Elements of Practice: Lag Putts

Shorten that 3-putt with one sweet stroke

• Amateurs 3-putt six times more often than do PGA Tour Pros.
• “Amateurs trail the Pros in Lag putting performance because it is one of the least practiced areas of their games. The solution: easier access and better practice — like in your own backyard.” — Dave Pelz.
• Long putts require reasonable green reading and good touch to end up within a 3-foot radius of the hole.
• This Element of Practice requires a long putting area where 40-foot, 50-foot, and 60-foot putts can be practiced. One incarnation of the length and slope for this feature would be a stand-alone feature with an almost zero slope (flat) length, the longer the better. However, you can also build this Element of Practice into a green if the size of the green permits and it can traverse any sloping areas.

Game Set-up:

Use Pelz Phony Holes if you do not have fixed cups and set the phony holes at 40-feet (about 13 paces plus 1-foot), 50-feet (about 17 paces minus 1-foot), and 60-feet (about 20 paces) from your starting point.

Now Putt:

Putt three balls from the starting point to the 50-foot hole, and judge each of the three putts to see if they are within the “lag putt safe-zone.” For lag putts the “safe-zone” is a 34-inch circle (about a putter length) around the cup. This means to be up to 34-inches short of the hole is OK, and in the safe-zone. Keep putting until you get all three 50-foot putts in a row in the safe-zone, then putt to the 40-foot hole and repeat.

Your goal is to putt three balls in a row into the safe-zone at each of the 50, then 40, then 60-foot distances. Then on your tenth-putt, go to the 50-foot hole. One try only, under all the pressure to finish the drill by getting your tenth in a row into the safe-zone. You probably won’t get 10-in-a-row on your first try at this drill, but keep track of your progress and try to beat your previous best. There is nothing more important to your putting than improving your lag putting and preventing three-putts.

Video Instruction by Dave Pelz: