Golf Psychology: A Better Mindset for Making Short Putts
by Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D.

Do you struggle with making short putts in competition when you can routinely make these same putts on the practice green? Do you make more putts outside of four feet than you do inside 4 feet? Many golfers, amateur and professional alike struggle to make short putts and tell me that the stroke feels different when they have to make a 3 footer. As an example, here is an email I received recently from a good amateur player: “Dear Dr. Cohn, I do not have trouble making short putts in practice or during casual rounds of golf. However, during a important tournament, I step up to simple 2 to 4 foot putt and I'm nervous, like I've never stroked a short putt before. The putter head often swings away from the ball way inside the target line resulting in contact on the toe of the putter and poor, offline putts. What can I do and work on to prevent this from happening?”

This is a very common issue that golfers write me about and that I work on with my students. From a mental game perspective, I think players struggle with short putts (3-4 feet) because they put extra pressure on themselves to make them. You put extra expectation on yourself to make putts inside of four feet. “I’m supposed to make this short putt, it would be awful if I missed this one” a player says to him or herself standing over the putt. The extra pressure that a golfer puts on him or herself is sometimes a reflection of a result focus about the potential for missing and losing a stroke.

In addition, some players are afraid to embarrass themselves for missing a short putt, which causes too much trying and tension in the stroke. Therefore, if you care too much about what others’ think about your putting, this might cause you to worry more about missing. And then if you do miss a couple short putts in a row, you might fall into the “I-can’t-make-the-short-ones syndrome” and thus talk yourself into thinking you can’t make a short putt the entire day!

As a mental game coach, I try to get players to first understand what mental breakdown they are committing. Are you trying too hard, worrying about missing, embarrassed to miss, or just think you are a poor short putt putter? With this information, I am better able to deal with the specific challenge of the player.

With that said, there are a few things you can do to help you make short putts. Keep in mind that it’s your expectations about making short putts that gets you off track in the first place.

First, don’t label the putt as a “short putt” or a “must make” and treat it differently than you would a 12 foot putt, for example. The bottom line (or what I call the common denominator) in putting is that you have to hit your line with the right pace—and players forget about this basic principle. Therefore, instead of trying to make a “four foot putt for par,” the goal is to hit your ball on the line you selected. If you do this, you should view the putt as a successful attempt no matter the outcome!

Second, do not get obsessed with results and worry that you must make it. This is too much pressure. Even the pros miss short putts occasionally. When worrying about making, you are too result focused. Keep your focus on the process of hitting a solid putt on your line that you selected. Your putting mindset should be about speed and line, not results.

Third, don’t baby the putt into the hole or try to guide it. A good stroke will break down when you try to control the putter head. Over control will change the dynamics of your stroke. Give up control to your hand-eye coordination. You already know how to stroke a putt on line and you have trust that you can do just that. See the target (maybe right edge of the cup, for example) and allow your body to start the ball on that spot. Feel it into the hole instead of trying to make a perfect “stroke.”

Fourth, do not dwell on missed putts – the past is done. It does not help you to make future putts by getting down on your putting, spanking your putter, or calling yourself names after a miss. Let go of past missed putts and focus on one thing you did well for each putt. Treat every putt is a new opportunity to hit your line and have good pace. You have to treat every putt as if it’s the first putt of the day—with confidence and optimism that you will hit it on line. Take the same amount of time—not more or less—that your normal routine dictates.

Lastly, if you feel tension over the putt, make sure you breath! Take a full breath in as you address the putt. Just before you are ready to pull the rigger, exhale all of the air out of your lungs and initiate the stroke. This technique helps to reduce tension from holding your breath over the ball.

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