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Learn to Hole Short Putts Confidently
By Nick Bayley, www.nickbayley.com
If you’re having problems holing short putts, you’ve got to
change your mindset about these putts. Obviously, now when
you’re faced with a 3-footer, you immediately associate it with
the pain of missing. To boost your confidence, you’ve got to
form a positive association with these short putts, and here’s
the best way to do it.
First, find a hole on your practice putting green that has a flat
6-foot diameter area around it (you can do this inside too).
Now place 5 balls one foot away from the hole and set a goal
of holing 50 putts in a row from this distance -- and go to it.
Once you’ve done this move back a foot and set a goal of
holing 40 putts in a row. When you’ve achieved this move
back a foot and set a goal of holing 30 putts in a row -- and
keep moving back and decreasing the amount of putts you
hole at each distance.
Your goals should go something like this….
1 foot = 50 putts in a row
2 feet = 40 putts in a row
3 feet = 30 putts in a row
4 feet = 20 putts in a row
5 feet = 10 putts in a row
If you try this and find that these goals are too hard, simply
decrease the amount of putts holed at each range. The most
important thing when doing this is to not cave in. By that I
mean don’t set a goal of holing 30 putts and then miss on the
27th putt and say "That’s close enough," because it’s not.
Start again and be firm in your resolve. Commit to your goal
and don’t move back until you achieve it.
Also, when doing this, always leave the practice green having
completed a goal. So if you end up on 5-footers but find it
has taken too long and you’ve got to leave, then hit 40 putts
from 2 feet and complete your goal from that range. Always
make sure you leave the practice green on a high note. This
is important.
With constant repetition of this exercise, you’ll find your
confidence over these short putts will rise dramatically. The
only downside is that it takes quite a long time, but if you’re
serious about improving, you’ll do it.
When doing this exercise you should hit some putts with your
eyes closed. The reason I always suggest doing this is
because playing shots with your eyes closed builds Faith,
Confidence, Awareness and Feel. Now I’m sure you’d agree
that these are all great qualities to have, and you can gain
them with your eyes closed!
Nick Bayley (www.nickbayley.com) has been helping
golfers dramatically improve their golf games in New
Zealand, where he lives, as well as around the world via
the Internet.
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