Instruction
Lag putting: the speed drill that cuts out three-putts
Most three-putts start with a long first putt left well short. Aim for a three-foot zone rather than the hole, and use a simple scored drill to build the speed control that gets you there.
Shot Scope’s tracking data has a 15-handicapper three-putting once every 9.7 holes, about twice a round, and most of those three-putts are decided by the first putt.
Where three-putts come from
A 25-handicapper three-putts every 7.6 holes; a 5-handicapper every 16.7. In an earlier Shot Scope study published by MyGolfSpy, 83% of all three-putts began with a first putt of over 32 feet. When a 15-handicapper does three-putt, their second putt is, on average, about 8 feet long. Shot Scope also found that 15-handicappers leave 55% of their putts short of the hole, and 25-handicappers 59%.
Mark Broadie’s analysis of PGA TOUR putting data, the work behind strokes gained, shows that tour players average 1.98 putts from 30 feet and 2.06 from 40 feet.
Putt to a three-foot circle
From outside about 30 feet, change the target: try to stop the ball inside a three-foot circle around the cup, ideally on the far side.
Shot Scope’s data shows that even a 25-handicapper holes around nine in ten putts from inside 3 feet, but from 3 to 6 feet the odds drop to slightly worse than 50/50. Broadie’s tour averages are 1.05 putts from 3 feet and 1.24 from 5 feet.
Aim for the far side of the hole: a ball that ends a little past shows you the break for the return. Short-game researcher Dave Pelz famously suggested that the ideal speed carries a missed putt about 17 inches past, enough to hold its line through the worn ground around the cup, as Golf Digest explains.
The drill: the three-foot ladder
You need nine balls, three tees and about 15 minutes on the practice green.
- Set up three stations in a straight line from one hole: roughly 20, 30 and 40 feet away (about 7, 10 and 13 normal paces). Mark each with a tee.
- Hit three balls from each station, starting at 20 feet and working back. Go through your full routine every time; no raking balls into position and firing them off.
- Score each putt:
- 2 points: finishes past the hole and within 3 feet (about a putter length)
- 1 point: within 3 feet but short
- 0 points: anywhere outside 3 feet
- Write the total down. The maximum is 18. Your first score is your baseline; the aim is to beat it next time.
Set the target by your level. If you are trying to break 100, widen it to a circle about two putter lengths across; two putts from long range is a good result. Between handicaps of about 10 and 20, use the three-foot zone on every putt over 30 feet and run the ladder once a week until your score climbs steadily. Single-figure players can add a 50-foot station and track how many of their first putts finish past the hole.
If you have five minutes before a round, do a shorter version: two balls from each station, then roll a few putts to the fringe on the far side of the green, trying to stop them just short of it. With no hole to stare at, you’re left with nothing but speed.
On the course: a quick decision rule
For any first putt over about 30 feet:
- Read speed first, line second. Is it uphill, downhill or flat? A look from the low side of the putt, or from halfway along it, gives you the best sense of slope.
- Make practice strokes while looking at the hole, rehearsing the length of stroke that feels right for that distance.
- Pick the zone, not the cup. Your job is a second putt of 3 feet or less. If you’re unsure about the break, favour the side that leaves an uphill next putt.
Adjusting for your stroke, your greens and your miss
- How you control distance. Some golfers change the length of their stroke and keep the tempo steady; others feel it more through pace. Both can work. Find the one that repeats for you in the ladder drill and stick with it.
- Green speed. Firm, fast greens and downhill putts call for dying the ball at the hole; the 17-inch guide assumes normal conditions. On slow, bumpy or wet greens, a little more pace is usually the smarter choice.
- Your own miss. If you miss long more often than short, the bonus for finishing past isn’t for you. Score in-zone putts equally and work on bringing the long ones back.
Mark your lags on the scorecard
Keep a simple tally on your scorecard for every first putt over 30 feet: S for short, L for long, Z for inside the three-foot zone. After 18 holes, count them up. If the S column is the longest, give your next long putts enough pace to finish past.
Sources
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