11 Reasons for Missed Putts

Lesson 260-Lots of instructors can share what someone else has told them. Very few can tell you what they know to be true. Knowledge works.

 Lesson 261-Knowledge you need. How to match stroke to putt length to control speed. How to control the face at impact at different speeds.

Lesson 262-Never make a change in your putting strategy without a knowing why you are making the change. Wish and hope is a lousy strategy.

Lesson 263-Reasons for missed putts. #1 Visual interference. Perception of target line from side on position does not match actual = steer.

Lesson 264-Missed Putts/Reason 2. Mixed sources of motion. Shoulders back arms through or arms back and shoulders through? Complicated.

Lesson 265-Missed putts 3. Putter moves off plane during the stroke. Loops in the stroke, forced follow throughs, jumpy hands are all signs.

Lesson 266-Missed Putts 4.Wrong stroke length for needed distance. Most common? Too long for the short putts and too short on the long ones.


Lesson 267-#5 Bad timing. Too fast on short strokes-too slow on the long ones. Same time to impact regardless of stroke length is the goal.

Lesson 268-Missed putts 6. Steer or redirect the putter during the stroke. Some players know no other way. Always goes bad under pressure.

Lesson 269-Missed Putts 7.Steer caused by improper orientation of flat sided grip to clubface. It also makes it difficult to aim the putter.

Lesson 270-MissedPutts8-Players releases the putter based on how the putt breaks. Blocks a slice break and releases the toe on a hook break.

Lesson 271-MissedPutts#9-The rotational balance of the putter does not match the rotational requirement of the stroke. Who wins the fight?

Lesson 272-MissedPutts10-Makes a compensation based on a previous putt. Example? A push on one putt often results in a pull on the next one.
Lesson 273-MissedPutts11-The belief that weakness in your method and not errors in how you implement your method is why you missed the putt.

More Putting Advice

Lesson 251-Over time, the flex of a shaft on a putter has a measurable influence on rhythm and timing. More flex=slower. Less flex=faster.

Lesson 252-Putting strokes develop over time, based on feed back. How the feel of the stroke relates to the results. Don't assume anything.

Lesson 253-A softer shaft flex in a golf club makes you more aware of the position of the head. The same is true with a putter.

Lesson 254-Ability to feel the head of the putter in motion is critical to having a feel for stroke length. Length of stroke=length of putt.

Lesson 255-Try to match the length of your practice stroke to the length of your putt. Otherwise you are just moving the putter. No benefit.

Lesson 256-The amount of rotation changes with stroke length. A feel for the proper stroke length helps you control speed and DIRECTION.

Lesson 257- Too many putts are missed because of the wrong stroke length. Too long for the short putts and too short for the long ones.

Lesson 258-Do you know your correct stroke length for putts in 3 foot increments? Best thing you can do for your game. Proper stroke length.

Lesson 259-Old adage of see it-feel it-roll it is good advice. How do you feel it? Stroke length! Not putter speed!

Putting Lesson 241-250

Lesson 241-Good results will "feel" different than poor results. Don't miss a chance to improve because it "feels bad". Different isn't bad.

Lesson 242- A test for feel. Do you know where you missd without watching the putt? Does feel match reality Lesson 243-Best way to develop a feel for your stroke is to practice with your eyes closed. Even better get on a PuttLab with eyes closed.

Lesson 244-Grass roots putter fitting. Swing all the putters in your local proshop with your eyes closed. Which one feels best in motion?

Lesson 245-Swing your putter with your eyes closed. Stop the stroke when you feel the face is square. Open your eyes, how did you do?

Lesson 246-Not square after 245? A poorly installed grip and the compensations it forces, is the most common cause of putting problems.

Lesson 247- Vision is not as accurate as feel. Better to learn what your best stroke feels like than what the putter looks like in motion.

Lesson 248-Most missed putts come from visual interference. We compensate based on what we see, then tell ourselves it doesn't feel right.

Lesson 249-Feel in motion is more important than feel at impact!! Do not ignore the flex of the putter shaft when evaluating your stroke.

