If you have ever hit an approach shot to the green but landed nowhere near the flag, you know the feeling as you walk towards your ball.
The feeling of having to make a long distance putt is usually full of dread. For one, you are not in a good mood because despite finding the green with your approach shot, the ball is a long way from the hole. Secondly, long putting is not an easy skill and can often result in making three putts.
Long distance putting can be the difference between a good score and a bad score. You could find every green in regulation but make a mess of your long distance putting and have a bad score. You could hit the ball all around the golf course but putt very well from distance and finish with a good score.
This is how important long distance putting can be and today we have some great tips to help you putt better from long range.
Firstly, your stroke with the putter and the effort you put into the putt should match the distance you are trying to hit the ball. You do not want to take any more than two putts on the green, so imagine trying to hit the ball a distance which would leave you with a second putt you know you can make.
Take a couple of practice strokes to mimic what you think will be required to make the ball travel to the target area of the green. Your back swing and follow through should be roughly the same. Do not be tempted to make a short back swing and try and help the ball to travel further with a quick follow through as this will result in poor distance control.
When trying to control a long distance putt, striking the ball with the centre of the putter is a must. Any strike of the ball which is not made with the centre of the putter is going to result in a loss of momentum and the putt is likely to come up short.
Always align the ball with the centre of the club face and focus on making a nice, smooth putting action. As you know when using a driver or iron, any shot which is not struck in the centre of the club face can leave the ball between 10 and 20 yards short. While this will not be the case with the putter, it can make the difference between your second putt being a tap-in or something more difficult from four feet.
Finally, always practice some long distance putting before you play a round of golf. Arrive in plenty of time at the golf club and head to the practice green. Aim for the longest hole and practice your long distance putting. Try and get three consecutive balls close to the hole, so you can make it in two putts. Also try and practice some long distance putts with some break because the chances of you having a level putt from distance is slim.
Use these three tips when putting from distance and you should be making more two putts than three putts.
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