Lag Putting / Routine

[Junior]

I'm really struggling with my lag putting at the minute. Our greens are in great nick for this time of year but from distance i'm always leaving myself too much work too do. I'm either 10 ft past the hole or 6ft to 10 ft short.

Anyone got any tips, drills, pre shot routines they use that work ???

Cheers, jnr

 

[Basher]

My pro says it's all to do with backswing and acceleration through the ball.

Say the ball is 4 clublengths from the hole. Address the ball, swing back 2 tee lengths then concentrate on making sure the putter is accelerating as you contact the ball. Also keep the clubhead square as you follow through on shorter putts.

Simply put,

2 clublengths from the hole = 1 tee length
4 clublengths from the hole = 2 tee lengths
6 clublengths from the hole = 3 tee lengths

and so on. It seems to work for me but it takes practise.

 

[MVP]

look at the hole while practicing a stroke to get a feel for distance. Very good tip! a lot of pros use! definately improved my game.

 

[John_Findlay]

Agree, MVP. I used to pace out the putt (Dave Pelz style) and take a backswing according to that yardage....but it didn't work. Lost all feel. I now just let my brain work it out, no mechanical thoughts. Has helped a bundle.

 

[golfcitydweller]

i would also agree with `mvp` - once u start thinkin about it ur on the slippery slope ....putting `s all about feel so try not to worry about it ..it`ll come just b patient...euan

 

[medwayjon]

I am in unison with MVP & J_F also.

I think that too much analysis can open a real can of worms.

My putting isn't too shabby so must be doing it ok.

I don't beleieve that there is any magical routine or formula out there, putting is so individual. Some putt softly whilst Tiger absolutely rattles them in. polar opposites for the same stroke.

 

[Gasp]

Again agree with MVP, looking at the hole while practising the stroke has helped my distance control immensely. Another thing that helps me is to keep the tempo of every putt the same. Imagine a metranome in your head. Every stroke takes the same amount of time. Long putt, short putt they do not differ in tempo. This promotes good acceleration through the ball also consistant feel.

 

[Leftie]

May not work for everyone but try this in practice.

Set up for the putt as normal. Take a final look at the hole but don't look back at the ball. Concentrate on looking at the hole and make your stroke. Feels weird at first and the line of the putt may not be exact (although often surprisingly close), but your eyes and brain might just work together on distance control.

 

[brendy]

Lefie, I do this on the practice green, all putts from 1-40 feel, Its all bout being comfortable with where the bll is exactly before you hit it. If you feel unconfortable it wont work, It wont work for everyone but I find it very acurate though on medal days I always chicken out and revert to normal on the course.

 

[RGuk]

I set up to the ball, then step a pace back, look at the hole and swing (whilst looking at the hole) back and forth, getting the feel for the speed. As an old geezer said once, "if I asked you to roll the ball to the hole by hand, you'd get it within a foot or two if you looked at the hole whilst taking a few practice swings."

Step up and repeat the length of swing on the real putt and remember to accelerate through the ball.

Works for me. Some folks do this standing at 90 degrees behind the ball.

Dave

 

[MVP]

My pro says it's all to do with backswing and acceleration through the ball.

Say the ball is 4 clublengths from the hole. Address the ball, swing back 2 tee lengths then concentrate on making sure the putter is accelerating as you contact the ball. Also keep the clubhead square as you follow through on shorter putts.

Simply put,

2 clublengths from the hole = 1 tee length
4 clublengths from the hole = 2 tee lengths
6 clublengths from the hole = 3 tee lengths

and so on. It seems to work for me but it takes practise.

Surely that will depend on the type off surface, length of grass and type of grass, wet or dry etc?
But if it works fair play

 

[Basher]

Point taken MVP. As a rule of thumb it does seem to work for me.
I do take onboard what you say about grass length, surface etc

 

[viscount17]

I think the only way to sort yourself out on this is on the practice green but you need to be bloody-minded to do it as it takes up space. A friend got me working on the ladder drill, starting from 2 yds and working back at 2 yd intervals with the object of simply lagging into your kill range. If you work on that being 1 club length you've got about a 6 ft target.
My pro reckons the 'backswing' and follow-through must be equal at about 1 inch to the foot. That may not work for you, depends how hard you strike it I guess, but it's a starting point.

 

[mooseantler]

Haven't had a 3-putt in my last 4 rounds with this routine:

Read the putt from behind the ball
Make 3 practice putts looking at the hole
Make 1 normal practice stroke
1 more look
Pull the trigger!