Putting can be an extremely frustrating part of the game. There’s nothing worse than hitting a couple of good shots only to squander your birdie opportunity with a three-putt.
Typically, the culprit for the dreaded three-putt is poor distance control. While a stroke that can start the ball on line is important, there’s nothing that can substitute for proper touch.
That’s why having a system for predicting speed is so important. We use rangefinders from the fairways and tee boxes, so why not use one on the putting green? No, I don’t mean you should actually pull out a laser when you’re reading your putts, but I do suggest stepping off the distance to the hole with your feet.
How stepping off putts works
One of the ways I teach my students to improve speed control is by counting the steps between your ball and the hole. (Just don’t take too long to do it, or you will soon become an enemy of your playing partners.)
Just like when hitting a ball from the fairway, you need a way to calibrate how far the ball should travel. Walking off the distance from your ball to the hole as you read the putt provides valuable information that will help you control your speed.
By pacing off your putts, you can create a consistent reference for distance, allowing you to adjust your stroke accordingly. Shorter putts call for shorter strokes; longer putts require longer ones, etc.
How to practice stepping off your putts
1. Set up your practice station
I like to start by measuring out 5, 10 and 15 paces from the hole and placing a tee in the ground to mark them. Start hitting putts from each marker and take note of how long your stroke is for each. Start with the shortest putts and work your way up.
2. Adjust your stroke
As you go through this exercise, make a mental note of how far back and through you take the putterhead. While you do this, the tempo of your stroke should remain consistent. The only thing that changes is the length.
3. Dial in each distance
After you’ve gotten a feel for your stroke size from each distance, work on fine-tuning. Try some putts up and down hills from different distances and make note of how the slopes affect your stroke size.
Why I teach stepping off putts
I like teaching my students to pace off putts for a few reasons. For one, it makes them more consistent putters, which reduces three-putts and helps them shoot lower scores. This leads to increased confidences, which allows them to make more committed strokes. Additionally, when they step off their putts, it forces them to be more structured during their practice time, which is always good for improvement.
If you are struggling with distance control on the greens, give this method a shot.
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