Making short putts in tournaments

[Nevin]

I'm a 4.4 index who has been playing in some senior tournaments this summer.  Other than a propensity to make an 8 more than usual, the primary problem this summer has been struggling with short putts under pressure.  2-5 footers have been a major problem.  The stroke looks and feels fine under regular conditions.  Lessons have comfirmed that the stroke is ok.   I try to putt everything out when I play a regular round, but in a tournament it gets really ugly.  Usually starts with 3-putting the first or second hole and then I am off to the races with a typical 6-7 3-putts.  Lots of jerky pulls and shoves.  I never know when it is going to start.  One tournament all I had to do to tie for first was 2 putt that last two holes for 71.  I three putted both.  Clearly it is psychological but I am open to any and all suggestions on how to improve this area of my game.  I have a broomstick (L.A.B.) ordered and I am going to experiment with it.  

[funkyjudge]

Although I currently carry a 15.3 Index, I am still a very competitive golfer (I am almost 74 years old, and had some serious health issues on-and-off from 2017 through early-mid 2021). Prior to my early 60s, I had been a single digit handicapper since 1989 (I didn’t start playing golf until 1985, at age 36).

One thing that has helped me to regain my competitiveness after two rather lengthy layoffs in 2017-18 and again from November, 2020 through May, 2021 has been very good putting. Even when I am all over the place off the tee, I am usually able to prevent really big numbers with my wedge game and putting. This was not always the case, even back in my single-digit playing days.

I’m not sure if this applies to you, but I have found that my putting has gotten a lot better in competition and in high-pressure situations when I completely ignore the importance of the putt and just focus on getting the line and speed right, then take my normal pre-shot and alignment routine and hit the putt. My pre-putt routine is not a lengthy one, but I must keep it consistent. Whenever I have suffered from poor putting and missing putts that I definitely should have made, it seems to have been a result of one of the following:

1.) Over-thinking and standing over the ball too long before “pulling the trigger”.

2.) Following doing the above several times, rushing my putts without looking carefully at the line and the factors affecting the speed of the upcoming putt.

Whenever I do either of the above, disaster is almost always sure to follow.  If either of these maladies applies to your putting in competitive rounds or when under pressure, the same may be happening to you.

By the way, after returning to golf last year, I placed top five in four events on a 22-event winter golf tour, winning two tournaments in the Senior Net Division (54 golfers). In all of those events, plus several wins in the statewide senior travel league and another league that I play in, my chipping, pitching, and putting has saved me many times.

[chisag]

4 hours ago, Nevin said:

I'm a 4.4 index who has been playing in some senior tournaments this summer.  Other than a propensity to make an 8 more than usual, the primary problem this summer has been struggling with short putts under pressure.  2-5 footers have been a major problem.  The stroke looks and feels fine under regular conditions.  Lessons have comfirmed that the stroke is ok.   I try to putt everything out when I play a regular round, but in a tournament it gets really ugly.  Usually starts with 3-putting the first or second hole and then I am off to the races with a typical 6-7 3-putts.  Lots of jerky pulls and shoves.  I never know when it is going to start.  One tournament all I had to do to tie for first was 2 putt that last two holes for 71.  I three putted both.  Clearly it is psychological but I am open to any and all suggestions on how to improve this area of my game. 

 

... This pops up from time to time and the answer is always the same. You are attempting to make your putt go in the hole because that is your focus. Your focus should be on making a good stroke. In other words focus on the process and not the results. As you said "The stroke looks and feels fine under regular conditions" so you can control your stroke but it is impossible to control your results. Once you truly recognize that as fact and you can put a good stroke on a 5 footer and not care if it goes in the hole, the irony is you will make more putts. Crazy game ...  

[funkyjudge]

On 9/10/2022 at 1:54 PM, chisag said:

 

... This pops up from time to time and the answer is always the same. You are attempting to make your putt go in the hole because that is your focus. Your focus should be on making a good stroke. In other words focus on the process and not the results. As you said "The stroke looks and feels fine under regular conditions" so you can control your stroke but it is impossible to control your results. Once you truly recognize that as fact and you can put a good stroke on a 5 footer and not care if it goes in the hole, the irony is you will make more putts. Crazy game ...  

Basically what I was trying to convey in my lengthy response above.

[DiscipleofPenick]

On 9/10/2022 at 1:54 PM, chisag said:

 

... This pops up from time to time and the answer is always the same. You are attempting to make your putt go in the hole because that is your focus. Your focus should be on making a good stroke. In other words focus on the process and not the results. As you said "The stroke looks and feels fine under regular conditions" so you can control your stroke but it is impossible to control your results. Once you truly recognize that as fact and you can put a good stroke on a 5 footer and not care if it goes in the hole, the irony is you will make more putts. Crazy game ...  

Second this! Process over results. Pick up a Bob Rotella book too. 

