What I Would Give To Be Able To Hit A 4 Footer...

[CybrSlicr]

League night tonight and I felt comfortable waiting to take my first swing of the day. My goal is 45 with nothing bigger than a 6 for any hole.

My first swing on the 10th hole - a 450yd par 5 (driver off the tee) is lost left but I manage to work myself to 3 feet in 5 and I blow the 3 footer to save 6 (I roll it 4 ft past and make the comeback putt).

After a good 5 on 11 (a tough par 4), I get myself on the 433yd par 5 12th in 3 (4 feet away) and I roll that one a foot past.

I fly the 13th green (a tricky little uphill par 3 - 160 yds) leaving a very hard chip down a hill over a ridge to a small green. Somehow I pull off a sweet flop that stops 3 feet from the cup. Put that one a foot past the cup.

I work a 5 on the next hole, and manage a good drive on the 378 yd par 4 15th. I leave the 8 iron just short of the green and I bump my hybrid up to 3 feet again, and what do you think happens? Yep - missed to the right.

On 16 and 18, I three putt each, missing the second putt on both from 5 feet.

I finished at 47 (which I am OK with), but I feel the 42 was out there for me and I was unable to grab it (5 missed putts from 5 feet or less). I feel as though I tense up on the putts I feel I should make.

Does this happen to you guys and gals? How do you prepare for your short putts to release the tension before swinging? Is this something that more practice can help with?

[Vision.Pro]

When i set up and address a putt i like to release my arms so they are loose (helps to prevent tension and nerves from coming into effect) also keeping the head down is key, as i notice alot of people tilt their head to see the hole or they try to watch their stroke from the putter. Just focus on the ball and be confident that the ball will go where you want.

[JEFF4i]

One thing that kind of is obvious, but make sure you relax.

Also, go to the putting green before a tournament and just put 3-5 footers for a while, it really does help and I find I feel more confident since I did practice them.

[cypressperch]

are concerned mostly with speed. On short putts you are concerned mostly with direction. Be very carefull about reading too much break in short putts. I like having "ONE-TWO" in my mind as I make a one-two stroke.

Some things you might want to try. With your eyes over the ball, rotate your head so that you look right at the cup (or point you want to roll the ball at). Stare that point down a couple of seconds, return your eyes to the ball, and without hesitation make your stroke. (I think you are going to like the results this gives you.)

Being able to see both the cup and the ball is a big reason why short putts can be difficult. The above tip over-comes this by outright acknowledging where the cup is. It actually makes being able to see the cup work for you since that is where you want to stroke the ball to. For some, a different method has been known to work well. If you are right handed, close your left eye and make your stroke.

A good drill for all putts is to line up a putt of eighteen inches or so, and simple rake the ball into the cup with the putter. Doing so keeps the putter face square to the line.

You want to remove tension in your muscles, and one area that really needs to have all tension removed is your right shoulder if you are right handed. Think of having a really "Soft" right shoulder and I think you will find it far easier to keep the putter face square to the line and above all to avoid the number one enemy of putting which is DE-ACCELERATION. Take the putter head back far enough to give you the distance you need without having to jab at the ball or slow the putterhead down before impact! ONE-TWO works quite well, especially on short putts.

Think about rolling the ball to a specific point. Get so much into that thought that you NEVER allow missing to enter your mind. If you miss, forget about it. When practicing, practice many, many two-footers. It improves your stroke, builds confidence, and will prevent you from being careless if you miss them which you will if you are careless.

The best of luck to you with your game, especially the putting. Sincerely, Cypressperch

[Bravo]

Cybr:

I have described this technique for short putts here previously.

When you have a putt of six feet or less, in your field of vision you can actually see the hole and the ball.

Get some balls and go to the practice green. Get about 5-6 feet away from the hole and look straight down at your ball while at the same time, seeing the hole with your peripheral vision of your left eye (assuming you are right handed). So just get this image in your field of vision.

Then, train your eyes to be the most aware of the hole and the putterhead. When you putt, your eyes are watching you stroke the putterhead straight toward the hole (or the intended line you have read if the putt breaks). The ball "happens to be in the way".

What this does is train your eyes to see the putterhead moving straight toward the hole or target line because you can see all three objects (putterhead,ball, hole) on putts of this length. It also tends to reduce de-acceleration because you are training your eyes to watch the putterhead pass through the ball on its way to the hole or intended line...

I have been a good short putter for a long time. My biggest weakness is reading greens and medium/long putts. I don't three putt much at all but unfortunately don't make many outside of ten feet.

[Qoka]

I used to miss these short ones all the time. A one footer would have my knees knocking. Then, after a lot of self analysis, I found that I was turning my shoulders on these short putts. I now keep my shoulder very still and use a bit of right arm and a lot of wrist. I use the pendulum approach like Nicklaus suggests in his book, "Golf My Way". It made a huge difference to my short putting game

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

Put some practice on these kind. I've found the following drill helpful.

Measure out spots 3 feet, 5 feet, and 7 feet from the hole. Start from 3 feet and sink 3 balls in a row. Once you make those 3 in a row, move back to 5 feet, and sink 3 in a row. If you miss any, start again at 3 feet. Once you've got 6 in a row, from 3 and 5 feet, then move back to 7 feet and sink 3 in a row there. Again, if you miss from back there, start over again at 3 feet. You aren't done with the drill until you've sunk 9 putts in a row, 3 each from 3, 5, and 7 feet.

[smitty]

My biggest and most frustrating problem for many years was an inability to make the three to five footers with any consistency. It was solved when I took a putting lesson from a pro and received some subsequent tips from another pro while being fitted for a putter at a fitting center. Continung to apply these tips over time really changed me into a better than average putter from the three to five foot range.

Most people never consider taking a putting lesson, but a half hour with a decent pro on the putting green can really help you eliminate some bad habits and get the confidence you need (you probably tense up due to lack of confidence) to make the short ones.