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

The one thing that really helped me was this one thought "Face angle is far more important than the stroke"

If you square up the face to the intended line and simply concentrate on delivering the ball on that line and nothing else, you'd make more of them.
 
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
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About the same for me. I don't actually mark the ball with a line, but I use the small writing giving the model (ChromeSoft, ProV1, etc.) as the equivalent. Then I use it to point toward the line I want the putt to start on.

I went through a stretch last season when I was terrible and these types of putts too, and being afraid of missing was making it worse. I would make a timid or otherwise terrible stroke trying not to miss, but I never really gave myself a chance. At some point, I started telling myself that I had to hit the putt no matter how much I wished I was in tap in range, so I might as well stop worrying about whether it was going in or not and just hit the putt like I was going to make it. For me, that thought helped a lot.
 
I take the Stockton approach and line up before address and trust that line at address. Then I focus on accelerating the stroke through the ball, which really helps stay on line.
 
#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?
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That's actually my point, and what my plans are moving forward. I'm lining up my ball to the direction of the hole, confirming the actual direction of the line, and modifying with my sight line to accommodate what I believe to be the proper line.

The argument that you don't accurately align the writing on the ball is only good if that's the line you opt to putt on. In this case, it's just another safeguard against bad alignment in total.
 
The first thing to realize is that on a 4-5 footer, "giving up the hole" should not be very common. That is to say, from that distance, there will not be that many putts that break so much you have to aim outside the hole. Most of the time, you'll want to aim somewhere within the circumference of the hole and just give it a solid stroke.

The second thing is one of the keys to putting is to remove all tension from the stroke. Align your putter head down that line to your target and then just let go down that line. No tension, no measuring length of stroke, no club manipulation. Once you feel what a stroke like that feels like, you'll start doing it more and more often (and immediately know when you miss because you allowed tension to creep back in).
 
Once I settle on my alignment, I commit to it and forget about it. Then I focus on speed. Also, practice. I noticed a big improvement in my 5 foot putts when I started hitting hundreds a session.
 
I will echo the sentiments of the book "Extraordinary Putting" by Fred Shoemaker.

I have gotten a lot better with these putts by doing three things.
1) align from behind the ball.
2) turn off my brain (per the book)
3) do NOT watch the ball go into the hole. My head stays still, I am not worried about how things look, I permit myself to make a good, solid stroke.

As someone else said, do NOT give the hole away - if you hit a good, firm stroke, the ball will go in.

Practice, practice, practice. Do the "clock" putting drill from 3 feet and 4 feet at least once a week.
 
Most days I make myself hit 25 straight 3 footers with out missing and 25 straight 5 footers with out missing. Then when I have that putt I think I AM going to make it. Walk up and mark it, stand 5 feet behind it and find the line, will do a little aimpoint express if I am not sure. Pick the aggressive line where you don't give away the hole and then make the putt. Not much to it besides knowing you are going to make it. Doesn't always work but for the most part I can count the number of 4 footers I have missed this year on 1 hand.
 
jhstew1 said:
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.
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+1 Having a short quick tap instead of a longer stroke really helps me on short putts that need to stay on line.
 
Chase said:
+1 Having a short quick tap instead of a longer stroke really helps me on short putts that need to stay on line.
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Agree.
Shorter take away has helped quite a bit in keeping my stroke in line. Changing to a left hand low has also helped with keeping my stroke in line. Also try and make my routine simple and quick (1 practice stroke, line up, settle in and hit). Helps keep my mind from thinking too much.
 
+1 to the short quick stroke, but I also look at my target, I know it's not for everyone, but it really helped me from the <6ft range.
 
mpeterson said:
suggest reading Unconscious Putting - it helped me a ton, especially since I was stressing over those short putts similar to you.
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Another big fan of this book!

Also, make sure you commit to the line you see from behind the ball because once you take your stance your perception of the line is skewed.
 