[BMart519]

On 9/10/2022 at 7:18 AM, Nevin said:

I'm a 4.4 index who has been playing in some senior tournaments this summer.  Other than a propensity to make an 8 more than usual, the primary problem this summer has been struggling with short putts under pressure.  2-5 footers have been a major problem.  The stroke looks and feels fine under regular conditions.  Lessons have comfirmed that the stroke is ok.   I try to putt everything out when I play a regular round, but in a tournament it gets really ugly.  Usually starts with 3-putting the first or second hole and then I am off to the races with a typical 6-7 3-putts.  Lots of jerky pulls and shoves.  I never know when it is going to start.  One tournament all I had to do to tie for first was 2 putt that last two holes for 71.  I three putted both.  Clearly it is psychological but I am open to any and all suggestions on how to improve this area of my game.  I have a broomstick (L.A.B.) ordered and I am going to experiment with it.  

Experiment with "heads up" putting inside 6' or some other short distance. You should be less "yippy" if you are not staring at the ball and you obviously have the skill to make a 5' putt at a high percentage. 

One other mental trick I use is to aim at a spot that is not the hole no matter how short the putt. 
- my default spot is 6-12" past the hole for flat or uphill putts, I will pick a blade of grass either side of center if I am aiming inside right or inside left
- for downhill, I  pick a patch of grass just in front of the hole on my line for that "Die it in" feel. 

This gets my mind off focusing on the hole, making the putt, and what it is worth. I'm just hitting the putt to a blade of grass. 

When all else fails, do the clock drill in practice more often from 3-6' away. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

I'm going to suggest something a little different. 

With you being a 4.4 it's obvious you have talent. This is something I've used in other sports as well as good, but it's simple and straight forward. Find a breathing pattern or rhythm that works with your stroke and focus only on that after you've set up. Your body likely knows what to do and how to do it so let it take over and just focus on a simply breathing pattern. 

Example i will get myself setup, do a quick flash forward of where and how the putt should look while looking at the cup, then headdown small press forward and breath in while taking the putt back and out when making the stroke through. It's the same breathing pattern and i rely on muscle memory and all the other info my body has taken in by just looking and Walking around to make the proper stroke. 

My putting is my clear strength of my game and for me i owe it a lot to this approach.

Side note it also helps smooth out my putting stroke.

[null]

On 9/10/2022 at 9:18 AM, Nevin said:

I'm a 4.4 index who has been playing in some senior tournaments this summer.  Other than a propensity to make an 8 more than usual, the primary problem this summer has been struggling with short putts under pressure.  2-5 footers have been a major problem.  The stroke looks and feels fine under regular conditions.  Lessons have comfirmed that the stroke is ok.   I try to putt everything out when I play a regular round, but in a tournament it gets really ugly.  Usually starts with 3-putting the first or second hole and then I am off to the races with a typical 6-7 3-putts.  Lots of jerky pulls and shoves.  I never know when it is going to start.  One tournament all I had to do to tie for first was 2 putt that last two holes for 71.  I three putted both.  Clearly it is psychological but I am open to any and all suggestions on how to improve this area of my game.  I have a broomstick (L.A.B.) ordered and I am going to experiment with it.  

Sounds like a mental things.

I cant recommend "Unconscious Putting" by Dave Stockton enough.  It changed my mental approach to putting drastically and turned it into the strength of my game.

[GolfSpy TCB]

5 minutes ago, Golfspy_Lukes said:

Sounds like a mental things.

I cant recommend "Unconscious Putting" by Dave Stockton enough.  It changed my mental approach to putting drastically and turned it into the strength of my game.

Stockton is a GOD on the greens.  Love this book!

[Nevin]

Thanks to everyone for their ideas and comments.  I did an experiment yesterday and drew a small dot on the shaft of the putter about 6 inches about the head.  I looked at the dot instead of the ball while putting and I have to say that it worked great and only had 30 putts for the day.   No flinching.  The short putts were where it really excelled with all of them going into the center of the hole.  Whether this is a "works only one day" solution or something that is a continued improvement is still unclear.  Whether this works at all in a tournament remains to be seen.  I have a one day tournament in one week.  We'll see.  

[CarlH]

On 9/10/2022 at 12:54 PM, chisag said:

 

... This pops up from time to time and the answer is always the same. You are attempting to make your putt go in the hole because that is your focus. Your focus should be on making a good stroke. In other words focus on the process and not the results. As you said "The stroke looks and feels fine under regular conditions" so you can control your stroke but it is impossible to control your results. Once you truly recognize that as fact and you can put a good stroke on a 5 footer and not care if it goes in the hole, the irony is you will make more putts. Crazy game ...  

Bingo!!  This is spot on!!

I'm also a big fan of developing a pre-shot routine that you repeat for every putt....be it for 20 foot or 3, casual round or tournament round, for birdie or bogey, on the course or on the practice range...repeat the routine, stroke the putt, and let it happen.