THE SECRET TO BETTER PUTTING

BY RICHARD HATT-
HEAD PROFESSIOANL ROYAL MELBOURNE GC, VICTORIA

I have had a number of players over the years ask how they could best improve their putting from three-, four- and five-feet. They say they are constantly being frustrated by the odd three-putt because they missed the second putt from that range.

My answer to them is not to work on their shorter putts but to work on their longer putts. Get them closer and you won’t be left with par-saving putts from that awkward three- to five-feet range.

Think about it. How many fourfooters have you faced in the past two or three rounds? It would be nice if all of these were for a birdie but chances are they are the result of leaving their first putt, from long range, that far from the hole.

This long putt problem has been passed down from generation-togeneration as golfers continue to do the original. They stand behind the ball and look at the line, they move into the ball and have a practice swing (if they don’t they’re in deep trouble) looking at the ground in front of them or examining their putting stroke (making sure they take the putter straight back is a common observation).

These actions will give you no feeling of how hard to hit the putt. In fact, what it does is confuse the brain even more. Your eyes are a gauge of measure (try throwing a piece of paper into a waste basket from a distance...you look at the bin and most times you will get the paper in or go very close) and for that reason looking at the hole is important in determining how hard to hit that approach putt.

The answer to how hard you have to hit the putt is not on the ground in front of you, the answer is where the hole is. How many times have you practiced a putt after not getting it close and found the second one rolled much nearer the hole? As you know though, in golf you don’t get a second go.

Your brain and body actually knows more than you think it knows. Using your eyes as the gauge of measure, take your address position at the side of the ball and turn your head and look at the hole (pic 1). Now start swinging that putter, two or three times, back and forth.

While you are doing this, your eyes are telling your body how hard to swing the putter to make the ball travel the right distance to the hole.

Once you have established how hard you have to hit the putt, move in and hit it as soon as possible (pics 2 & 3). The longer you stop between the practice stroke and the real stroke, the more chance you have of letting other thoughts enter your mind, clouding your judgement.

See the January 2007 issue of Golf Australia magazine for more instruction tips.