Find Your Putting Style
The easiest way to improve one’s score is to become a better putter. Avoiding 3 putts is easy if you follow a basic principle. However, before any improvement can be made, you first need to find out your putting style. Some people “die” the ball into the hole; while other people hit it hard and hit the back of the hole. There are advantages to both styles, but whichever style feels natural to you, you should stick with it. People who tend to “die” the ball into the hole often come up short when putting but more often than not they leave a very low-stress second putt. Those who tend to hit putts more aggressively may make a few more birdies but will often hit it past the hole several feet, which in turn leaves them with a bit more stressful second putt. If you are a putter who “dies” the ball into the hole, you are comfortable playing more break, however, if you suddenly decide to change styles and hit a ball harder than you usually would, chances are you will miss on the high side of the cup. The opposite is true if you are comfortable hitting a putt firm and playing less break and you decide to hit it softer. Chances are you will miss the putt on the low side. The next time you are on the putting green, find a 10 or 15-foot putt; try hitting 3 “die” putts into the hole and 3 putts playing less break and being more aggressive. Attempt this several times at a few different holes. Whichever style you feel most comfortable with is the style you should putt with.
In the picture below the yellow golf balls represent putts where I was more aggressive and hit the ball harder. Notice they all went by a few feet and I have much longer putts going back to the hole. The white golf balls represent putts that I hit while trying to “die” the golf ball into the hole, clearly, I get the ball much closer to the hole being less aggressive. With this method, I may not make as many birdies but I make a lot of pars and seldom 3 putt.
