I guess I’ll start this post by addressing the question mark… because actually there is no question in my mind what the most important skill is in putting.

SPEED CONTROL

That’s right, good old fashioned speed control on the putting green is the single most important skill you can possess on your way to becoming an accomplished putter. That doesn’t mean the other two skills (green reading and hitting your line) are unimportant. It just means that without the ability to control your speed, there is little the other two skills can do for you.

Speed control is so important to green reading that AimPoint founder Mark Sweeney has integrated speed control instruction into his green reading classes. If you need further proof that speed is the most important skill, feel free to contact me with your skepticism and I will help you see the light.

So what are some ideas that may help you become a master of touch and feel on the greens? The first is understanding that the skill of controlling your speed is simply the skill of making the ball stop where you want.

On putts inside 20 feet, you will want the ball to stop 18-24 inches past the hole if it doesn’t go in. Practicing with a ghost hole (see the pic associated with this post) is a great way to see if your roll out past the hole is adequate.

For those putts outside 20 feet, simply getting the ball to stop within 10% of the total length of the putt will suffice. For example, if you are 40 feet from the hole you should be able to stop the ball within 2 feet short or 2 feet past the hole (total of 4 feet: aka 10%).

If you struggle with speed control, here are some quick tips to get you on track:

Check the length of your putter. Most players simply need a putter that matches the length of your wrist to floor measurement. If you are a few inches off on this, you may have a hard time making consistent contact with the sweet spot.
Be consistent on where the ball hits the putter face. The sweet spot in the middle of the face should probably be the goal for everyone. But if you consistently hit the same spot on the putter face then you will get the desired result of the ball leaving the face with a consistent amount of force. When the impact spot changes from putt to putt, your ball speed changes making it very difficult to acquire touch/feel/speed control.
Rhythm and tempo. Most putting strokes will operate pretty well with a tempo of 74-82 beats per minute. If you’re starting from scratch on this, just pick a tempo in that range using a metronome and get to work. The putter will go back on a click then return to impact on the next click. Do not hesitate to adjust the speed if it feels too fast or slow.

I could write a lot more on this subject seeing as how it is the most important skill in putting. But hopefully this is enough info to get your mind right so that when you are ready to commit to getting better you will know where to start. And don’t forget… come in to see me at the High Performance Golf Academy so we can get to work on making you the best putter you can be!

Need a metronome? Check the one out below: