Increasing speed on the greens is key to eliminating three-putts.
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One of the key factors in good putting is proper speed. If you can hit the putt at the correct speed, the effective hole size will be larger and give you a better chance of making the putt.
Correct pace not only helps make However, putt. When you're on speed dial, it reduces the number of three-pushes and helps avoid big numbers.
When you watch great putts on the green, you'll notice that their speed is usually Very OK They don't have to struggle with their second putt because they left their first putt in a given area. This should be what all golfers aspire to.
For more information on how to improve green speed, we turned to elite midfielder golfer and Bridges Cup participant Taylor Wood.
How to adjust speed on the greens
Maintaining the right speed on the green is crucial, but it's not always easy. Since different courses have different green speeds, adjustments must be made every time you tee off in a new location. If you want your game to spread, you have to adjust the speed on the greens everywhere you play.
Taylor-Wood knows this fact. An elite middle golfer, he competes in tournaments across the country—and every time he tees off somewhere new, he focuses on feeling the speed of the greens.
How did he do it? It all starts with establishing a baseline.
“I keep it simple and think about my home [course] Speed,” Wood said.
Every time Wood arrives at a new course, he starts putting like he would at home. Many times, the speed of the new greens will be different than his home speed, but with that baseline in mind, he can make the necessary adjustments.
One drill he likes to do to get a feel for speed is to take an item from his bag, such as a glove, and place it in a random spot on the green. He then makes several putts toward the ball, aiming to get the ball to rest as close to the ball as possible.
“I'll hit some putts that I'm not really focusing on,” he said. “I really brought my feel from home here and hit some putts to see how to recalibrate.”
If you're playing a new course, it might be wise to take a page from Wood's book. Before teeing off, head to the practice green and make a rolling putt with the sole goal of feeling the speed. If you can do this, you'll be able to have three fewer putts at the beginning of your round and get off to a quicker start.
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