Few things are more frustrating than walking off the green with a three-putt. But you don’t need to rebuild your stroke or spend hundreds on the latest training aid to avoid these scorecard killers. More often than not, becoming a better putter comes down to building better habits.
That’s exactly what GOLF Top 100 Teacher David Armitage says more amateurs need to focus on if they want to cut these score-killers out of their rounds. According to Armitage, the best putters all share three simple habits that improve distance control, produce a more reliable stroke and reduce their chances of three-putting.
Want to start taking strokes off your score? Below are the three habits you can use to never three-putt again.
1. Slow down before setting up
According to Armitage, one of the biggest mistakes amateurs make on the greens is rushing through the process — or not having a process at all.
“We’ve got to try and educate ourselves,” Armitage says. “I think a lot of people skip that step.”
That doesn’t mean spending minutes dissecting every putt. Armitage notes that some golfers fall into the opposite trap, overanalyzing the read and second-guessing themselves.
The goal is to find the middle ground: a consistent pre-putt routine that helps you read the green, commit to your line and step over the ball with confidence.
2. Let your stroke control distance
One of the biggest mistakes amateurs make is creating speed with their hands and accelerating through impact. Instead, Armitage wants golfers to maintain a consistent tempo and control distance by changing the length of their stroke.
He compares the putting motion to a pendulum: the rhythm stays the same, but the length of the stroke changes depending on the putt. On slower greens, make a longer stroke. On faster greens, shorten it — but avoid the instinct to accelerate or decelerate.
That consistency gives you a repeatable system for distance control, no matter the length of the putt.
3. Practice the putts that save strokes
Most golfers spend their time on the practice green trying to make short putts. While those are important, Armitage believes long-range putts are where amateurs have a bigger opportunity to improve.
“Amateurs … definitely don’t practice their long putting enough,” he says. “And I think it’s a place where they could definitely get better very quickly.”
To improve distance control, Armitage recommends trying ladder drills or hitting putts toward the fringe. Both of those drills are designed to help golfers develop a feel for speed while maintaining the same tempo and adjusting only the length of their stroke.
Remember, the goal isn’t to make every long putt — it’s to leave yourself a manageable second putt and eliminate costly three-putts.
Three-putts don’t have to be a part of your game. By slowing down your routine, developing a consistent tempo and practicing longer putts, you can eliminate costly mistakes and lower your scores.
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