With Quail Hollow set to host the PGA Championship in 2017, the Wells Fargo Championship will be a prelude to what we can expect to see in Charlotte, NC two years from now. This annual event continually has one of the strongest fields of the year and all eyes will be watching the leaderboard to see who best handles the treacherous, new bermuda greens, the closing holes commonly referred to as the “green mile”, and this overall tough test of golf that Tom Fazio has improved and toughened up in recent years. With that being said, consistently making putts inside of the 3-4 foot range is of utmost importance in any major championship, golf tournament, or recreational round. To consistently make all of your key putts be sure to follow these four keys steps below:

1. Practice with a Purpose

One of the most neglected aspects of many amateur golfer’s games is putting in quality time with the flat stick. All too often, most players head directly to the practice range, hit a couple of wedges, a few irons, and then spend the rest of their practice time hitting driver after driver with no focus or plan in mind. One great training aid which many tour players, including Phil Mickelson can be seen using before events is the Pelz Putting Tutor. This tool will not only help you square your clubface at impact but also help improve your green reading, speed, and overall confidence. More importantly, it will give you a sense of purpose while you are working on your stroke.

2. Accelerate through Impact

One thing all good putters have in common is that they accelerate the clubhead through impact. The surest way to miss short putts is to decelerate at impact and not make an assertive, confident stroke at impact. When players decelerate, the clubface is typically open through impact causing a miss below the hole and to the right since the ball is coming off of the toe of the putter. When this happens, you never give yourself a viable chance to make the putt because it doesn’t stay hole high for the duration of the putt – thus giving it no shot of it dropping in.

3. Visualize the Putt and Commit to the Line

Watch any good putter like Phil Mickelson or Jordan Spieth and you’ll notice that they don’t get overly technical with their stroke. Instead, they visualize the putt, commit to the line, and let it go. Having touch around the greens is of utmost importance and when you get too technical, you’ll stifle your creativity and ability to visualize making putts. Also, as your stroke gets overly technical you’re more susceptible to losing feel which will result in longer lag putts – going from the 3-4 foot range to the 6-7 foot range.

4. Be Confident

Nothing is harder to recover from than losing your confidence on the putting green. By putting in more time on the practice green and practicing the right way you’ll develop a confidence on those testy, short putts that you’ll need to make under pressure. Put your time in on the practice green and practice the correct way! When the time comes to make a 4-footer to win a big match, all of the time you dedicated to the flat stick will pay off as confidence runs through your veins.

Follow these tips and you will find yourself in better position to score!

For more great instructional tips from our staff of PGA Professionals, visit our instructional articles!

Kevin Bender

Kevin has been a Class “A” member of the PGA of America since 2009 and graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in Business Administration. He has 7 years of experience at two of South Florida’s most prestigious clubs, Coral Ridge Country Club and the Broken Sound Club. Prior to Global Golf, Kevin was the Lead Professional at the Hasentree Club in Wake Forest, North Carolina for 4 seasons. Kevin has an extensive knowledge in club fitting along with a tremendous passion for golf course architecture and has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe playing many of the world’s top courses.

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