Going the distance

We can’t all putt like tour pros,
​but we can learn to come close

    Tour pros. They’re different from us amateurs. 
    If you happened to catch the end of BMW Championship at Olympia Fields in August, you know exactly what we’re talking about.
    Here’s a brief recap of the climactic finish:
    Dustin Johnson was trailing by a shot on the final hole and staring down an impossibly difficult double-breaking downhill birdie putt from 43 feet. He needed to make it to send the tournament into overtime with clubhouse leader Jon Rahm.
​    Of course, this happened…

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INCREDIBLE. □@DJohnsonPGA with a MUST-MAKE putt to force a playoff @BMWChamps.

Never. A. Doubt.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/u7ag0XNBDS

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 30, 2020

    On to the first playoff hole, where both players had reached the green in regulation. Jon Rahm was away and staring down an impossibly difficult downhill, side-breaking 66-footer for birdie. One of the NBC broadcasters commented that Rahm would be lucky to get out of there with a two-putt.
    Of course, this happened…

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66 FEET for the WIN! □

UNBELIEVABLE putt from @JonRahmPGA to claim @BMWChamps in a playoff! #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/DktJRjZLoj

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 30, 2020

    And while Johnson came up just inches short on his 33-footer to continue the playoff, it was simply an awesome display of putting prowess from the two top players in the world.
    Where are we going with all of this? Well, for most of us, unless you play the game for a living, making putts of those lengths and difficulty is usually going to take some luck. That’s why we're going to take a moment to stress the importance of lag putting when you're sizing up those 40-footers.
    Courtesy of Devan Bonebrake, the Director of Instruction at Rolling Hills Country Club Golf Academy near the Palos Verdes Peninsula, here are a few tips to help you become more efficient with your long-distance putting: 

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Devan Bonebrake, PGA

    There are a few things you can do to really help yourself before stepping up the putt. 
   1) Walk from your ball to the hole, because you’ll see the undulations in the greens much better than from behind your ball – that is important because so much of the break in a putt comes at the end, when the ball is slowing down. 
   2) When you’re taking your practice strokes, look at the hole and really focus on not only the speed and break, but the length of the putt to ensure you don’t leave it short or go running past the cup. 
    3) Another key to remember is that you shouldn’t expect to make long lag putts. Instead, focus on a 6-foot circle around the hole and try to get the ball within that perimeter, which should give you a good chance to knock in the next one.

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    So there you have it. While most of us may not have the ability to drain impossibly long putts under the most intense pressure, with a little strategy and some patience, we may be able to save a few shots on the greens.

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