Remember them, and you’ll save a bunch of strokes.
1 Always think first, Can I putt it?
When there’s no rough or obstacle between you and the hole, it’s probably your best option.
2 Focus on speed more than the break.
A putt that misses the mark but stops pin-high is a good effort. You’d certainly take a chip that finished there, right?
3 Read the part of the putt that’s on the green first.
That’s your baseline to judge speed. Then add to the length of your stroke depending on how much ground the ball has to cover before getting to the green.
4 Leave the pin in.
Even before the pandemic, this was the smarter choice.
5 Bigger heads are better.
Putters that are more stable on slightly off-centre hits are more effective. That’s usually a mallet style instead of a blade.
6 Play the ball a little forward in your stance, but don’t let the handle move with it.
You’ll likely need a slightly higher launch by hitting up on it to get it off the grass, out of an indentation, or if you’re into the grain.
7 Focus on good contact more than anything.
If you don’t hit it solid, it might not even reach the green.
8 Make a healthy backswing.
Take it back too short, and you’ll be tempted to thrust at the ball in the through-swing, which can cause you to mis-hit the putt.
9 Downhill or uphill into the green shouldn’t change your effort.
Always putt with even pace. The only thing that should change is the length of the stroke.
10 There are no pictures on a scorecard, so don’t be ashamed of this play.
In any aspect of golf, it’s function over form. Some of the greatest golfers in history have called upon this shot to win.
Phil Kenyon, one of Golf Digest’s Best International Teachers, works on the short games of top pros, including Gary Woodland, Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood [above].
