Delo’s Divots: A majority of the time, bad putting days can be
attributed more to poor distance control rather than poor
accuracy.
We all have had bad putting days. Days where we had four or five three-putt greens, or worse. The kind of days where the hole just seems to move when you strike the ball. A majority of the time, bad putting days can be attributed more to poor distance control rather than poor accuracy.
Three-putting just lets those strokes pile up. When was the last three-putt you had by missing the hole 10 feet to the left or right? It’s not likely. But hitting a putt 10 feet past of the hole or short of it is a common occurrence, and it leads to three-putts.
Missing shorter putts is often a speed issue, such as when you hit the ball too hard to eliminate the break or too soft that the ball curls in front of the hole and dies on the edge.
Make sure you concentrate on distance and speed. Any person with reasonable vision can line up the putter so it is aiming at the target. Now forget about direction; take some practice strokes to refine the speed.
One of the best putting drills I give my students on the practice putting green is to take several balls and go to the center of the green. Then hit a ball or two to each hole. This way you will constantly be hitting different length putts that make you adjust the length of your stroke for the length of your putt. You will start improving your distance control in no time.
Don DeLorenzo is a PGA-certified instructor at Gilroy Golf Course. To schedule a lesson with Don, call Gilroy GC at (408) 848-0490.
