Putting: Distance Control

Video Transcript

When it comes to putting the most important aspect is your distance. When you set up to a putt you want to have one thought in your mind - trying to hit the ball the right speed to make the putt. There is an optimum speed that you want to hit putts. Tests have shown that 17 inches by the cup is the optimum speed to make the maximum amount of putts. If you hit it farther than that by the cup the putts start lipping out, and obviously if you do not get it to the cup you have no chance at all. But a little bit of speed running up to the hole will keep it on line. The other factor with distance control is that your speed that you hit a putt determines how much the putt is going to break. If you hit it hard it is not going to break as much, if you hit a putt easy it is going to break more. Golfers spend a lot of time trying to read the line but they don’t spend enough time trying to hit the putts the right speed. You have to hit it the right speed because that will determine how many of your putts go in. It is going to determine how much your putt will break and it is going to determine how long your next putt is going to be, because there is almost always a next putt. Next time you go out to play and you get on the green, concentrate on the speed you are going to hit the putt. I guarantee you that you will take fewer putts the next round of golf you play.

Hank Haney
Hank Haney Golf Ranch
2791 S. Stemmons Freeway
Lewisville, TX 75067
Tel: 972-315-5300

Hank Haney is the instructor to PGA Tour Pros Tiger Woods and Mark O'Meara. He is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Golf Digest's #4 instructor in the world.

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