Putting can be an extremely frustrating part of the game. There’s nothing worse than hitting a few good shots only to lose your birdie opportunity with a three-putt.
Usually the culprit of the dreaded three-putt is poor distance control. While a stroke that can put the ball on the line is important, nothing can replace a good touch.
That’s why having a speed prediction system is so important. We use rangefinders on the fairways and tee boxes, so why not use one on the putting green? No, I don’t mean that you should actually pull out a laser when reading your putts, but I would suggest that you step 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 to count the steps between your ball and the hole. (Don’t take too long or you’ll quickly become an enemy to your playing partners.)
Just like when you hit a ball from the fairway, you need a way to calibrate how far the ball should travel. Traveling the distance between your ball and the hole while reading the putt will provide you with valuable information that will help you control your speed.
By sloping your putts you can create a consistent reference for distance so you can adjust your stroke accordingly. Shorter putts require shorter strokes; longer putts require longer putts, etc.
How to practice stepping off your putts
1. Set up your exercise station
I like to start by measuring 5, 10 and 15 paces from the hole and place a tee in the ground to mark them. Start hitting putts from each marker and record how long your stroke is for each marker. Start with the shortest putts and work your way up.
2. Adjust your stroke
As you perform this exercise, make a mental note of how far you bring the putterhead back and forward. As you do this, the tempo of your stroke should remain consistent. The only thing that changes is the length.
3. Choose any distance
After you get an idea of your shot size from each distance, you can work on the refinement. Try single putts up and down hills from different distances and note how the slopes affect your shot size.
Why I teach stepping off putts
I enjoy teaching my students how to slow the putts for a few reasons. First, it makes them more consistent putters, which reduces the number of three-putts and helps them achieve lower scores. This leads to more confidence, allowing them to make more committed shots. 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 struggle with distance control on the greens, give this method a try.
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