Mastering the Lag Putt: Techniques for Long Distance Putting

← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Short Game Mastery

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Quick Answer

• Focus on a smooth, controlled tempo for consistent distance control on long putts.
• Develop a repeatable, pendulum-like stroke initiated by your shoulders, not your wrists.
• Practice with specific distance targets to build your feel and trust your stroke.

Who This Is For

• Golfers who consistently struggle to get their long putts close to the hole, leading to three-putt headaches.
• Players looking to add a reliable, consistent technique to their putting arsenal, especially for those 30-footers and beyond.

What to Check First for How to Lag Putt

• Grip Pressure: Make sure your grip is firm enough to control the putter but loose enough to allow your wrists to hinge naturally. Imagine holding a can of soda – you don’t want to crush it. Tension is the enemy of feel.
• Stance Stability: Your stance needs to be solid. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, providing a stable base. Ensure your weight is balanced, not leaning too far forward or back.
• Eye Position: Your eyes should be directly over the ball or slightly inside the target line. This helps you see the line clearly and promotes a consistent stroke path.
• Putter Face Squareness: At address, confirm that your putter face is square to your intended target line. A slightly open or closed face from the start will make distance control much harder.
• Alignment Setup: Check that your feet, hips, and shoulders are aligned parallel to your target line. Even a slight misalignment can send your putt offline, forcing you to compensate with distance.

Step-by-Step Plan for Better Lag Putting

Lag putting is all about feel and control, not brute force. Here’s how to dial it in:

1. Establish a Consistent, Relaxed Grip.

• Action: Take your normal putting grip, but consciously lighten the pressure in your hands. Think about holding the club with your fingers more than your palms.
• What to look for: A grip where you can feel the putter head easily. There should be no tension in your forearms or wrists. You want your hands to feel like they’re just along for the ride.
• Mistake to avoid: Gripping too tightly. This is the number one killer of feel. It locks up your wrists and prevents a smooth, natural stroke. I’ve seen guys squeeze the life out of the putter like they’re trying to start a lawnmower. Relax, man.

2. Develop a Pendulum Stroke from Your Shoulders.

• Action: Initiate the backswing by gently rocking your shoulders. Keep your wrists and hands relatively still, allowing them to hinge naturally as your shoulders move.
• What to look for: A smooth, rhythmic motion where your arms and putter move as one unit, controlled by your shoulder rotation. It should feel like a pendulum swinging.
• Mistake to avoid: Using your wrists to “hit” at the ball or manipulate the putter face. This introduces inconsistency and makes judging distance a nightmare. Think of it as your shoulders dictating the pace and path.

3. Focus on Tempo, Not Just Length.

• Action: Concentrate on maintaining a consistent tempo throughout your entire stroke – from the start of the backswing, through impact, and into the follow-through.
• What to look for: A smooth, unhurried rhythm. For lag putts, the backswing and follow-through should feel roughly equal in length and speed. The goal is to accelerate through the ball, not decelerate.
• Mistake to avoid: Rushing the backswing or decelerating as you approach the ball. Decelerating is a classic lag putt killer, resulting in short putts that leave you with another long one. Maintain that consistent acceleration.

4. Practice with Specific Distance Targets.

• Action: Head to the practice green and select a target, say, 40 feet away. Then, pick another spot 10 feet past that target. Your goal is to hit putts that stop between the target and the spot 10 feet beyond.
• What to look for: The feel of different stroke lengths corresponding to different distances. You’ll start to build an internal clock and feel for how much you need to swing to get the ball to a certain point.
• Mistake to avoid: Hitting putts aimlessly without a specific distance objective. You need to connect your stroke length and tempo to the actual distance the ball needs to travel. This is where the real learning happens.

5. Commit to Your Line and Stroke.

• Action: After reading the green and selecting your target, commit to the line you’ve chosen and trust the stroke you’ve practiced.
• What to look for: Confidence in your read and your ability to execute the stroke. Don’t second-guess yourself at the last moment or try to make last-second adjustments.
• Mistake to avoid: Wavering on your line or making a jerky, uncertain stroke. Doubt is a lag putter’s worst enemy. Once you’ve committed, let it go and trust the process.

