Every year when the Masters rolls around I’m awestruck watching the pros navigate Augusta National’s tricky greens. Not only are the putting surfaces contoured like few other courses, but they’re also lightning fast. There’s no such thing as a gimme at Augusta, yet the pros make it look easy.
A smooth putting stroke is a must to hole putts on slippery greens. Get a little tentative — or overly aggressive — and your ball has little chance of going in the hole. You’ve got to have an even and consistent stroke to put the proper roll on the ball.
GOLF Top 100 Teacher Trillium Rose has an excellent drill to teach a smooth putting stroke, and all you need is a putter, a ball, and some loose pocket change.
All you need to do is place the coin on the back of your putter and start rolling putts. While you make your stroke, make sure the coin doesn’t fall off. If it does, you’ll know your stroke isn’t as smooth as it needs to be.
Coincidentally, this is a drill I spotted newly-minted Masters champ Scottie Scheffler working on at the Genesis Invitational just a couple months ago. The work seems to have paid off.
Take that same smooth stroke to the course and you’ll have no problem on the greens — even those as fast as Augusta National’s.