Practice long putts if you want to lower your scores. Be that person who can roll the ball within 2 putt distance from almost anywhere. Let’s take a look.
What do you normally see at the range?
Folks whacking drivers one right after another. Maybe a few are actually going through their bag.
Plus, no one or few people are on the putting green.
Here is my point.
This data is from ShotScope.
They post data based on handicap.
The shots are from the fairway.
(Handicap – Proximity to Hole)
2 – 27ft
8 – 24 ft
14 – 40 ft
20 – 48 ft
26 – 53 ft
Average shots to finish = 3.78
Average proximity to hole = 40.4 ft
FYI – Pros proximity to the hole on approach shots is 15 – 20 feet.
If you think about the number of strokes you hit on any given hole. The most strokes are taken with the putter.
Normally, 2 strokes per hole.
Here is our article on what to practice the most.
How do I practice long putts?
I either practice on the putting green or take extra putts on the course when it’s not busy.
I’m sure people think I’m nuts getting our my 100 foot tape measure on the putting green.
However, that’s what I do almost every time I practice putting. It not, I walk it off and measure that way.
I also practice up to 50 footers on a straight line using my XPUTT RG putting simulator during the winter months.
At first I thought, “Is this really necessary?”
Then I realized I was 3 putting on the course. Not real often, but enough that it was obvious I could lower my scores.
I figured out that I start to 3 putt more often at around 30 feet.
So when I practice, I set up markers at 30, 40, and 50 feet and sometimes longer like 50, 60 and 70 feet.
Example: Long two putt
Note: I measured all the greens on the course in degrees of slope.
My tee shot was landed at the “One” or first putt and my second putt was from the “Two.”
The hole is the one with the blue circle around it.
The good news is that the hole was in the one place where there is a 1 degree or about a 2 percent slope.
However, you can putt it off the green with too much pace going past the hole.
I just barely got it to the hole and it still rolled 8 feet by.
In other words, the greens are tough.
You could potentially 3 putt or worse every green on the course.
Why do I bring this up? Because I practice the hardest putts on the hole regularly so I know what to expect.
It paid dividends.
I was this hole which is an island green.
It’s a huge green with very limited flat or planar pin locations.
I hit it on the front by about 15 feet, but was 70 feet to the hole.
The pin was in what I call “a sucker location” so I played it safe. Maybe a little too safe.
I told my playing partners, “I’ve practiced hitting putts over the whales back in the middle of the green.”
Still it was a very long putt.
Having mapped the greens is a huge advantage.
I went up to the hole on the low side to determine the fall line.
In other words, I was looking for the uphill 2nd putt if I missed.
Then I walked off 70 feet on the way back.
There is about a 4 degree or 7 percent hump in the middle of the green.
The slope behind the hole is 7.6 degrees or about 14 percent.
To make a long story short. My speed was pretty good and I left it below the hole.
I made an 8 footer coming back.
I figure 10 percent of the total distance for a leave is pretty good. So, leaving 8 feet on a 70 footer isn’t too bad.
Conclusion
Practice long putts and hard putts on every hole when your course isn’t busy.
I do the same on the practice green.
Because I have a putting simulator, I can practice long putts indoors.
At the course, I try to find a relatively flat area for long putts.
Indoors I’m limited to straight flat putts. Putting in a straight line helps to dial in your speed.
Then when I get to the course I can adjust for slope.
Example: I regularly think to myself, “That is a 10 footer, but with the uphill slope it will play like a 15 footer.”
I know the proper backstroke distance for a given putt length because I practice and measure.
Don’t be caught wondering what to do on any putt especially long putts.