That is my secret for sinking lengthy putts

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, however the very best recommendation stands the take a look at of time. In GOLF.com’s new collection, Timeless Ideas, we’re highlighting a few of the best recommendation lecturers and gamers have distributed within the pages of GOLF Journal. As we speak we glance again to our April 1985 situation the place Ben Crenshaw defined his secrets and techniques for lag placing. For limitless entry to the total GOLF Journal digital archive, be a part of InsideGOLF immediately; you’ll take pleasure in $140 of worth for under $39.99/yr.

Positive, we’d all like to hit it near the pin each time we discovered the inexperienced, however sadly, that’s simply not doable. That’s why it’s important that you simply turn out to be a competent lag putter.

Being an awesome putter from distance is massively useful to your scorecard. When you can remove three-putts, you’ll be amazed how rapidly your scores plummet. Plus, with out the stress of grinding over four-footers all day, it makes the sport a heck of much more pleasant.

While you face these prolonged putts, it’s essential you make a number of key changes in your stroke to search out success. For extra on that, we glance again to the April 1985 situation of GOLF Journal the place two-time Masters champ Ben Crenshaw shared his secrets and techniques.

Ben Crenshaw’s lag placing keys

When you could have a really lengthy putt, stand taller to the ball. This will increase the width of your swing arc so you may develop the additional power essential to the stroke with out swinging sooner or utilizing an excessive amount of wrist motion. 

Take a wider stance, which can allow you to make an extended stroke with out transferring your head from over the ball. Additionally, as you’ll see later, there must be some leg motion on lengthy putts. A wider stance lets you transfer the legs correctly with out swaying, a fault that makes a stable hit tough. 

On an additional lengthy putt, don’t turn out to be too line-conscious. What’s extra essential is the tempo of the putt. The extra of those putts you may lag to inside a foot of the outlet, the extra you’ll gap. 

That can assist you do that, visualize a circle with a four-foot radius across the gap. Then attempt to make the ball end throughout the circle. 

Beneath is a step-by-step information for my lag-putting approach.

Backswing

Swing the putter again with the arms. Permit your shoulders to answer the arm motion in order that they flip, taking the membership again to the within. Word that the putter blade opens in relation to the goal line. Nevertheless, this isn’t one thing it is best to attempt to do; it outcomes naturally from the shoulder flip.

Use simply sufficient wrist motion to maintain the motion fluid. You’ll additionally discover that a bit of wrist motion helps you make a clean transition from backswing to downswing.

Relating to the size of the backswing, Bobby Jones made a superb level when he mentioned at all times take a backswing that’s “lengthy sufficient.” A protracted backswing offers you adequate power within the swing with out your having to vary tempo. A constant tempo on all putts is crucial to good contact. A protracted backswing additionally offers you a clean stroke.

The leg motion within the backswing is just like that of a chip shot of the identical size. There’s just a bit weight shift to the appropriate foot, with the appropriate leg staying agency.

Downswing and influence

On the downswing, key on swinging the arms and membership by way of the ball. The shoulders reply to this motion, bringing the membership again from the within to the ball, after which again to the within within the comply with by way of.

In the identical approach the flip of the shoulders opened the blade on the backswing, so the flip of the shoulders closes the blade by way of the ball. At influence, the blade is within the strategy of closing, so it’s turning very barely over the ball. I catch the ball a bit of above the equator, and it begins rolling instantly. When you hit too low on the ball, it skids a great distance earlier than beginning to roll.

With such a protracted stroke, you want a bit of leg motion in the course of the ahead swing. When you tried to maintain your legs nonetheless, you’d stab on the ball fairly than making a clean stroke. By releasing the appropriate leg to the left, there’s no probability of flipping on the ball along with your wrists and pulling the ball left of goal.

Observe by way of

When you evaluate the size of my follow-through on this putt to the size of the backswing, you’ll see they’re mirror photographs. That is deliberate.

After I’m stroking a putt, I attempt to really feel as if I’m a part of a metronome: again on a rely of “One,” by way of on a rely of “Two.” This gradual, even beat retains my stroke clean and rhythmic.

In distinction, for those who attempt to speed up the putter by way of the ball, you shorten the backswing and rush the ahead swing. On brief putts you may typically get away with this. However it’s deadly on lengthy putts. You lose your pure tempo and your contact, leaving the ball brief or previous the outlet.

A fast summing up. On lengthy putts, stand a bit of taller and wider. Goal for a four-foot circle. Swing again with the arms and shoulders. Use a “lengthy sufficient” backswing with just a bit wrist. Then swing the arms and shoulders by way of, letting the appropriate knee launch. Preserve the swing as clean as doable with the metronome beat. Then you definitely, too, will gap your share of “monsters.”

Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com the place he spends his days running a blog, producing and modifying. Previous to becoming a member of the crew at GOLF, he attended the College of Texas adopted by stops with the Texas Golf Affiliation, Workforce USA, the Inexperienced Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all issues instruction and covers newbie and girls’s golf. He might be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.