Three-putting can be one of the most frustrating things to happen on the golf course, which often leads to unnecessary strokes and higher scores.
However, with the right strategies and practice routines, golfers can help to reduce or even eliminate three-putts from their game and drastically help lower their scores.
Here, we'll give you some helpful tips for how you can help improve your putting and stop three-putting.
Understand the Causes of Three-Putting
The first step in avoiding three-putts is to understand the reasons behind one occurring on the putting green.
Poor Distance Control
Misjudging the speed of the greens can mean you're leaving yourself a long putt for the next one.
If your pace is off on the first putt, it's going to constantly put pressure on your short putts because they're not that close to the hole.
Usually, if you struggle with lag putting, you'll be making plenty of three putts a round.
Inaccurate Green Reading
Failing to accurately read the breaks can lead to misdirected putts and putts finishing a long way from the hole.
Even if your putting stroke is solid, if your intended line is not right, you'll never hole any putts and you'll end up not near the hole.
Mental Pressure
The fear of three-putting can itself lead to tension and mistakes.
If your putting game is a little shaky, it can affect how you mentally look at putting and in turn lead to more poor putts.
Strategies to Avoid Three-Putts
If you want to avoid the dreaded three-putt, you have to focus on improving your distance control.
Practice Lag Putting
There's plenty of ways you can go about working on your distance control, but the main way is by practising your lag putting.
Regularly practice long putts to improve your feel for distance, using drills like the "Ladder Drill" to help you get accustomed to varying distances.
A smooth, pendulum-like stroke ensures consistent speed and distance on your putts, which is key to good lag putting.
Improve Green Reading
Before putting, take a moment to read the green from multiple angles. Walk out the putt and look for subtle slopes and to see if the putt breaks.
Expose yourself to various types of greens to improve your adaptability and green-reading skills.
Develop a Pre-Putt Routine
A consistent routine before each putt can help calm nerves and build confidence in your stroke.
It also helps to promote consistency throughout which is ideal in golf.
Visualise the putt with a few practice strokes and imagine the golf ball rolling along the intended path into the hole.
Focus on the Target, Not the Technique
Instead of overthinking your stroke mechanics, concentrate on the target and the desired path of the golf ball.
The more we think about the actual putting stroke during a putt, the more muddled our heads get and the more issues we encounter.
A clear mind is always good for better golf, especially when on the greens.
Practice Pressure Putting
Practice putting with stakes (e.g., a friendly wager with friends) to get comfortable with pressure situations.
Create challenging practice scenarios that push your limits and improve your resilience, to help simulate what it's like on the golf course.
Get Comfortable with Short Putts
Of course, long putts are important to stop three-putts, but at the end of the day, no matter how close you hit your first putt, you still have to hole the short putt.
Therefore, including putts from inside five feet in your practice routine is important and they're the ones that will save you the shots.
Putting Drills to Avoid Three-Putts
The Circle Drill
Place balls in a circle around the hole at a distance of three feet.
Try to sink all putts in succession. This drill improves short-putting under pressure.
The Path Drill
Place two alignment sticks or clubs on the ground, parallel to each other and just wider than your putter head, creating a path for your putter to follow.
Practice your lag putts by stroking the ball through this path, focusing on keeping the putter head moving straight back and straight through along the guides.
Final Thoughts
Avoiding three-putts is a crucial aspect of lowering scores and enhancing your overall golf game.
You can have the best golf swing in the world, but if you can't get it done on the greens, you'll never shoot good scores.
If you're struggling with your putting, it could be time to update your putter grip and see how a Welton Golf grip can help your game.