6. Visualize the Roll and Desired Outcome.

• Action: Before you even take your stance, visualize the ball rolling smoothly along your chosen line and stopping just past the hole.
• What to look for: A clear picture in your mind of the ball’s trajectory and how it should finish. This mental rehearsal primes your stroke for success.
• Mistake to avoid: Thinking about the power needed or the speed of the green. Instead, focus on the ball’s journey and the feel of the stroke that will get it there.

Mastering the Lag Putt: Key Techniques

Lag putting is an art form, and like any art, it requires practice and understanding of the fundamentals. It’s not about getting the ball in the hole from 50 feet, it’s about getting it within a comfortable tap-in distance. This requires a different approach than short putts.

• Tempo is King: The most critical element of lag putting is tempo. A consistent tempo means a consistent energy transfer to the ball, leading to consistent distance. This is achieved through a smooth, unhurried stroke, primarily controlled by your shoulders. Think of a metronome – steady and reliable.

• The Pendulum Motion: Imagine your putter is an extension of your arms, and your arms are hanging from your shoulders. When you swing your shoulders back and forth, your arms and the putter will naturally follow in a pendulum-like arc. This keeps the stroke consistent and minimizes the chances of scooping or hitting with your hands.

• Commitment and Trust: Once you’ve read the green and visualized the putt, you need to commit. Hesitation or second-guessing at the top of your backswing or during your downswing will disrupt your tempo and lead to poor distance control. Trust the practice you’ve put in.

• Practice with Purpose: Simply rolling putts on the practice green isn’t enough. You need to practice with specific goals. Work on hitting putts that stop within a 3-foot circle, or putts that stop just past a certain mark. This targeted practice builds the feel and confidence you need on the course.

• Understanding Green Speed: While tempo is key, you also need to develop a feel for the green’s speed. This comes from spending time on different practice greens and paying attention to how the ball rolls. On faster greens, your backswing will be shorter; on slower greens, it will be longer, but the tempo should remain consistent.

Common Mistakes in Lag Putting

• Tight Grip — Restricts pendulum motion and feel, leading to a jerky stroke and poor distance control — Focus on a relaxed, light grip pressure, like holding a delicate wildflower.
• Wristy Stroke — Creates inconsistency and poor face control, making it impossible to judge distance accurately — Initiate the stroke with shoulder rotation, keeping your wrists firm but not tense.
• Decelerating Through Impact — Leads to short putts and poor distance control because the ball doesn’t receive the intended energy — Maintain a consistent tempo and accelerate smoothly through the ball.
• Inconsistent Backswing Length — Makes judging distance a guessing game because the energy input varies wildly — Practice specific backswing lengths for different distances and commit to them.
• Ignoring Green Reading — Even the best stroke won’t help if you misread the break, leading to putts that are too long or too short — Take time to read the putt properly, looking at slopes from multiple angles.
• Trying to “Steer” the Ball — Leads to a lack of commitment and a tentative stroke — Trust your practiced stroke and visualize the ball rolling to your target.
• Not Practicing Lag Putts Enough — Leads to a lack of feel and confidence on the course — Dedicate a significant portion of your practice time to lag putting drills from various distances.

FAQ

• What is the most important factor in lag putting?

Tempo and feel. It’s all about hitting the ball a consistent distance without thinking too much about power. A smooth, rhythmic stroke that you can repeat is paramount.

• How can I develop a consistent tempo for long putts?

Practice drills focusing on rhythm. Try counting “one-two” for your backswing and follow-through, or use a metronome app set to a steady beat. The key is to make the backswing and follow-through feel balanced and unhurried.

• Should my backswing be longer or shorter for longer putts?

For longer putts, your backswing should generally be longer, but the absolute key is to maintain the same tempo. It’s not about hitting harder, it’s about a bigger, smoother swing that transfers more energy consistently.

• How far should I practice lag putts from?

You should practice from a variety of distances, but really focus on putts from 30 feet and beyond. These are the putts where lag strategy truly shines and can save you strokes. Practicing from 50, 70, and even 100 feet will build incredible feel.

• What’s the best way to practice lag putting without a full green?

You can use putting mats indoors, but the focus needs to be on replicating the tempo and stroke. Visualize the distance you’re trying to achieve and try to match your stroke length and speed to that mental picture. It’s not perfect, but it helps maintain muscle memory.

• How much practice time should I dedicate to lag putting?

A good rule of thumb is to dedicate at least 50% of your putting practice to lag putts, especially if you struggle with three-putts. Short game practice is crucial, but mastering the long ones is often the secret to lower scores.