Half your shots happen here.
THE QUICK WALKTHROUGH
The one thing that separates high-handicappers from lower scorers is putting. The average golfer takes 30–40 putts a round — 40–50% of every shot — and even pros see 35–45% of their strokes come from the green. That's why putting is the fastest way to lower your score: you can bomb drives and stripe irons, but three-putt every green and it all leaks away. Best of all, putting doesn't need strength or athleticism — anyone can get good at it.
Understanding the green — the two pillars
A putt is any stroke with the putter on the green; the goal isn't height but controlling speed and direction to hole it as efficiently as possible. Two skills carry it:
- Distance control — how hard to hit the putt. A short putt and a long one need very different power, and faster greens need a softer touch than slow ones.
- Reading the green — slopes, grain, and undulation all bend the roll; learning to see them makes or breaks a putt.
Beginner goals
Kill the three-putt — getting down in two is the quickest way to break 100. Distance before line — better slightly off line but close than perfect on line and 10 feet away; master the lag putt.
CheckpointLight grip, settled posture
Hold the putter lightly with a relaxed grip; feet about shoulder-width, knees slightly flexed.
CheckpointBall just ahead of centre
Position the ball just forward of centre in your stance.
CheckpointStraight back, straight through
Keep the putter face square through impact — a consistent, repeatable arc, not a flicked or steered stroke.
CheckpointAccelerate smoothly, never quit
Keep a smooth, rhythmic stroke through the ball — no decelerating at impact.
FeelRoll a marble (soft hands)
Picture rolling a marble gently across a table — the less tension in your hands, the smoother the stroke.
FeelSwing like a pendulum
Let the putter swing like a pendulum — equal length back and through.
FeelRead the green like flowing water
Imagine pouring a bucket of water on the green — the way it runs downhill is the way your putt breaks.
MORE TO WATCH
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you're serious about breaking 100, putting is where to focus — you don't need 300-yard drives, you need to avoid three-putts, and anyone can become a great putter at any age. Two solid shots and a two-putt beats a perfect drive and a three-putt; the second is just more reliable. Kill three-putts by prioritising distance over direction, and give putting its due — 40–50% of your practice on the green, like the pros.
A great putter outscores a great driver.