Eliminate Maddening Three-Putts

Other than the four-putt complete meltdown, nothing more quickly ruins a promising round of golf than frequently three-putting greens. The PGA Tour categorizes this player statistic as the rather menacing “Three-Putt Avoidance.” Not surprisingly, the game’s best professionals rarely succumb to this malady. Luke Donald once went 434 holes in a row (24-plus rounds) without one. Imagine what consistently rolling the ball only twice on every green can do for the average golfer’s score.

Corey Fields, a PGA Class A Professional based in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., offers his assistance for keeping the putter out of your hands by rolling the long ones close and making the short ones automatic.

The best way to avoid the dreaded three-putt is to improve your lag putting technique. Most golfers don’t realize how many strokes this can save you. For example, a 20-handicap player averages seven three-putts per round; tour players average only one per round.

Here a few helpful keys and drills to focus on to improve your lag putting. 

• Speed – This is the number one factor in becoming a better lag putter. You have to be able to get the ball within a reasonable and make-able distance to increase your chances of two-putting from longer distances.
• Stance – Make sure you have a well-balanced stance for the longer stroke that will be needed.
• Length of your stroke – To putt the ball from further distances you need to develop more touch.  Make sure you have a nice flowing long stroke. Your stroke needs to be the same distance back and through to develop good feel and touch. The biggest mistake I see my students make is to make a short “jabbing” stroke with lots of “hit.”  This type of stroke will make the ball bounce off the putter and produce inconsistent results in distance control.
• Focus – Make sure you stick to your routine on longer putts. Treat the 50-footer just like a 3-foot putt. Do not just focus on trying to get the ball close to the hole. This will lead you to have a bigger target and a bigger area to miss.
• Green reading – Make sure you examine the green to determine the high and low point of the putt as well as the grain for the speed of the putt.

Following are a few helpful drills to help you reduce your three-putts.

Look at the hole drill – Get into your putting routine and posture. After you have completed your set-up look at the hole only while you stroke the ball. This will develop your feel and touch for long distance putts.

Ladder Drill – Set balls up in a ladder sequence at 15, 30, 45 and 60 feet from the hole.  Putt each ball to the hole from each distance until each one is holed out in two or less strokes. You need to practice like you are on the course to develop confidence.

Three-foot circle drill – You also have to be able to make the remaining short putts to be a good lag putter. Place five balls in a three-foot circle around hole. Putt each ball until you make all five in a row.