Golf Tips » May 2005: Practice “slamming” your putts!

Most golfers have a tendency to try and "die" the ball into the hole when they are putting. 

Although I think that is fine for putts of 20 feet and more, those shorter putts, particularly the 3 to 4 footers need to be putted with much more speed. There is an area about 1 foot to 3 feet short of the hole that my friend Dave Peltz calls the "lumpy doughnut". This is the area where everyone walks. Eventually this area becomes "concave" and putts rolling through this area, without enough speed, can be knocked off-line. In order to build the confidence needed to hit these putts firmly on course, you have to practice hitting them even harder on the practice green. I call it "slamming" as you literally "slam" the ball into the back of the cup. On the practice green it does not matter if the ball goes 3 or 4 feet past the cup as you don’t have to putt them again. You will be surprised though how many putts will still go in. 

Now when you are on the course you will have the confidence to hit the putts at least 12 to 18 inches past the hole. Your number of putts per round will drop, that’s a promise!