Golf Instruction Zone: Where Are You Looking on Your Short Putts?

In this edition of our Golf Instruction Zone video series, Steve Dresser of the Steve Dresser Golf Academy at True Blue Golf Club in Pawleys Island, S.C. shows us a putting tip that seems counterintuitive – but works, if you trust the process!

 

 

I see a lot of recreational players where, if they have a fairly long putt, they have a pretty nice, smooth putting stroke. But when they get over one of these, the one that’s just long enough where their buddies won’t give it to them, you’ll start to see this kind of stuff happening.

I remember in 1991, Payne Stewart won the U.S. Open at Hazeltine, and I remember reading after that, he said that entire week he didn’t look at the ball when he putted, he didn’t look at the hole either, he looked at a spot about six inches beyond the golf ball. He just kept his focus on that and made sure his putter traveled over that spot every time.

It’s a little bit weird at first, it’s hard to not look at the ball, but you find a spot just a few inches in front of the golf ball, and look at that, and make your putter go over that spot, and it’s remarkable how it smooths out that stroke. People get a little bit antsy on these short putts.