Distance Control in Putting - Part II
By Clive Scarff

In a follow-up to my last article on putting, and the need for "putting" emphasis on distance/speed control, a friend challenged the theory when it comes to short putts. He said that surely alignment must be more important when it gets to putts under ten feet in length. And he's not wrong. Not entirely. Let's explore this notion a little further.

First, for the majority of us, we have to assume that two putts per green is good. A course's par is based on two putts per green. And I have seen far too many people three-putt while trying to one-putt. Usually, two putts is sufficient. More on that in a bit.

If we subscribe to the strategy of two-putting, as a general rule, then let's explore the strategy further. Our two putts are very different, with different objectives. Simply:

* Putt One is to get in the vicinity of the hole;
* Putt Two is to get into the hole.

On Putt One, accuracy is nice, distance is critical. Accuracy is almost pointless if distance control is poor. Only with consistently good distance control (a result of continually focusing on and practicing distance control) can we routinely send first putts close to the hole. And no one is suggesting accuracy isn't important at all, or that you should deliberately sabotage your accuracy. I am just suggesting that:

* your intuition as to alignment will tend to be better than that of distance control;
* you should therefore put more conscious focus on distance control;
* if your alignment is a little off, it is not the end of the world as good distance control can still put you in makeable/gimme range.

On Putt Two, now, which is more important? Distance or accuracy? Funny, when I ask this question in private lessons, you can almost always see the student get fidgety, because now they are not thinking about what they think is right, but trying to guess what I am going to say is right. And this, often because they were wrong when I asked what was more important on first-putts. Now they don't trust themselves! But that of course is neither the point or the objective. The answer: both distance and accuracy are equally important on second putts. (This assumes you achieved your objective on your first-putt, and got the ball to "makeable" range.)


If your alignment is poor on a second (read: makeable) putt you will miss. The objective of the second putt is to close the deal, so missing is not an option. And as that is abundantly clear to everyone, guess what happens? All focus is placed on alignment, and very little (often none) on distance control.

Distance control is just as important on shorter putts as:

* putts that come up short rarely go in (you know that joke, don't you?);
* putts hit too hard often (very often) bounce out or lip out.

And remember, putts that lip out rarely do so because of aim, but rather due to poor speed. Putts that hit the lower right lip are often caused by putts hit too softly, and putts that hit the top left lip are often caused by hitting the putt too firmly (assuming you are right handed, and with apologies to left handers. According to my dear late father lefties are smarter anyway, and can figure this kind of stuff out).

So the moral of the story is:

First putt, higher emphasis on distance control;
Second putts, equal emphasis on alignment and distance control but as the former is obvious, the latter usually needs more emphasis to balance things out.

And another note, as I anticipate some of the letters I am going to receive: don't view adopting a strategy of two-putting as negative, or a cop-out. Improved distance control will lead to more sunk putts, be they first or second. Just don't go into a first putt thinking this is a "must make", because the subsequent second, third and fourth putts could end up being just as "must make".

But by all means, don't ask for a "do-over" if your first putt goes in, because Clive Scarff said you are not supposed to make those!

Your first-putt objective is to get the ball close, and in so doing you will see more first-putts go in because your distance control was excellent, and your alignment was right, as if often will be, naturally. We'll take those! And the next time you see a PGA Tour pro sink a forty or fifty footer, remind yourself that he wasn't thinking he "had to make it", he was trying to get the ball close. And did.

To see the video tip "Line vs Speed in Putting" visit http://www.hitdowndammit.com/video.htm

Clive Scarff is a Teaching Professional and author of Hit Down Dammit! For more articles on the golf swing, information on his teachings, his book, and his DVD series, visit his website at http://www.hitdowndammit.com