Putting

Dial in your lag putting with this simple tip from Phil Mickelson

phil mickelson putts

This tip will help you dial in your stroke on the greens.

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Your read may not always be right, but you can get any putt within tap-in range with proper distance control.

Fact: There are two variables in your stroke. The first is how far you take the putter back. The second is how you accelerate, or how big a stroke you make going through. If you cut the number of variables in half, your odds of always being around the hole skyrocket. 

Lefty varies the length of his backstroke on lag putts, but always has the same length on the follow through. Michael Schwartz

I keep the length of my forward stroke (and acceleration) the same on most lags. That’s the constant. So then all I have to do is vary the length of my backstroke to roll the ball the correct distance. At every event, I’ll spend time on the practice green rolling, say, 40-, 50- and 60-foot putts, dialing in the backstroke length for each one while keeping the forward stroke the same. If I’m a little short, I’ll take my putter back a little farther, but I won’t change my acceleration. 

This makes lagging so easy. I don’t know why all pros don’t do it.

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