Putting: Different Distances, Different Stroke Lengths

Putting woes got you down? Improve your score by learning distance control on the greens.

In this golf tip, we’ll go over how to change the length of your putting stroke, both back and through, for different putting distances.

Use a “slide rule” concept. The ball is located at zero. The numbers go back in negative inches on your pull back and go up in positive inches on your follow through. Try to follow through a little more than you pull back. I think of my putter as a car with headlights. I try to keep my headlights on the road, both in reverse and forward on the “slide rule”.

A very short putt of four feet would have a pull back of about two inches and a follow through of three inches. A long putt of 30 feet would have a pull back of more like seven inches and a follow through of eight inches. Remember, a medium-length downhill putt of 15 feet should have a pull back similar to that of the four-footer — gravity makes it unnecessary to do much more. A medium-length uphill putt of 15 feet would have a pull back similar to that of the 30-footer, as gravity is now against you.

As a busy instructor, I often see golfers pull back the putter way too far for a short putt. I put a tee just a few inches behind the ball and have the student get used to a much shorter pull back so they can feel a slight acceleration on the forward stroke. This is usually a drastic change in the length of the putting stroke.

I also see golfers take short, stabby strokes on a long putt that should have a much longer and smoother back and through. I encourage them to feel the pull back of six or seven inches and the slightly accelerated forward stroke of eight inches. We want the headlights of the car to proceed down the road after impact.

The “slide rule” image in your mind can help you make putting strokes that are the length required for your putt. Give it a try!

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