Putting Tips: How to Make More Putts and Lower Your Scores

Putting is the most misunderstood skill in golf. Most golfers think of it as a technical challenge — grip, stroke, alignment. Tour caddies think of it primarily as a decision-making challenge. You have to read correctly, commit to a line, and trust a speed. The mechanics come last.

Speed First, Line Second

The most important lesson from Tour caddies: focus on speed before line. If your pace is right, the hole becomes larger — off-pace putts that break toward the hole will still fall in. If your pace is wrong, a perfect line still misses. Spend the majority of your pre-putt time judging pace, not plotting the path.

“Most amateurs read the line. Pros focus on speed. If your pace is right, the hole gets bigger.”

How to Read a Green Like a Tour Caddie

• Read from behind the ball first — gives you the overall slope direction
• Read from behind the hole — shows how the putt behaves near the cup
• Crouch to eye level for long putts — you'll see slope you missed standing up
• Always miss on the high side for breaking putts — this gives the ball a chance to fall in
• Check for grain near the cup — grain toward water or mountains affects late break

The Pre-Putt Routine That Works

The best pre-putt routines are consistent, short, and end with a decisive move. Read, rehearse, commit. The mistake most golfers make is continuing to re-read after they've already decided — creating doubt right before the stroke. Read once, commit fully, and swing. The mental cost of last-second second-guessing is enormous.