Pushing Putts To The Right (3 Solutions)

Written by Todd in Online Golf Instruction

Golf is an incredible game.

All within a 15 minute timeframe, you can go from swinging a driver over 100 miles per hour, to hitting a full 7 iron into a green and then being required to have the touch to make a 7 footer for your birdie or to save a par.

The game takes great skill to play at the highest level.  Fortunately, the journey for many golfers can be a thrill and the challenge of a lifetime!

When it comes to the short game, there are golfers who save shots and those that waste shots and add to their score.

The really good news for any serious golfer is that the short game is possible to improve.  It doesn’t take great athleticism, strength, power or swing speed.  

Instead, it takes the right knowledge, work ethic and imagination.  Below, I will dive into some solutions on why golfers push their putts to the right and leave you with a drill you can use to get your putting stroke online and making more putts.

Why Do I Push My Putts To The Right?

The golfer is more then likely doing one of the following: aiming improperly from the beginning, slowing down through the putting stroke, or cutting or pushing from a poor backstroke.

Everyone of these issues is fixable and with the right amount of time and practice, the golfer can become a better than average putter and save shots on the green instead of giving shots away.

Eliminate the variables in putting and focus on speed and start line.

Solution #1: Aim Properly

While it might sound simple, we know that it isn’t.  Here is what we would highly recommend to ensure you are actually aiming where you want to!

  1. Draw a line on your golf ball (why do golfers draw a line on their ball?)
  2. Find a straight putt on the practice green
  3. From behind the ball aim the line at the middle of the hole
  4. Go ahead and hit the putt 10 times repeating the process above
  5. Did you continue to miss putts to the right?

If you answer yes to #5, chances are you can move on to solutions 2 and 3 below.  But keep using the line on the ball to help you ensure you aim where you are intending to aim.  Our vision from behind the ball is significantly better than when standing over the ball.  Take advantage of the opportunity to mark every putt outside of 2 feet, clean your golf ball off and line it up properly.  Use this routine every time.  

Becoming a great putter is about receiving feedback.  If you eliminate the variable of aim and can ensure you are aiming where you want the ball to start, you can then figure out if your have a poor putting stroke or you are a poor reader of the greens.

Prior to getting to the green, check out the overall flow of the green to help you become a better green reader.

Solution #2: Keep A Steady Pace Through the Putting Zone

There are several reasons a golfer might slow down their putting stroke through the putting zone.  The list of reasons include the following:

  1. They are scared of missing the putt and become tentative.
  2. They feel they took the putter too far back on the backstroke and are trying to overcompensate.
  3. They are trying to create a stabbing like putting stroke and hit at the ball.

The number one mistake I see is the first item above.  The golfer has some doubt in his or her mind and is concerned they are going to miss the putt.  As a result, they lose their confidence and have a tentative putting stroke.

I will often see someone read the putt, line of their ball, get over the putt and then start doubting if they have the right combination of line and speed.  They get tentative in their putting stroke from self doubt creeping in.  They let up through the putting stroke and push the putt to the right.

The second reason above is from the golfer not building the feel of the putting stroke they want to use in their practice and pre-shot routine.  I would recommend building a routine that allows you to take 2-3 practice putting strokes as you stand behind the ball or right next to the ball.  Build the feel of what length putting stroke you will need to use and then commit to that pace.

A confident stroke is better than a hesitant stroke. Commit to your process!

Solution #3: Gate Putting Drill

Once you have the proper aim down and are hitting the putt with confidence, if you are still missing, you have room for improvement on your putting stroke.  I would highly recommend the gate putting drill at this point.  Here are the steps to execute this drill:

  • Find a 6-10 foot straight putt on a practice green.
  • Get your putter aimed straight at the hole.
  • Take two tees and put them just outside the toe and heel of the putter.
  • Hit 50-100 putts with this putting gate.

This drill trains you to square up the putter at impact and start the ball on the proper line.  The golfer can start the ball on the right line with the right speed has an advantage.  While you still won’t make every putt because you have to read the greens perfect to make every putt as well as rely on some good fortune, you will greatly increase your chances if you do the following:

  1. Aim proper
  2. Hit the ball the right speed
  3. Start the ball on your intended line
Spend time around the practice green and chances are your scores will improve!

The Keys To Putting

The best putters are able to do the following:

  1. Read the greens
  2. Aim properly
  3. Hit the ball the right pace
  4. Start the ball on the intended line
  5. Adjust to the pace and break of the greens throughout a round

The best putters will often practice and try to eliminate the many variable in a round of golf while putting and try to keep it simple.  Find the line, find the pace, hit your start line.  These are the only things you can control when putting.

Your ball might hit something on the green and throw it off line, you might read the putt wrong, you might hit is slightly a bit too fast or start it a bit off line.  At the end of the day, try to control what you can control and have fun with becoming a great putter!

Manage Your Expectations When Putting

Too many golfers expect to make every 8 footer.  Did you know the following:

  • The PGA Tour make percentage from 8 feet on tour is only 50%
  • The PGA Tour make percentage from 15-20 feet is only 18.3%
  • The PGA Tour make percentage from 25+ feet is 5.45%

Keep these percentages in mind as you play golf.  Once again, control your aim, speed and start line and give the putt a chance.  You aren’t going to make every putt and neither do the best golfers in the world!  Stay patient, have a process and adjust throughout the round!

Don’t forget to take it all in when playing and remember that you are fortunate to playing a such a great game. This can help your putting by keeping your mind right!

Final Thoughts: Have Fun

Make the short game fun during your practice.  Find someone to compete with or compete with yourself.  If you are struggling with short putts, I would highly recommend this game below which will help with chipping and your pressure putting on those short putts.

  1. Take one golf ball and throw it to a random spot off the green.
  2. Pick one hole for that shot and try to chip it as close as possible.
  3. Now, grab your putter and try to make the putt.
  4. Do this 18 times and track your number of successful attempts out of 18.
  5. Repeat this daily or weekly and monitor your progress

Over time, you will get better at chipping, making short putts and build your confidence in your short game.

You can also replicate this game from 20-40 feet and see how many one putts you can make and your ability to avoid the 3 putt.  3 putt avoidance is important and this game on the putting green can help!

Putting Related Posts:

My Secret To Golf Improvement

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently.  About three years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage.  I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer.  I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day.  I can practice or play rounds of golf.  I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you?  I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor.  Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed.  Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier.  Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system?  It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

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