You’ll Be Shocked When These Really Simple Golf Tips Help Hole More Putts

Being a better putter has such a positive effect on your scores, obviously, but you may not have a lot of time to practice.

What most golfers need to shoot better scores is to hole more long and short putts but the key is to keep the tips simple for better golf.

Perfecting technique or reading greens perfectly could seem daunting. That’s why I’m going to give you a couple of tips that I share with my students and people I play with. These tips help with holding putts, reading greens, and controlling distance, making the overall process so much easier. Let’s start with some really quick and easy distance control tips.

Distance Control Tips

Uphill Putts

We’ve got an uphill putt here, up a pretty severe tier. The way most of you will try and calibrate these putts is by standing over it, trying to gauge the right distance.

Standard Calibration Issue:

Calibration for distance control is typically based on level putts.

Quick Hack:

Stand back a few feet.
Rehearse your stroke as if from a flat position, imagining the putt is entirely flat from start to hole.

“You just have to not screw up too much. You don’t need to be Phil Mickelson or Ben Crenshaw!”

Downhill Putts

The same concept applies to downhill putts but instead of standing behind the ball, you will move forward a few feet.

Steps:

Stand forward a few feet.
Calibrate your distance as if this was a flat putt.
Use that momentum and stroke that you dialed in.

This approach provides the right type of roll for downhill putts, ensuring better distance control.

Tip: Understand your natural instincts and use them, particularly for longer putts. You are more talented at putting well than you might think!

Technique Tip

Before we get into green reading, let’s touch on technique. One of the easiest ways to improve your putting stroke is simply by adjusting how you set up.

Avoid:

Elbows floating and working independently
Over-relying on your wrists

Do:

Take your setup position.
Bring your putter to the side so your elbow touches your side.
Move into your setup position, keeping your upper arms connected to your rib cage.

This connection provides more stability in your stroke.

Green Reading Tips

Right-to-Left or Left-to-Right Putts

Reading greens can seem complex, but it doesn’t have to be.

Simplified Approach:

Instead of over-analyzing different breaks, first look straight at the hole.
Hit a putt straight at the hole, noting where it breaks and how much it curves.

This gives a quick assessment of the break without overcomplicating things.

Uphill and Downhill Putts Revisited

We’ve already looked at strategies for calibrating distance on uphill and downhill putts, but remember to combine these with your green reading techniques. It will get you close enough to two-putt (or sometimes even one-putt).

Tip: The goal isn’t necessarily to hole every putt but to get as close as possible to avoid those dreaded three-putts.

Summary of Tips

Stand back or forward a few feet to calibrate your distance for uphill and downhill putts.
Connect your upper arms to your rib cage for a more stable stroke.
Simplify green reading by initially aiming straight at the hole to see the break.

These simple tips can help you understand your natural putting abilities better, reduce mistakes, and improve your overall consistency on the greens. Keep practicing and check out related videos and tips to further hone your golfing skills.

As an avid weekend golfer myself, I know the frustration of missing those short putts over and over. My putting woes have cost me many a friendly wager! But with some focused practice using these techniques, I’ve seen great improvement.

Just last weekend I was playing my usual money game with my buddies. We were on the picturesque 15th hole, a tricky downhill putt with a severe break to the left. I thought back to the uphill putt tips and stood a few feet ahead, visualizing the speed.

Sure enough, I stroked it pure and watched it track perfectly down the slope and hang on at the left edge. My playing partners couldn’t believe it! The smiles and back slaps made all those hours practicing putts in the backyard worth it. And the $20 I won wasn’t too bad either!

So trust me, these simple tips really work. Keep at it, and before you know it, you’ll be missing fewer putts and enjoying more solid rounds on the green. And don’t forget, getting on the green in fewer shots is key, so check out this video next to help reduce your approach shots as well.

See you next time!