Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.
There’s an old golf cliche that says you “drive for show [and] putt for dough.” And while advanced analytics have put a bit of a dent in that theory, it doesn’t mean you should be ignoring the flatstick.
Putting is a crucial skill if you want to shoot lower scores. Hitting the ball close to the hole may be the most premium skill, but you’ve got to be able to roll the ball in the cup to make birdies. Otherwise you’ll just be known as another flusher with the yips on the green.
Golf might not be played like other, more reactive sports (think basketball or football), but that doesn’t mean you can’t apply some of the skillsets those athletes use. In fact, if you add a little reactivity into your golf game — especially on the greens — it could help you shoot lower scores.
In the video below, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Dave Phillips explains how with a breakdown that Phil Mickelson called “simple but brilliant.”
A characteristic of the best putters in the world is they tend to keep more focus on the hole while setting up.
— TPI (@MyTPI) April 17, 2025
Just as a basketball player or QB focus on their target and not the ball, looking at the hole more than the ball or putter head can help a golfer with alignment and… pic.twitter.com/xyghRavfOO
‘Simple but brilliant’ putting advice
It’s easy to become frozen when standing over your ball lining up to putt. But if you watch the best players in the world, they rarely fall victim to this. Why? Because they are always in tune with their target.
“One thing I’ve always had is great speed control,” Phillips says. “And I think that’s because I’m always looking at where I want [the ball] to go.”
Phillips uses a basketball player shooting a free throw as an example. He explains that when a basketball player is getting ready to shoot a free throw, they’re always looking at the hoop. Quarterbacks in football do the same thing when they drop back to pass. They’re always looking at their target.
“So why wouldn’t we do that when we putt?” Phillips says.
When you set up for a putt — especially lags that rely on feel — try adopting this technique. As you are going through your pre-shot routine and readying to stroke the ball, stay in tune with your target. Channel your inner quarterback or shooting guard and you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to dial in your speed.
