6 keys to curling your lag putts within gimme range
If you want to hit the ball well and be rewarded for hitting the ball well, you absolutely need to control the distance on your long putts. You need to be able to roll your first putt within two to three feet in order to have a stress-free second putt.
The ideal situation is for your next putt to be too close for an easy tap. This is another major difference between professional and recreational golfers.
Here’s how you can improve your range control and every time roll your first putt and drop three putts.
1. Central contact
All golf starts with good technique and solid contact in the center of the face. When you hit the ball off-center, both distance and destination tend to be inconsistent and unpredictable.
You can practice putting on this green with a simple two-tee drill. Place a tee on either side of your golf ball and practice stroking the putter without making contact with either tee. When you hit the tee, you lose the center of the putter face.
2. The right way
The sound system has a direct influence on distance control. There are many excellent placement training resources that you can use to monitor this. Arc boards and alignment tools are very helpful in improving your technique. One of my favorite training aids is the alignment ball, which I use in practice and teaching.
Alignment Ball
Close to 20 feet of retractable cable! The Alignment Ball will help you work on the first line easily and quickly on the putting green. Built-in speakers make setup easy and efficient. Whether it’s straight putts or broken putts, this putt can do it all! Carrying Case included. User Guide
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3. Fewer moving parts
The perfect element of good positioning and distance control is to keep your body as still as possible. Your head, knees and lower body should stay tight. Even small unnecessary movements can change distance and location.
Watch skilled putters on television and notice how slowly their lower bodies move. Then watch most recreational golfers and you will see a surprising number of moving parts. Make a conscious effort to reduce the movement to rely on one main factor – the size of the stroke – to control the distance, there are several competing variables.
4. Correct stroke size
The length of your backstroke is an important factor in controlling distance. A short backstroke naturally produces less speed, while a longer backstroke produces more speed and therefore more distance.
If you return the putter to the correct length and allow it to travel freely, the ball should roll the correct distance. This means that you need to be more accurate with small adjustments to your stroke length.
5. Be I mean
Ideally, your strokes should be balanced and consistent. The length of the stroke should go back and forth. Small changes are acceptable, but overall the movement should feel symmetrical.
Your rhythm should also remain steady. You shouldn’t need to consciously speed up or slow down if you’ve managed your stroke size properly.
Finally, keep the grip pressure constant. Direct pressure is your preference, but it shouldn’t change too much during the stroke. Consistent grip pressure is another great way to encourage a steady rhythm.
6. Get used to itpractice, practice
There are many effective exercises to improve range control. Focused practice can go a long way in acquiring this skill.
Add dedicated storage time to your schedule. This doesn’t mean screwing up a few putts 10 minutes before the round. It means deliberately committing time to development. A simple drill that goes back and forth between two holes with the goal of putting twice or better a certain number of times in a row.
Range management is one area where a small investment of time can pay huge dividends.v
