We've launched the new forums! Read more here

4-5 foot putting absolutely killing me ... need advice on how you approach them

inthehole

inthehole

Holly Sonders Caddie
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
Messages
780
Reaction score
1
Location
Pocono's PA
Handicap
GHIN 11.5
I keep a detailed golf log & after reading it last couple seasons, it's evident the weakest part of my game is short putting. I typically read both sides of the putt, but it's uncanny how many 4-5 footers I miss. My lag putting has improved significantly and I'm fairly solid from 3 ft an in - it's the makeable 4 - 5 footers that I consistently miss that really hurt me.

I really need help with this ... can you guys give me any advice on how you approach these short putts ? Once you establish your line, I'd like to know how you aim, what exactly you're aiming at, how you approach the putt, swing thoughts ... anything would be a help. FYI - I don't draw a line on my ball & take the time to line up the line on the ball - maybe I need to start doing this ??

Really appreciate any help you can offer ... thx.
 
Last edited:
I see more people mess up because of simple alignment than I ever could imagine. I enjoy the 2135 Line from Cleveland for this very reason.

Eliminating a variable completely means it's easier to fix a problem when it's easier to figure out what the issue is and keeping that one variable is now locked up.
 
JB's suggestion of the 2135 is good if your alignment is the issue.

I'll head off arydolphin and ATLGolfer and suggest reading Unconscious Putting - it helped me a ton, especially since I was stressing over those short putts similar to you.
 
Last edited:
I don't know your putting stroke but one thing I would suggest is try to a shorter take away, I have noticed many miss those length putts because there take away is long & have to decelerate into the ball. Also, I would suggest just some more practice & don't over think it.
 
My miss with these is typically when I dont complete my follow through and instead "peak up" early, I miss right.
 
I think alignment is always the key flaw for missed short putts. I fixed my alignment and set up and seemed like immediately started making the shorter putts with consistency.

Unconscious Putting is a great book and helped me a ton
 
I'm one that uses an alignment line on the ball and also on the putter. I line up the ball to where I want the putt to start and then square up the putt to that.

Also play max break with the thought of hitting the putt firm enough to get it 1-2 feet past the hole....both of these are things I learned at the SeeMore event a few years back.
 
I'm a big fan of the book Extraordinary Putting (http://www.amazon.com/Extraordinary-Putting-Transforming-Whole-Game/dp/0399533087). There's another one called Extraordinary Golf too that covers the whole game.

In my book 4-5 footers are a combination of alignment, and mental. It's such a short putt there's added expectations, and learning how to manage those (without focusing on them) is the key. That said, any training aid / putter that makes sure you're aiming where you think you are is definitely a good idea too.
 
Make a line on your ball ass others have said. Also, maybe look into buying a putting arc. It has added massive confidence to my putting.
 
Is your miss read or stroke?

Are you missing no/low break putts from that distance?

I really like putting into a golf sleeve with the flaps cut off anywhere from 2' to 8'. If you can do that, you know it's not stroke. And I can say the hole looks huge in comparison.
 
My biggest problem when I miss short putts is playing too much break.

Make a confident stroke and hit it to the back of the hole.
 
inthehole said:
FYI - I don't draw a line on my ball & take the time to line up the line on the ball - maybe I need to start doing this ??
Click to expand...
This is what my instructor had me do. He went so far as to tell me that if I can see the hole out of the corner of my left eye, to close it during the putting stroke. Why? Because what we know is properly aligned, will look unaligned when we're over the ball. Trust your line, and if the putter and the line on the ball line up in the direction you've decided upon, you're good to go. Then all you have to worry about is distance.
 
Match play really helped my short putting. If you are putting from 4 or 5 feet to halve a hole, there's no point trying to baby it in there. The ability to be aggressive really set me free to jam the ball into the back of the hole and dramatically improved my short putting. I pick a spot in the back of the hole and picture a thumbtack sticking out of it. I try to pound the thumbtack in with the ball.
 
I have recently returned to lining up the writing on my ball towards the hole, and then from that line, deciding how to approach the ball. I think the best runs at 4-5 footers are the ones that would roll at least a foot or two beyond the hole if you miss. Pace often limits the amount of break that can be introduced during that putt. So does a poor non-pendulum stroke.

It's always been about a commitment to the line for me. If I bail on things, I see it in my results.

That, plus repetition. Is 1,000 made 4-5 footers a week too much to fathom for the putting green? It would certainly help.
 
#Cookie said:
I'm one that uses an alignment line on the ball and also on the putter. I line up the ball to where I want the putt to start and then square up the putt to that.

Also play max break with the thought of hitting the putt firm enough to get it 1-2 feet past the hole....both of these are things I learned at the SeeMore event a few years back.
Click to expand...

Canadan said:
I have recently returned to lining up the writing on my ball towards the hole, and then from that line, deciding how to approach the ball. I think the best runs at 4-5 footers are the ones that would roll at least a foot or two beyond the hole if you miss. Pace often limits the amount of break that can be introduced during that putt. So does a poor non-pendulum stroke.

It's always been about a commitment to the line for me. If I bail on things, I see it in my results.