Lesson 250 -The shaft of the putter delivers the feel of the stroke to the hands. Flex and weight are as important in putting as full shots.

The Yips Battle- New Yorker Magazine

Click here to read this article.


http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/05/26/the-yips


I have worked personally with Christian and I am familiar with the other work referenced in the article. Christian has always said yips are rotational. The "speed" yip mentioned seems to be a tempo issue. Debbie Crews work has been very influential to me. Especially that the severity of a yip can get worse if not addressed.

The toughest part for me is understanding the difference/relationship of the mechanical yip and the mental yip. I am not qualified to say much about the mental side, but I do have some support of my work on the mechanical side.

There is no simple solution as you can tell from the article. But in support of the article I would offer this:

In terms of the rotational aspect of the stroke, we have had success focusing on the relationship of putter face to the path of the stroke rather than putter face to the target line. Using a natural rotation in the stroke rather than a manipulated steer. Open to closed is better than shut to open!!!!!!!!

If you suffer from rotational yips, it helps to get a putter that balances to the parameters of your stroke. Yips are reactionary. either to perception or feel. If the putter is not balanced to your path, you will react to correct based on your perception.

Excess weight is not a cure. Over time, it just exaggerates the problem.

Changing how you perform the task is a big help. Renown putter designer, Tad Moore, has shared with me that "face on" putting is the solution for anchored  putting  and can help the yips. Tad is an expert I trust and after spending some time working with the concept, I can support his ideas.

I can tell you for sure while there are experts in explain what happens, the field is leveled when it comes to a solution. No way to tell how a player will react to any given solution. But there are solutions. Just takes some work and understanding of the problem.

Putting Lessons 231-240

Lesson 231-In a consistent stroke, ball position will have more influence on ball direction than body alignment! Find the apex of the arc!

Lesson 232-The putterhead moves on a plane independent and more upright than the putter shaft. Beware. Aids based on shaft=rotation issues.

Lesson 233-Still looking for a best way? Start with on plane & impact at the bottom of the stroke. Anything else requires some manipulation.

Lesson 234-Adam Scott. Conflict! High moi putter = straight Your posture = arc. Putter moves above plane and rotates shut. Ball goes left.

Lesson 235-How much loft should you use on your putter? Food for thought. Many of the best putters have more loft than standard not less.

Lesson 236- More loft on a putter=more versatile and more forgiving. Loft at impact has more influence on distance than off center strikes!

Lesson 237-Loft of the putter at impact has big influence on where you strike the putter on the face vertically. Too high or low? Check loft.

Lesson 238-Great ball roll? Anytime the toe of the putter is moving faster than the heel at impact. Regardless of loft or angle of attack.

Lesson 239-If the heel leads the toe to the ball the ball comes off the putter softer, with a higher launch. Very effective on fast greens.

Lesson 240-Better to focus on results and learn to prefer the feel, than focus on feel and hope for successful results. Lesson

Putting Lessons 221-230

Lesson 221-Proper size grip formula. Hand size +/- rotational requirement based on distance from the ball. Farther=smaller. Closer=bigger.

Lesson 222-Grip profile. Look for grip shape and taper that enhances your source of motion and fits your preferred hand placement.

Lesson 223-Understanding the difference between putting stroke plane and putter path is a key to better putting. Definitions at #224 & #225

Lesson 224-Stroke plane-Think Hogan's pane of glass. The Putter HEAD travels along this plane. Plane is tilted vertically and directionally.

Lesson 225-Stroke path. The direction the putter is moving at impact. Plane and path direction do not match during the stroke.

Lesson 226-Stroke plane is a function of alignment & motion source. Path direction is a variable along the stroke plane. Ball direction?

Lesson 227- The direction the ball leaves is a function of face position and Putter PATH, not Stroke Plane! It helps to know the difference.

Lesson 228-With an arcing stroke the plane can tilt left or right yet the putter still would be online at impact. Is an arc more forgiving?

Lesson 229-Ball position & timing are much more important than body alignment for arcing strokes. Alignment changes plane more than path.

Lesson 230-Alignment for putting does not have anywhere near the importance of alignment for the full swing. Why? Ball spin is not an issue.