Course Management and the Putting Strategy Your Game May Be Missing
Most of the time, golf course management is about choosing the right club off the tee, aiming away from trouble, and saving your aggressive shots for when you really need them.
However, golf course management also comes into play when we talk about putting.
If your putting game could use a little work, consider this putting strategy, which could change your mindset and help you make a few more putts in your next round.
Key Takeaways
If you don’t have time to read through this entire post on course management and putting strategy, here are the most important concepts to take away:
- Start to categorize your putts into ranges of one-putt, two-putt, and three-putt distances.
- Change your strategy for each range of distance to eliminate the chance of three putts and give yourself more opportunities for one putts.
- Wear your HackMotion when practicing the putts in the one- and two-putt range, focusing on creating consistent wrist movement from one stroke to the next.
- Practice putting drills, especially lag putting drills, to ensure you have proper distance control when out on the golf course.
Contents
See how mastering wrist movements can transform your putting game.
Course Management Putting Strategy
This strategy is used by professionals in various forms. Regardless of your weakness, by breaking your game down like this, you’ll have an easier time going low on the course.
Identify Your Scoring Circles
The first part of this process forces you to look into your game with a bit more depth.
You’ll want to figure out your three putt, two, and one putt zone. For amateur golfers, start tracking some rounds where you determine not just how many putts but how many putts you make from different distances.
If you find that you normally have three putts from the 30ft foot area, that would be the outer circle or three putt zone for you.
Here is a basic look at these three different zones, but you can tweak them to match the right distances for your game.
Outer Circle (Three-Putt Zone)
- For pros: starts at about 40 ft.
- For amateurs: starts closer to 25 ft.
- Goal: Avoid three-putting by focusing on lag putting.
Middle Circle (Two-Putt Zone)
- For pros: 10-50 ft.
- For amateurs: 7-30 ft.
- Goal: Aim to leave the ball close to the hole, reducing the likelihood of a three-putt.
Inner Circle (One-Putt Zone)
- For pros: up to 9 ft.
- For amateurs: up to 6 ft.
- Goal: Aim to make these putts as consistently as possible.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
Choose the Right Approach
Once you have your zones established, the next part of this process is to determine which approach you will take.
The strategy for the outer circle, middle circle, and inner circle is a bit different.
From the Outer Circle
Sometimes, when your ball is in the outer circle, it’s not even on the green.
However, you should still try to use your putter from anywhere in this outer circle as often as you can. You’ll find that the putter eliminates some of the risks associated with wedges.
Some golfers also use their hybrid to help them take a putting-like stroke without having to think about a chunk or thinned shot.
From the outer circle, do not think about making the putt.
Instead, you want to lag putt and get the ball within a three-foot range of the hole. Make sure on these long putts that you are reading the entire line, not just the line the ball is going to start on.
From the Middle Circle
The middle circle is your two putt zone. From here, you don’t want to get overly aggressive; the putt you leave yourself should be more of a tap-in, not necessarily a long one that has you nervous.
Be smart about the break on these putts. Some golfers underread the breaks, which makes them more prone to a putt that slides further and further from the hole.
Focus on a softer putt that ends up on the high side of the hole and has a chance to fall in.
From the Inner Circle
The inner circle is your go-to zone. Aim these putts so that you can make them.
Sometimes, that means being a little firmer and choosing a line that is inside the club. Every inch closer to the hole you are, the chance of you making it is that much higher.
Work on these putts often to make sure you have a consistent and dependable stroke from this range.
Learn how good wrist control can make your putting better.
Drills to Help Implement This Strategy
Now that you have your zones figured out and you have a general strategy for each zone, it’s time to look at some of the options you have to help implement this strategy.
These drills will help you not only make less mistakes but sink more putts.
Basic Lag Putting Drill
To practice lag putting, find a golf practice green with few people on or around it. Set up tees at 40ft, 50ft, and 60ft. Use a few tees to create a three-foot circle around the hole.
See how many out of 10 you can get to end up in the circle around the hole.
The goal here is to focus on distance control. You are not worried about making the putt. The percentage of making these putts is so small that it’s not worth practicing.
However, getting yourself in that 3 foot circle will ensure less three putts from this range.
High and Soft Drill
Most amateur golfers under-read greens, causing them to miss their putts on the low side almost every time. If you miss on the low side, you never give the shot a chance to go in the hole.
For this drill, find a putt with a significant left or right break. It only needs to be about 15 feet long. Place a marker on the high side of the hole. Aim at this marker and aim to either have the ball go in or miss on the high side.
You’ll quickly see how often you are never even giving the ball a chance to go in.
Circle Drill or Clock Drill
This classic golf drill has you set up about 4 to 6 golf balls in a circle around a hole. You’ll want these to be about 4 to 6 ft. Try to go all the way around the circle without missing.
Golfers like Phil Mickelson use this drill because it helps build confidence and consistency. In addition, it makes you more confident when making putts from a variety of angles.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
General Tips to Improve Course Management and Putting
There are a few reasons your short game course management strategy may be lacking.
Here are a few tips to help you get back on track:
- Don’t overcomplicate the strategy, use the putter whenever you can, keep your ball low when you have the chance, and don’t use the lob wedge unless it makes sense.
- Practice reading greens, the most common mistake for amateurs is under reading breaks, a practice that higher and softer putt that gradually falls into the hole.
- You must practice lag putting; it’s a skill that takes time to learn, but proper distance control makes all the difference in your putting strategy.
- For the short putts, use the HackMotion to keep your lead wrist position as consistent as possible from one putt to the next; if your stroke is inconsistent, the clubface changes position all too often.
- Finally, stick to a putting pre shot routine that you can use every time. It’s the best way to train your brain to continually make putts.
Conclusion
If you apply this course management putting strategy to your game, you should have an easier time sorting out where your weaknesses are in your putting game.
In addition, you should be able to finally make some more putts.
Golfers like Payne Stweart used this strategy, and it helped him win major championships. Most amateurs don’t know where to begin with creating a putting routine and strategy. Use this as your starting point and see what you can develop.
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