To putt well, you first need to master the art of speed control. I consider good speed control to be the ability to regularly roll the ball just past the hole if it doesn’t happen to fall into the hole. That distance past the hole should be the distance you never miss from (approx 1 – 2 feet).

The two things that control your rolling speed are the length of your stroke and your stroke speed or tempo. The best putters have a consistent stroke tempo for every putt they hit. They just vary the length of their stroke. But I see a lot of club golfers vary their tempo for different length putts which results in quick jabby strokes and often deceleration through the strike.

To fix this, use a metronome when practicing to help keep the same tempo for all putts. There are many free metronome apps available for both Apple and Android phones, so go ahead and download one for yourself.

Once you have one, you will need to find the tempo that best suits your personality and stroke. Play around with different beats, starting your backstroke on one beep and then striking the ball on the next beep and then holding your finish on the next two beats. Most good putters find that between 75 – 85 beats produces the best stroke rhythm. Once you find your beat temp, don’t change. Just keep practicing and you’ll soon find your stroke and distance control improving out on the course.