Lag Putting Drills for Better Distance Control

Lag Putting Drills for Better Distance Control: Imagine you’re on the green, far from the hole, feeling the pressure. Mastering a long putt can greatly affect your game. This is a common challenge for golfers.¹ Lag putting is more than just a skill; it’s an art.² It turns possible birdies into simple finishes, avoiding the dreaded three-putts that raise your score.

Golf guru Dave Pelz says regular practice is crucial for lag putting. It’s about building muscle memory and instinct more than just technical skills.³ With the right drills, you can improve your feel for the distance. You’ll play more by instinct than by overthinking.

By adding distance control drills to your practice, your game will get better. Stepping onto the green will be less intimidating. Knowing you have the skill to make those long putts boosts your confidence and your score.

Key Takeaways

Lag putting is crucial for minimizing three-putts and improving your score.
Consistent practice, as emphasized by Dave Pelz, is essential for honing your distance control.
Muscle memory and instinct should drive your putting process, not overthinking technical details.
Integrating specific drills can enhance your feel for long putts and putting accuracy.
With practice, lag putting can transform potential birdies into easy taps, thereby lowering your score.

Importance of Distance Control in Putting

Good distance control is key to low scores in golf. It helps avoid three-putts and lowers your strokes.

Why Distance Control is Crucial

Being good at controlling distance helps golfers score better. Missing short putts can lead to more three-putts, hurting your score⁴. Dave Pelz, a top golf coach, says controlling your putt’s distance is even more important than its direction. Also, where the ball starts rolling depends a lot on how you hit it with the putter¹.

Jordan Spieth was amazing at controlling how far his putts went. His skill helped the ball to slowly roll up to the hole, boosting the chance of the putt dropping in¹. On long putts, it’s smarter to focus on how hard to hit the ball rather than the exact path it takes¹. Trying to hit the ball too hard can actually make it harder to get it into the hole⁴.

Common Mistakes in Distance Control

One big mistake is overthinking the putt instead of feeling it. Too much movement can mess with both the putt’s speed and direction. Being still is important¹. Many players also forget about keeping a steady grip, which is crucial for a smooth, consistent putt¹.

Only worrying about the putt’s path can lead to misses, especially from far away. Controlling the putt’s speed is key when you’re outside of 10 feet⁴. Practice tools like TIBA Putt and Blast Motion Golf can make your putts better and more controlled⁴.

How you stand is very important too, with your shoulders and arms needing to be lined up right. A putter that fits you can also make a big difference in how well you control your putt distance. Drills that focus on controlling distance can really improve your putting¹.

Effective Lag Putting Drills

Getting better at lag putting drills can really help your game on the greens. To get good, you need to practice a lot and work on controlling your putts.

Blindfold Practice Drill

The Blindfold Practice Drill improves your feel for the distance of your putts without looking. You putt blindfolded to focus only on your stroke and the sound the ball makes. Without seeing, you learn how much power you need for long putts. Most players understand its value after spending much time on the range, then practicing putting⁵.

Incremental Distance Drill

This drill makes you better at controlling how far your putts go. You use markers at 6, 12, 18, and 24 feet from the hole⁶. Start by hitting balls to get them very close to the hole. Doing this drill often helps build muscle memory and consistency⁶. The idea is to improve both your memory and confidence for long putts⁵.

Circle of Love Drill

Phil Mickelson likes the Circle of Love Drill. It’s about getting your ball close to the hole in a small circle. This way, your next putt is easy and uphill. The aim is to be consistent and to always land your ball inside this “circle of love.” Doing this drill often can help you avoid three-putts and may lower your scores⁶.

Drill	Objective	Details
Blindfold Practice Drill	Improve Feel and Touch	Putt without visual cues to enhance sensing distance
Incremental Distance Drill	Refine Distance Control	Place markers at 6, 12, 18, 24 feet and aim to leave tap-ins
Circle of Love Drill	Ensure Easy Next Putt	Aim to get ball within a three-foot circle around the hole

Conclusion

Getting better at lag putting and controlling how far your ball goes are key for improving at golf. Avoiding the three-putt is crucial because controlling distance on the greens can really change your score. By following advice from golf pros like Dave Pelz and Phil Mickelson, you can improve both the mechanics and the feel of your putting.

Try drills like the “7 Up” game to get better at judging speed and the clock face drill for accuracy. These exercises aim to help you keep your putts on track and avoid three-putts⁷⁸. They not only work on your physical skills but also on building mental strength. This is done by encouraging consistent practice and boosting your confidence.

Key techniques such as keeping a balanced stance and aligning yourself right are important for putting⁹. By practicing these regularly and focusing on both technique and feel, you’ll see fewer putts per hole and a better score.

Spend time on drills that help with understanding how hard to hit the ball, like the “Putting Horse” and “Circle of Love” drills⁸⁹. Balancing how hard and where you hit the ball will take your lag putting to the next level. This makes golf more fun and successful.

FAQ

What is lag putting?

Lag putting is about getting your long putts close to the hole. This way, you can easily finish with the next putt. It helps avoid the dreaded three-putt, keeping your score low.

Why is distance control important in putting?

Getting the distance right when putting is key to doing well in golf. Messing up the distance often leads to three-putts and higher scores. Dave Pelz, a famous golf coach, points out that controlling distance is harder than direction.

What are common mistakes golfers make in distance control?

Golfers often mess up distance control by overthinking or ignoring their feel for the shot. This leads to not hitting the greens consistently. To get better, it helps to practice controlling distance more than finding the perfect line.

What drills can help improve my lag putting?

Experts suggest drills like the Blindfold Practice Drill, the Incremental Distance Drill, and the Circle of Love Drill. These drills are all about mastering distance control. They help you rely more on muscle memory and feel than technique.

How does the Blindfold Practice Drill work?

In the Blindfold Practice Drill, you putt without seeing. This helps you focus on the feel of the putt. It’s great for getting better at judging distances by feel alone.

What is the Incremental Distance Drill?

This drill has you practice putts from different lengths. Your goal is to get the balls to stop at set distances from the hole. It’s a good way to get better at long putts.

What is the Circle of Love Drill?

The Circle of Love Drill is about landing your ball in a three-foot circle around the hole. It’s a drill Phil Mickelson recommends. It helps with getting a good spot for your next putt through lots of practice.

How often should I practice these putting drills?

Practicing these drills often is crucial for improving. They should be a regular part of your practice to cut down on three-putts and lower your scores.