Why Do I Make More Putts for Par than Birdie?

Golfer:

I think I'm a good putter. I make my share of par and bogey putts, but I don't make many birdie putts. Why is it that I can make par and bogey putts, but I can't make the same putts for birdies?

Dr. Cohn’s Answer:

You label putts. You label the putt that you are trying to make as a "bogey", "par", or "birdie", which places limitations on your performance. You may focus more intensely on some putts and not on others. A putt is a putt is a putt, no matter what you are putting for. The task is still the same--to hit a small round ball into a hole in the green. You need to dedicate the same focus and intention to every putt. You want to try to make everything, despite the putt's meaning.

For example, when a player hits the green in regulation he says, "I can two-putt and still make par." This is unproductive thinking. The player lacks the intensive focus needed to make putts. Every putt has the same probability of being made, whatever its label. How often do you notice that you were concentrating well on the par and bogey putts, but when you had a birdie or eagle putt, you just wanted to get it close? Do not handcuff yourself with this type of thinking. This causes you to become score conscious. Labeling can be devastating to the golfer who says, "I must make this putt to make my par." This will only produce anxiety and cause you to focus on the outcome. Remember that a putt is a putt and all putts can be made, despite what how you label the putt.

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