Putting for Dough- Part III

As we move away from the cup, distance control becomes more and more important to putting improvement for golfers of all levels. This is because the odds of a 1-Putt drop outside 10 feet, even for Tour players. At the same time the dreaded 3-Putt looms larger and larger.

Let’s focus on the value of distance control outside 10 feet. The range from 11 – 50 foot is where 95% of lag opportunities occur (only 5% occur outside 50 feet). We all face at least 10 first putt opportunities in this range every round. Since your likelihood of 1-putting is low, your goal should be to make sure to leave yourself in a position to 2-Putt.

The 10% rule
A reasonable goal on every distance control or “lag” opportunity should be to leave the ball within 10% of the starting distance. For example: From 30 feet, envision a 3 foot circle around the hole and try to leave the ball within the circle. As you develop better feel, aim for a spot below the hole. A study of players on the PGA Tour revealed that they consistently lag the ball to within 7% of their starting distance. I recommend the 10% rule because most of us are not Touring caliber and the math is much easier.

How often should you 3-Putt?

Handicap Ranges:
PGA Tour .6 x per round
0-5 .8 x
6-10 1.1 x
11-15 1.4 x
16-25 2.1 x
26-35 3.4 x

Practice a 30 foot stroke
I recommend pacing off 30 feet on your practice green and practicing lagging a few balls back and forth between tees placed at this distance. This 30 foot distance is smack in the middle of the 11 to 50 foot range. Once on the course, you can measure and weigh all lag opportunities as a percentage of your 30 foot stroke.

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