How often have you been frustratingly close to sinking a putt only to come up short?
Or maybe you have only just missed the hole to see your ball go sailing past adding too much distance for the return putt.
A lot of games have been lost on the putting green and in most instances it has been due to the wrong distance, rather than the direction of the ball.
Most beginners quickly get a feel for the direction the ball will travel, even on sloping greens.
You've probably seen it yourself when a newcomer to the game places the ball within inches of the hole on a sloping green time and time again.
What you won't see quite so often is the ball stopping a few inches past the hole when they miss.
There are many factors that come into account when determining the distance a ball will travel on the green, from the slope, to the preparation of the green and whether it is wet and slow or dry and fast.
It can make a huge difference depending on the time of the day with greens getting faster as they dry off in the afternoon sun.
So reading the distance of a putt is what you really need to concentrate on to get your ball to drop in that hole.
Once again it all comes back to practice and there is no better practice than on the day of the tournament in the conditions that you will be playing in.
Always take some time to have a few practice putts before you start play to 'dial in' your distance.
One thing you must always remember; the golf ball will never drop if it doesn't reach the hole.
Sounds too obvious to even need mentioning doesn't it, but more often that not putts will come up short.
Always aim for the back of the cup so that, provided you have your direction right, you are going to have a chance of making the putt.
A Few More Putting Tips
