What a finish to the BMW championship. Those made putts by Dustin Johnson and then Jon Rahm down the stretch, almost at exactly the same time, is something golf fans will remember, not to mention the pressure of the moment as well.
To make putts of this length requires amazing ability to control distance, direction as well as incredible green reading. Here’s a few takeaways I noticed watching these two putts drop that you can lean from yourself.
(Editor’s note: The picture below to help illustrate the point within is an image from Golflogix. Golflogix and GOLF.com are operated by the same holding company, 8AM Golf)
1. Putt to a spot
Dustin’s putt of 43 feet didn’t play that long because it was downhill. It was interesting to watch Dustin and his caddy walk to a point at the crest of the hill, as if they were pretending like that was the hole itself.
This is a great way to read this type of putt because it helps you simplify your thought process. On breaking putts like the one DJ faced: Find a spot, pretend like that’s the hole, then let gravity and the undulation take care of the rest.
2. Control your backstroke
Not only did DJ choose and aim on the perfect line, but his distance control was also perfect. In order for the line to be correct, his ability to control distance with the size of his backstroke was the necessary final part of equation. I suggest walking off the putt so you know the exact distance, and using your feet as a guide for how far back to take the putter head.
Dustin’s distance control has improved dramatically recently and that is certainly showing up in his scoring and success.
3. Remember: Speed kills
In order for the putt to break the proper amount, your speed needs to be correct. We saw this best with Jon Rahm’s final putt: As his ball rolled across the green, also reaching the crest of the hill at the right line and speed, the ball started to curve right falling toward the hole. Rahm said afterwards that he dials in his speed on long putts by dividing it into four shorter ones. He reads each putt independently, then adds them all together.
It was amazing to see that putt go in, and it was a testament to the importance of hitting your putts with the correct speed. Do that yourself, and you’ll watch more putts drop into the edges, like Rahm’s on Sunday.
