Putting · Technique

Control your putting stroke size for distance

Controlling the size of your putting stroke makes distance control easier. If you take the putter back too far you may panic and decelerate; take it back too short and you may decide to hit through really hard. Either way the putter head speed through the ball changes and can get jerky, so the angle into the ball varies and contact becomes inconsistent. That can put a little backspin and sidespin on the ball, making speed and direction harder to control.