On short putts take your putting stance, look at the hole and visualize the line from the hole back to the ball then putt the ball within a second your eyes come to the ball.
Don't see the line from the ball to the hole but like I said from the hole back. The hole is your only target you need to be concerned about. Muscle memory will take care of the rest.
 
inthehole said:
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 ??
.
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Don't treat a short putt any different form a long putt. Follow your routine, pick the spot you want to roll the ball over, and take your normal stroke.

If you were to putt without a hole, can you start your ball on the intended line with any length stroke? do you have a consistent miss?
 
4-5 foot putting absolutely killing me ... need advice on how you approach them

The fact that you posted about it tells me it's probably more a mental issue than physical, i.e. Alignment. Not that alignment isn't important. But putting is the one thing I've always been relatively good at, and that's because I feel confident over the ball and make a confident stroke (no fear of failure like with other shots like the bunker!)

Perhaps some practice drills that simulate the pressure of actual putts would help, like a quick contest on the putting green before match with your buddy. Most made 5 footers out of 10 wins something.


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I see a lot of golfers take too long of a backswing on short putts and decelerate through the ball. I only take it back a few inches for a 4 footer. Alignment and leg/body movement are other common mistakes. I highly recommend a putting lesson or two. Too many golfers won't invest in putting lessons and a real putter fitting and it's a shame since putts are about 40% of total strokes during a round.
 
Here is my .02 on these kinds of putts. Center of the cup and drain it. Dont over think it. My best advice for this is treat the 4-5 footers as a tap in or a gimme and just knock it in. Once you start over thinking the short putts, you start missing them.
 
Also remember that pros are only making about 80% of their putts from that distance.
 
cnosil said:
Also remember that pros are only making about 80% of their putts from that distance.
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Internet golfers make those 118% of the time though.
 
Try the 2-tee method of practicing to help groove your stroke.

Find a flat putt about 4' away .... set your putter down on your intended line .... put 2 tees down, 1 just outside at the toe & 1 just outside at the heel (this creates a gate) ... now practice your stroke going through the "gate" without hitting the tees. This will help groove your stroke, straight through to the hole. Once you practice enough of your stroke through the "gate" without hitting either tee ... put a ball down in the center and "groove" the ball into the hole. As long as you are aligned correctly on a flat putt, you should be filling up the cup in no time!
 
It may sound crazy and I was VERY skeptical at first but I've gone to the Speith method of looking at the hole 10' and in. Line up, one look at the hole and go. Seems to have freed my stroke up and it has erased my tendency to follow the putter head back and through.
 
For me it's a short take away and long follow thru to keep the putter head on line. For me I feel like I will make every putt from 6' and in. Not that I do make every one, but I feel like I will. Maybe once you build your confidence that will be the breaking point for you.
 
4-5 feet I line up the line every time and I have gotten so many more putts to roll in. It take the line out of question and that has always been my nemesis
 
I'm in the "More Speed/Less Break/Less Thinking" crowd. I make far more putts with some speed.
Also, my kids got me one of those putting mats with the hole and auto-return. It's really been a help. There's something about actually seeing the ball fall in the hole that is a powerful reinforcement. I used to putt at cups or coins on the carpet, but I never felt it did much good. Now I'll move 3 ft, 6 ft 8 ft hitting 10 in a row each and that builds confidence. The putting mat also has an elevated hole which makes you hit it a little firmer which is good practice too.

For alignment of the putter check out the Odyssey DART. It has a big white line that makes it very easy to see exactly where you're aiming.
 
miparman said:
It may sound crazy and I was VERY skeptical at first but I've gone to the Speith method of looking at the hole 10' and in. Line up, one look at the hole and go. Seems to have freed my stroke up and it has erased my tendency to follow the putter head back and through.
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I agree with miparman....I committed to doing this the last few times I was out and am practicing it over the winter. I read "Instinct Putting" and am going to give it a go in 2016. Is this a panacea? No. But doing the same thing without better results I figure why not.


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