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Distance control is the most important component to good putting. Distance control is feel and feel is something that must be developed. I ask my students even before they hit their first putt to make a practice stroke. After they do so I ask them why do you make a practice stroke? They say, "To get a feel for the how much of a stroke to make." Then I normally ask them something like "Where do you look when you shoot a basketball." Answer, "The hoop." And where do you look when throwing a baseball? Answer, "The glove." Why do you stare at the ground when making a practice stroke? Answer, "I didn’t realize I did." So at this point we begin some drills which include looking at the hole only in the practice stroke. Three practice strokes staring at the hole feeling like they are rolling the ball with their shoulder and arm to the hole trains their shoulders how much motion to make in their regular stroke.

Then we begin to focus on direction, which is easier taught. We walk off the green and look closely trying to find the highest point on the green. What does this tell us? Normally the two directions in which the ball will break. At this point we find a putt and visualize the ball rolling directly at the hole to try and establish how much break is in the putt. Most putts are missed by poor alignment not by misread greens. We then line up to a point next to the hole we are trying to putt to. Before we hit the putt we put a putting triangle (a teaching aid which shows where the putter is lined up) across the face of the putter, most of the time it is lined up incorrectly. Here is the cure, find a piece of grass or mark on the green directly in front of the ball that is on the line you are trying to putt on. Line up at that your putter will be lined up a lot closer to the target you a putting at.

An established routine that includes the components of a good putt is a necessity. Try this one and it can be modified for your individual needs.