Putting
Putting is rolling the ball across the green towards the hole — the stroke with the putter that decides the round.
Putting accounts for around 40 percent of all strokes in a round of golf. Two putts per hole are considered standard, which is why the assumption of "par" always includes a two-putt. It is played exclusively with the putter, a club with an almost vertical face that makes the ball roll rather than fly. Technically putting belongs to the short game, mentally it is a discipline of its own: the stroke is small, but the nerves are not. If you want to lower your stroke count, the quickest gains are almost always on the green, not off the tee.
A concrete example from practice: your ball is six metres from the flag and the green slopes slightly from right to left. During green reading you walk behind the ball, estimate the slope and set the starting line one ball-width right of the hole. The putt sets off on this line, takes the slope and drops in the middle. If it does not, distance control counts above all: the second putt should come from under a metre. It is exactly this two-putt pattern that separates solid rounds from frustrating ones.
The classic mistake is too much wrist. When putting, shoulders and arms work as a unit and the wrists stay quiet — anyone who flips loses line and pace. Equally common: shortening the through-swing for fear of the hole, which leaves the ball constantly short. And then there are the yips, the involuntary twitch on short putts that even professionals are not immune to. Against all of this a firm routine helps: the same sequences, the same breath, the same gaze — on every putt.
FAQ
How much practice time should I put into putting?
Considerably more than most do: if around 40 percent of your strokes are putts, a similar share of your practice time should belong to the green. Instead of another hour of driver on the range, thirty minutes of short putts will measurably do more. You can usually use the facility's putting green for that free of charge and without a tee time.
What is the most common technical mistake in putting?
Too much wrist. In a clean putt, shoulders and arms work as one unit and the wrists stay quiet — anyone who flips loses line and pace at the same time. Equally common is the shortened through-swing out of fear of the hole, which leaves the ball constantly short. A firm routine with the same sequence on every putt helps against both.
What are the yips and what can I do about them?
The yips are an involuntary twitch in the hands on short putts that even professionals are not immune to. A changed grip, a different type of putter or deliberate changes to your routine, which rewire the stroke, can help. It is important to know: it is a well-known phenomenon and not a personal weakness, and it can be brought under control.