That, plus repetition. Is 1,000 made 4-5 footers a week too much to fathom for the putting green? It would certainly help.
Click to expand...
I like to line up the marking in my ball as well on putts I have every intention of making. Line up to the line I want to start and give it a firm stroke, commit and no deceleration is key for me
 
My advice on those 4-5 foot putts is this....

1. Setup and get your eyes directly over the ball. If you get your eyes over the ball, you should have a better handle on where your club is aimed.
2. Practice those putts with just your trailing hand on the club. So I'm right handed, I hit those putts with just my right hand, focusing on keeping my head down through the stroke. It really helps slow my stroke down and focus on maintaining my stance, head position and overall stroke.

Slow and steady.

inthehole said:
I keep a detailed golf log & after reading it last couple seasons, it's evident the weakest part of my game is short putting. I typically read both sides of the putt, but it's uncanny how many 4-5 footers I miss. My lag putting has improved significantly and I'm fairly solid from 3 ft an in - it's the makeable 4 - 5 footers that I consistently miss that really hurt me.

I really need help with this ... can you guys give me any advice on how you approach these short putts ? Once you establish your line, I'd like to know how you aim, what exactly you're aiming at, how you approach the putt, swing thoughts ... anything would be a help. FYI - I don't draw a line on my ball & take the time to line up the line on the ball - maybe I need to start doing this ??

Really appreciate any help you can offer ... thx.
Click to expand...
 
Alignment is definitely the first thing I would check. If that seems right, I would focus on the stroke, especially making sure not to decel, and as someone pointed out above, absolutely keep your head down. So many people on that type of distance immediately look up to make sure/see if they made it. Consciously make yourself keep your head down for a second after you hit the putt before you look to see where it went.
 
4-5 foot putting absolutely killing me ... need advice on how you approach them

What are you looking at when you are reading both sides of the putt? If you are just checking the slope/break, I would strongly encourage you to add visualizing the ball rolling into the hole. I find that if I include a picture of success my brain takes over from there and I make more putts.

As others have said, start simple and make sure your alignment is not the culprit. After that, perhaps incorporate what I mentioned.
 
I'd check to see you are actually starting the ball on your line.

If you are, then you have eliminated mechanics, and you know it's alignment (or just mental).

I bought a thin ruler (18" long, about 1 and 1/2" wide), with a line down the middle.

I put the ball on it and see how consistently I can putt the ball down the other end without it falling off on either side.

I went through my first ever episode of the 'yips' a couple months back. It probably lasted 2-3 months.

I was so in my head, that I started stressing so hard over short putts.

That led to changing grips, putting side saddle, putting Jack Nicklaus style, holding the putter like a hockey stick, etc... You name it and I tried it.

My 'mental' problem was 100% physical. On my follow through, instead of my left shoulder coming up, I was tucking it back along my side.
I couldn't hold my line, and I knew it, and that's why I was 'yippy'. If you know you can't hit your putt straight over the first 18", a 4-5 foot putt looks like a long putt.
 
Practice practice practice. If I start missing a lot of 4-5 footers it's typically because I haven't been practice recently.
 
kc720 said:
I like to line up the marking in my ball as well on putts I have every intention of making. Line up to the line I want to start and give it a firm stroke, commit and no deceleration is key for me
Click to expand...

The best argument against lining it up accurately is how potentially off it can be... However there's no reason why you can't use it as a guideline and putt away from that line. It's amazing how different the line can look from above the ball rather than behind it.
 
Alignment is a big key. Unless you're on a rather large and noticeable side hill moving putt, it bodes well to line up you ball inside the hole. You'll know in most cases if there is movement left or right, so unless it's rather big movement, it's usually smart to line up inside left, or inside right. If you can't really tell, then just line up you ball to the middle.

As for the stroke, when I'm putting my best, my lower half of my body is VERY still, and my stroke/movement is in my shoulders.
 
Canadan said:
The best argument against lining it up accurately is how potentially off it can be... However there's no reason why you can't use it as a guideline and putt away from that line. It's amazing how different the line can look from above the ball rather than behind it.
Click to expand...

But along those same lines just standing over a putt with no line at all can leave an enormous guess as to whether you are aligned where you want to be. Whether a perfect science or not, having a line on the ball that I trust based on my experience gives me that reassurance that I'm setup correctly and can be committed to the stroke.

What do you do? All feel? Try to see an invisible line? Roll over some mark on the green near the start of the putt?
 
#Cookie said:
But along those same lines just standing over a putt with no line at all can leave an enormous guess as to whether you are aligned where you want to be. Whether a perfect science or not, having a line on the ball that I trust based on my experience gives me that reassurance that I'm setup correctly and can be committed to the stroke.

What do you do? All feel? Try to see an invisible line? Roll over some mark on the green near the start of the putt?
Click to expand...

I putt no line. A lot of feel and do try to envision a path on the ground to the point I am aiming. If I line up the ball I second guess it because of how different it looks at address vs when you are standing straight behind it.
 
Canadan said:
The best argument against lining it up accurately is how potentially off it can be... However there's no reason why you can't use it as a guideline and putt away from that line. It's amazing how different the line can look from above the ball rather than behind it.
Click to expand...
Agree. After lining it up, often looks way different at address. I need to trust my initial setup and not adjust at address for best results
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top