and read. Once you are all set above the ball look at the hole, forget the ball. Pick the tiniest visible speck of grass around the cup, take a look back at the ball, then look away at that tiny speck around the cup. Putt without looking at the ball. I can't recall the last 3 footer I missed and I attribute it to this style of putting. At first it is very uncomfortable and you just have to trust it.

I do this with long lag putts as well. I recall the first loooooong putt I hit looking at the cup. I almost lost my balance and fell over as it is very disorienting. But, the dang thing went in and I have been a believer ever since.

Try it!
 
I like to place balls in a 3' radius cirle around a hole on the practice green and knock them in to develop confidence. I also like to work on the downhill, left to right sliders. After that everything else seems like cake.
 
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