Thoughts for the Greens

Following is a list of some productive thoughts for you to have on the greens. Pick the two or three that you feel are the most relevant to your game and focus on these with your putting. This will help you stay focused on the process of putting instead of worrying about impending results. Have fun and enjoy your day! Dr. Mo

Pre-Putt Thoughts (behind the ball)

• Tell yourself what a put IS in terms of 1 – distance. 2 – slope. and 3 – break (i.e. 20-foot downhill, left-to-right putt) not what it’s FOR in terms of score (i.e. 20-foot putt for birdie). Describe the butt physically, not emotionally.
• It makes no difference how the ball arrived at this location on the green. When you have a 6-foot, uphill, left-to-right putt it remains the same regardless of how it came to rest there. A 6 foot “left over” from a poor first putt is the same as a 6 footer from a miraculous 3-iron out of the woods over water. A putt is a putt. Just go hit it.
• Pick spots or paths to putt to, but not both. If you visualize a ball rolling down a path to the hole, then don’t focus on the left edge or two cups out. Just keep the ball rolling down the path. If you don’t visualize a path, then pick a specific target (i.e. old pitch mark) equidistant with the back of the hole (or in the back of the hole) and putt the ball along a straight line to that point. Either way of “seeing” puts can be productive, but doing both will lead to inconsistency.
• Your focus and evaluation should be centered around hitting a quality putt, not making the putt. If you hit enough quality putts, the majority of them will be made. Let the ball go in the hole. Don’t try to force it in.

Putting Thoughts (Walking into or at the ball)

• Your walk into the ball sets the tempo for your stroke. Walk in slow and smooth and your stroke will be slow and smooth. Walk in fast and jerky and your stroke will be fast and jerky.
• If you take practice strokes, make them realistic. Do not make practice strokes that are too hard or that are a continuous motion – they are not productive for the upcoming putt. Each practice stroke should have a definite beginning and end and have a similar tempo for the putt being played.
• If you feel like you are moving your head or “peeking” over putts, see where the ball “was” (after the club contacts the ball). This will allow you to focus on a visual aspect of putting instead of a mechanical one. Great vision promotes playing while mechanics promotes over-thinking and loss of feel.