Struggling with short putts can be a frustrating experience for golfers at any level. Whether you’re facing a 3-footer or an 8-footer, these critical shots can make or break your round.
To consistently hole more short putts, it’s essential to master both your technique and your mental approach. We’ve drafted in all the experts to give you the best putting tips. Including advice from PGA Pro Paul Waring. He demonstrates key putting drills that can help you dial in your stroke.
As well as tips from the authors of The Lost Art of Putting. Renowned DP World Tour coach Gary Nicol and mind coach Karl Morris. Gary offer’s tips on how to practice your putting whilst Karl offers a valuable mental tip that might shock you.
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Paul Waring Quick Tips for Holing More 6-8ft Putts
Paul Waring has played on both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR. He has a solid list of achievements including his recent 2024 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship victory and 2018 Nordea Master’s win.
NCG’s Steve CarrolI, visited Paul at his home club Bromborough on the Wirral where he talked through how to get the ball in the hole from that niggly little range that so many of us fret over.
So, what are his tips on holing more short putts?
1. Be Realistic
A lot of golfer’s have high expectations when it comes to putting. Amateur golfer’s might be shocked to learn that the pros don’t hole as many from inside 8ft that you think.
The PGA reported putting stats for the 2024 season. The holing out percentage might be less than you think…
6ft 70.98%
7ft 61.31%
8ft 53.08%
These are the best players in the world and so the average club golfer therefore a club golfer will hole significantly less.
2. Take Aim
Gather information on the putt such as the distance, slope direction, and surface conditions. From here you can make a judgement on the start line.
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From here take aim. Make sure both your body and ball are lined up to the intended target.
3. Be Positive
Being positive with your stroke is important. Once you have committed to a line and pace, create a stroke that is confident.
Also, being positive mentally is important. If you’re stood over the ball thinking you’re going to miss the ball then you’re already setting yourself up for failure. You should trust in your judgement and ability.
- RELATED: Ultimate Guide to Putting
Gary Nicol Putting Principles
Putting is very individual. There is no right or wrong way but there are some fundamentals that stay consistent amongst the best players in the world as Gary explains.
1. Striking a Putt
Striking a ball from the centre of the putter face creates a natural momentum. This isn’t achieved when the ball is hit off centre and so that makes distance judgement more difficult. Working on hitting putts more out of the centre will increase consistency.
2. Pace
A lot of golfers get caught up on line but more often than not amateur golfer’s struggle with pace over line. Hit a putt with a good pace will make a second putt much easier.
3. Practice
A lot of golfer’s get on the putting green before a round and just hit longer putts. Golfer’s tend to have a short putt on every hole on the course and so why would you not prepare yourself for this. Short putts should be practiced too!
Mind Tip to Hole More Short Putts
Karl Morris co author of The Lost Art of Putting book poses the question ‘When was the last time you saw something for the first time that’s always been there?’.
Understanding this question will help could be the key to holing more short putts…
With putting it is important that your mind is in the best place to allow your putting stroke to come out on a more natural basis. And, sometimes a player goes into autopilot and perform things the same way over and over again. This means that it’s often easy to miss what’s always there.
Karl is talking about something called the retinal after image. The retinal after image is a glow you see after you strike the ball on the putting green.
The retinal after image appears after every stroke you make on the green. If you haven’t seen it before that suggests that your attention is immediately on something else. Your attention is immediately drawn to the hole.
If you make a conscious effort to look for the retinal after image after hitting a putt it focuses your mind on the present. You aren’t thinking about the result, or the struggles you may have had earlier in the round. It keeps your mind focused on the task in hand.
So keep an eye out for the retinal after image in future. You will see an immediate improvement in your stroke.
Conclusion
In conclusion, holding more short putts requires a blend of technique and mental focus. By incorporating Paul Waring’s putting tips, you can ensure that your stroke is steady and accurate. He also discusses the importance of managing expectations and being realistic, a putting tip a lot of golfer’s could benefit from hearing. Equally important is the mental aspect, where Karl Morris’ mindset tip helps you stay focused on the task in hand. Keep these strategies in mind, and watch your putting performance improve.
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