You’re on the green in regulation for the first hole of the
day. You lineup your putt and end up leaving it five feet short. You miss the
five footer and are disgusted. You walk off the green with the bogey knowing
one slipped away.
Now on the second tee frustrated, you swing a little harder
and send the ball out of bounds. You make triple bogey and then shoot 52 on the
front nine all because the three putt on the first hole of the day.
Sound familiar?
It's embarrassing to miss that second putt from short range. Why does this happen?
It's embarrassing to miss that second putt from short range. Why does this happen?
3
putts occur because of a poorly executed routine.
The average three putt occurs between 30 and 40 feet. From
this range, you need to have one goal in mind - get inside of 3 feet for your
second putt.
Here's a technique for eliminating the three putt –
Here's a technique for eliminating the three putt –
Read the green from back to front and left to right to get a
general idea of the slope of the entire surface of the green. Then,
(this next point cannot be stressed enough to almost every student, even the
low handicap ones) look from the perpendicular low side of the target line at
the intended line of the putt.
For instance, if the putt goes uphill from south to north
and breaks west to east you need to stand on the east side of the green and
look to the west at your line (re-read that sentence again and be sure you
understand it because this is the point that tour players spend the majority of
there time reading the green from). This will show you how up or down the slope
is, plus any additional depressions or undulations missed from looking at the
putt from another angle.
And on the physical putting routine…
Once you have read the green, walk halfway between the hole and your ball.
Once you have read the green, walk halfway between the hole and your ball.
Look at your target and make some practice strokes
continuously while you are looking at your target.
Now step back to your ball and do the same thing again. Make
three or four continuous practice strokes while looking at your target.
Step up to the ball, set up to your target and stroke it in
the hole.
For more, visit http://www.gibbsgolf.com
