Tees, at least according to one notable longtime pro, aren’t just for tee shots. Nor are they meant only for play on the tee box.
As we review our most-read tips of 2022, an unconventional use of a tee was part of your favorite putting advice. The thought involved speed control. And it came from no less than Brad Faxon, one of golf’s all-time great putters, in just a 55-second video he shared ahead of the Masters.
Undoubtedly, a player will be tested by uphill and downhill putts, especially at Augusta National. So to prepare, Faxon will place a tee in the back of a cup — for uphillers, the goal will be to hit it; for downhillers, the idea is not to.
All of it maybe gives you a better thought than ‘hit it harder’ or ‘hit it softer,’ though you may want to get your superintendent’s OK before wedging your tee in.
Here was Faxon’s advice in full:
“With the Masters approaching, speed control is going to be really important to the winner of the tournament,” he said. “I love this drill. On uphill putts, put a tee in the back of the hole, just like that. [Faxon placed a tee in the back of the hole.] Practice hitting the ball hard enough so that you have enough speed so that your ball will hit that tee on the uphill putt.”
At this point in the video, Faxon hit his putt, and the ball finished at the back of the hole.
“That was good,” he said.
“Now on the downhill putt, it’s the opposite. We’re going to put the tee on the other side of the hole [Faxon placed his tee in the back of the hole], and when I go to putt the downhill putt, I want the ball to roll in and not touch the tee. This is a great exercise for you to practice hitting the putt with the right speed for putts that are uphill and putts that are downhill.”
Here, Faxon rolled one that trickled in.
“If you can judge your speed during the Masters, you got a really good chance to win,” he said.
To read the original story, published on April 2, please click here.
