Watching the U.S. Open this past weekend, you likely saw some
very delicate yet deliberate putting strokes. But no matter how
fast the greens you putt on regularly, the key to success on is
having a smooth putting tempo.
Watching the U.S. Open this past weekend, you likely saw some very delicate yet deliberate putting strokes. But no matter how fast the greens you putt on regularly, the key to success on is having a smooth putting tempo.
The speed of the stroke going back and through must be consistent. You don’t want to go back in first gear and come through in fourth gear. You will never be able to form any consistency and be able to play different courses with that kind of stroke.
By keeping the tempo smooth and slow, you simply can adjust the length of your putting stroke for the length of the putt. Longer putts need longer strokes, shorter putts need shorter stokes.
I usually have my students think about inches to feet. Take the putter back one inch for every foot you want the ball to travel. Now, this is just a basic formula to keep in your head. It can be adjusted up or down depending on the speed of the greens you are playing, or if you are putting uphill or downhill.
Also, it is VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON’T PUTT WITH YOUR WRISTS. Use a pendulum motion with your arms and shoulders, keeping your wrists and hands quiet.
Do these things and watch the number of putts you average per round drop rapidly…
Don DeLorenzo is a PGA-certified instructor at Gilroy Golf Course. To schedule a lesson with Don, call Gilroy GC at (408) 848-0490.
