Golf Tip: Avoiding the Dreaded Three Putt

By Matt Cochran | Dec 21, 2015

Three putts are the great plague among amateur golfers and professionals alike. A golfer can easily walk onto the green with a birdie opportunity and walk off with a bogey on their scorecard.

Even the PGA TOUR pros suffer through the same thing, only on a much bigger stage. Take Dustin Johnson for instance. DJ’s three putt at the U.S. Open might be the most memorable of all time.

Johnson was left with a 15-foot eagle putt on the 72nd hole to win America’s major and needed a birdie to force an 18-hole playoff. After missing his eagle attempt, DJ was left with a three footer for birdie and missed that too. Suddenly, Dustin went from winning the U.S. Open to finishing as a runner up.

One of the fastest ways to lose strokes off your game is to be a better putter and the easiest way to do so is by avoiding the dreaded three putt. Data taken from TOURCaddie’s database shows that the amateur golfer averages 1.72 putts per hole, which comes out to be 30.96 strokes per round. Stop doing that to yourself. Lower that number of putts with these three simple steps and stop three jacking on the dance floor.

Don’t Focus on Making the First Putt

Most three putts happen from distances of 30 feet or longer. These long putts can be intimidating for amateur golfers, which is why it’s that much more important to have the right mentality when addressing the putt.

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The chances of holing out one of these putts are slim to none. So rather than taking an aggressive line at the hole, it’s time to start learning how to lag putt.

Stop focusing on the four-inch wide cup and take a look at the bigger picture. You want to set yourself up for an easy tap in, so focus on a three-foot ring around the hole. Accept that you aren’t going to drain that 65 footer. Break the putt down into two parts and if it happens to fall in then consider it your lucky day.

Once an amateur golfers learns how to effectively lag then they will be that much closer to avoiding three putts. It’s time to stop being intimidated by those long putts. Change your approach then the results will follow.

Be Confident/Be Aggressive

Now that you’ve knocked the ball within tap-in range, you’re that much closer to avoiding a three putt. All you have to do is make the five footer you’re left with. However, this can be the most difficult part. It’s such an easy putt, yet so nerve-racking.

Rather than freaking out about the knee knocker, remain positive. The biggest test in golf is how strong a golfer can be mentally and this is one of those tests.

Be confident with your thoughts and be aggressive with your line. When a golfer is faced with the possibility of a three putt, they take put a weak stroke on the ball and ultimately fall short. Be aggressive with the flat stick and ram that final putt in there.

Stop Taking Gimmes

Golfers three putt because they can’t close out the short three to five footers. One reason is because they aren’t used to having to putt out on every green. Your normal amateur golfer will pick up their putts when in “gimme” range and they most certainly don’t take the time to practice them in their free time.

So when an amateur steps over a short putt, fear immediately takes over. They’re so used to just picking up the ball in these situations that they haven’t built any confidence in making them.

This can all be fixed when you stop cheating yourself and start earning your scores. Finish out every hole and start building your confidence from short distances.

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Three putts don’t have to be a part of your vocabulary anymore. Make a game plan to start shaving strokes off your handicap and the best place to start is on the putting green. Make it your resolution in 2016 to avoid those three jacks.