How to roll your putts like a pro
(anything else is costing you shots..!)
How would you like to roll your putts like a pro?
Question: What difference does roll on your putts make anyway?
Answer: If you get a great roll...
- Your putts roll a predictable distance
- Your putts hold their line better over the imperfect surface of the green
- Your putts seem to dive into the hole with a greater range of speeds and entry points.
... And here's the secret to roll your putts like a pro:
- Strike your putts with a square putter face
- Launch your putts very slightly upwards
Getting the putter face square will 90%+ be taken care of if you followed the advice in yesterday's email. (Click here if you didn't manage to read yesterday's lesson).
Now all you have to do is align the putter at the target. This also sounds easy, but optical research has shown that it's extremely difficult to accurately align the straight edge of your putter face at right angles to the target line.
Using a line on your ball - either the manufacturer's name or a line you add with a sharpie really helps (click here for my favourite cheap lining tool on Amazon).
You don't need me to tell you how to line your ball up to your target (although it's not as easy as it looks!) - that's something you've just got to figure out yourself, but I definitely suggest you have a final check from behind the ball.
Now when you put your putter behind the ball aligned to the line on the ball and you have your trail hand's lifeline directly behind the back of the shaft you have the best possible chance of striking the putt with a square clubface, so that's point one dealt with.
The real secret to roll your putts like a pro:
Launching the ball very slightly upwards.
So few handicap players understand that putts have to be lofted very slightly - even on the purest surfaces - that almost nobody playing weekend golf has ever experienced a great roll.
Ultra slow motion camera show that this is the best way to get putts rolling purely. Here's a great Youtube video showing Jordan Spieth's impact in super slow motion and you can clearly see that his ball is launched off the ground in the first few inches.
Putter manufacturers have known this for decades and putters have around 2 degrees of loft on their faces. But if you struggle with a decent roll, chances are you're not making this loft work for you and most issues are caused by your set up.
Let me explain...
To launch the ball very slightly upwards, you have to catch the ball beyond the bottom of your arc as the putter is rising up very slightly away from the ground. Take another look at Jordan's slow-mo and you can clearly see this.
Take a look at this diagram showing precisely the scenario that Jordan Spieth and every other putter on the PGA tour achieves:
By positioning the ball to the left of the bottom of your arc (if right handed... right if left-handed), with a square putter face you will achieve a great roll.
And where is the bottom of your arc?
Good question.
It's directly below the center of your rib cage, so when you practice next, look down and make sure the ball is to the left of your center of your rib cage if you're right handed and to the right of the center if you're left handed.
Here's an image to help you:
Spend time working on your address position: While this might sound boring, taking care of as many aspects of good putting in your set up before start the putter head moving is the single most important element for keeping your mind clear when you actually pull the trigger and that will lead to greater consistency.
Roll your putts like a pro!
William John
best-putter.com
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"… I just won my first competition since reading your book! … Felt calmer over my putts than I have in years”
Trevor, Portsmouth, NH, 14 handicap
"Your book describes each step to GREAT putting in an understandable way... it sorts out all the main reasons why putts are missed. I very much enjoyed it!"
Gary Christian, Former PGA TOUR Player and SKY SPORTS / Golf ChannelAnnouncer
"My putting has been good over the last few rounds - 30 putts last time out and holed some good 18-20 footers which never seemed to happen before... and I've only read the first 5 chapters"
Julie, Berkshire, UK, 3 handicap