Have you wondered how to hit your putts the right distance every time, no matter what the length? Well, pay attention and you could learn one of the best kept secrets of the touring professional. The interesting thing about distance control is that most people already have the necessary motor skill that will allow them to hit any length putt the correct speed. This motor skill is simply the same eye-hand coordination (feel) used to toss a paper into the waste can from across the room. It is also the same skill used in your prior sports experience throwing a ball to a target like that of baseball, softball, bowling, or Bocci. As a matter of fact, the best amateur putter I ever saw was a world class Bocci player as well. The point is that you may already have developed the skill to putt with great consistency and now need the code to unlock this resource.

First, let’s identify the differences between putting and the simple skill of tossing the paper into the waste can. When you toss the paper toward the waste can are you consciously thinking about how hard you need to throw it? Not likely, instead you simply look or focus your eye on the waste can or the target and then react. How often do you three-putt a piece of paper to the waste can. I would venture to say almost never, because the first throw is usually close enough to the can that you just walk over, pick it up and drop it into the can. When we putt we focus our eye on the golf ball or the trash. If we tried to focus our eye on the trash as we throw it into the waste can we might three-putt the trash quite often. So, how can we get putting to become more like tossing the paper into the waste can. I’m not going to suggest that you look at the hole as you putt, but that isn’t far off the mark. The fact is that most tour players and great putters look at the hole as they make their practice strokes. That is not to say they never look down as they make one or two practice strokes, but at some point during their routine they will look at the hole to allow their eye to communicate to their dominant hand (throwing hand) the distance code.

OK, you’re ready to see if it works. Try this simple drill. 

Set-up to a putt of 4-6 feet. Take your left hand (for right handed player) off the club and place it on your right shoulder. Then swivel your head to look at the hole. Keep your eyes totally focused on the hole and make a stroke. Now repeat this several times. I’ll bet you didn’t know putting could be so easy. You may even be thinking about putting this way on the course.

Now that you realize the code for distance, let’s apply it to a more traditional approach to putting. With the same putt, let’s bring our left hand back onto the club (for cosmetics only) and make a few practice strokes just to the inside of the ball while looking at the hole. Key on the feel, pace, length and rhythm of these practice strokes. Now step up to the ball. Take one last look at the hole. Focus your eyes on the ball and make a stroke that feels identical to the ones you just practiced. You should find that the computer between your ears has been properly programmed for distance control and the putts are now rolling at the right pace.

One note, for those who are left handed and play golf right handed. You may want to experiment with putting left handed. You may find that your feel from the left side is significantly better than from the right.        

Once you have started to use this new found feel for distance, practice from multiple distances setting up a latter of putts from 3 to 20 feet making sure to hit just one ball from each distance.