Matchplay Tips: Putting Is The Dagger
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Sure, bombing it 300 yards will always be fashionable, but great short putting is what will win you matches. And becoming virtually automatic from five feet and in is a skill any player can learn, regardless of physique, handicap or even technique.
“I don’t care what your stroke looks like, good putting comes from the mind,” says 1991 US Ryder Cup captain Dave Stockton. “Visualise the exact line you want your ball to take and then pick a specific spot on the cup where you want the ball to enter – don’t just think about ramming it straight in. Go through a routine that keeps you looking at your line, not staring down at the ball. Then just let it go.
When you pick a very specific line like that, you don’t need to be perfect for the putt to drop. The hole will start to look bigger and bigger to you, and you’ll get excited about your chances of making the putt instead of worrying about the next one.”
