The Three Skills of Putting

Fast forward to current times, there are a lot of excellent putting instructors in the golf industry. Many of them good friends and former Slazenger putter fitters. Of the 1,200 systems placed in the world, at least +100 users were very passionate and developed their skills, as did we the original developers. 

We define the 3 key skills of putting as follows:

• Read
• Speed
• Feed

Read is the skill of predicting the path to the hole. This skill includes one’s perception of slope, both degree and direction, combined with ball speed. A correct speed will provide enough momentum for the ball to reach the hole at a pace that will allow the hole to capture the ball. A perfectly straight putt will involve limited paths to the hole. Accuracy is a key attribute to making straight putts. A breaking putt will involve many paths to the hole. The greater the curved path to the hole, the greater the number of potential start lines. The “Cone of Safety” was a term I first heard from John Dunigan, PGA describing the variance of the High Line (die in the hole) and the Low Line (firm speed captured by the hole). From the point where the ball sits, the high line aim point and the low line aim point form a cone shape.

Speed is the key attribute in determining the path to the hole. Without the keen, intuitive skill of controlling speed (or distance to the hole), the ability to perceive successful path to the hole can be elusive.  Considering the PGA Tour Baseline Probability of making a putt from 10 feet in only around 38%, keen distance control is the number one factor in limiting three or more putts on the green.

Feed is simply the methodology, or mechanics, of rolling the ball accurately on the start line of the putt. The “start line” refers to the first 6”-12” of the path to the cup. To expand on this concept, consider a perfectly straight ten foot putt. Just one degree of putter face variance at impact will create a variance of approximately 2” at the hole. Just one degree variance can be the difference of making or missing the putt. It should be no surprise that the probability of making an eight foot putt on the PGA Tour is around 50%. 

The first step to exceptional putting is to develop a simple, fluid motion. The keys to a simple fluid motion are:

• Setup and Posture
• Balance
• Good Alignment
• Good Rhythm
• Consistent Tempo

Putting is easy; making putts is hard!