In golf, putting can be one of the most infuriating parts of the game. It’s not unusual to hit a great drive or an exact shot from the fairway, only to face tough problems on the green. In fact, missing putts can make it very hard to get a score of less than par. The lag putt is one of the hardest of these putts because it is situated far away from the hole. Thus, making it impossible to complete in a single stroke. A mix of skill and strategic thinking is needed to make these long putts look good. We hope that using the tips and exercises in this blog post will bring your lag putting skills up to a professional level.
What Is A Lag Putt?
In golf, “lag putting” means playing a long putt from a great distance. When the golf ball is far from the hole and it’s not possible to hole it in one stroke, a lag putt is used. Instead, the player chooses to use their first putt to get as close to the hole as possible, hoping that their next shot will be successful.
The act of golfers purposely getting the ball close to the hole without trying to sink it in one is called “lagging” the ball. People who hit their shots from the edges of the putting green, or from the opposite side to the flag often choose lag putts.
Why do lag putts matter so much?
Quite surprisingly, lag putts happen quite often during a round of golf. When you play golf, you may be more than 25 feet away from the hole even after hitting a great drive and approach shot. In these scenarios, being able to make a good lag putt is very helpful.
Improving your long-distance putting skills can be a difficult task. This is mostly because you have to be very accurate about how far the ball is going and pay close attention to the ground as it moves toward the hole. It’s very easy to get the amount of force needed for longer putts wrong, either by overestimating or underestimating.
Still, the work that goes into getting better at lag putting is definitely worth it. If you can master lag putting, you may be able to cut down on your three-putts by a large amount, which will automatically lower your total golf score.
A common misunderstanding is that missed second putts are only caused by bad short-putting skills. This needs to be cleared up. What actually happens is that most second putts miss because the first putt didn’t set up the next shot properly.
Tips To Improve Your Lag Putting
When you’re trying to improve your short game in golf, there are three main things that stand out:
Establish a Solid Pre-Shot Routine
Creating a good pre-shot practice is the first step on the path to making long putts. Being mentally ready is one of the most important parts of golf because the outcome of a game is often decided before the player even hits the ball.
Start by standing to the side of the ball. This will give you a clear view of the whole path from the ball to the hole. Your stance should join the hole, the ball, and yourself in a triangle. With this set-up, you can get a clear picture of how far the ball needs to go to get to the hole.
When you get back to the ball, practice a few strokes before getting ready to hit. Focus on finding the right amount of force to get the ball all the way to the hole during these practice shots. This practice helps you get better at controlling the speed of the putt, which is a key part of making a good lag putt.
One of the fastest ways to improve your accuracy in golf is to develop a careful alignment practice routine.
Focus On Aiming
When players aim their shots, some of them imagine a big target in their minds. This is especially common when they are lag putting, where the main goal is to set up a second putt. However, this method has some problems.
Visualizing a small target is a better approach that is based on the idea of “aim small, miss small.” Trying to sink the putt, even from a long way away, is the best way to focus on making a good shot.
Because you are aiming small, even if you miss your goal, you will still be close to the hole. On the other hand, aiming at a bigger area makes it more likely that you will miss the mark. This can leave you farther away from your putting goals. The best way to avoid the dreaded three-putt situation is to focus on accuracy.
Mastering the Art of Playing Breaks
It can be hard to figure out how to handle the breaks during a lag putt. When you play lag putts, the ball travels a long way at a high speed, so you have to be smart about how you handle breaks.
In the beginning of the putt, when the ball is going quickly, it is best to ignore the break. Don’t think about it until the last third of the ball’s trip, when it starts to slow down. At this point, the shape of the ground may affect the direction of the ball more drastically.
Mastering these break-playing skills is important if you want to get better at lag putting and play better overall on the greens.
Drills To Improve Your Lag Putting
As a good starting point for improving your lag putting skills, the suggestions above are worth looking into. But their full effectiveness can only be reached by consistently using them. This can be done most effectively by taking a bucket of golf balls to a nearby practice green and doing the following drills:
1. The Ladder Drill
These steps will show you how to do the swinging drill:
Next, go to the practice green and set up several tees at different distances from the hole, such as 20, 25, 30 feet, and so on.
Try your hand at hitting putts from these different distances. You can use an alignment stick if you want to help finetune your first alignment.
Pay close attention to how your putter swings back and forth like a pendulum, making notes on the length of your backswing at each distance.
2. Blind Drill
These steps will show you how to do the closed eyes drill:
This drill should come after the swinging drill; it should basically work with the first exercise.
As you walk up to the tees to hit the ball, make sure your eyes are closed. Think about the backswing distance you figured out during your last workout.
As you hit the balls, think about how accurate you were with your planned hit.
3. Doing Drills At Home
If you want to practice, the best place is on a real putting green, but sometimes you can’t leave your house. But as they say, practice makes perfect. So if you struggle getting out on the course consider investing in a home putting green to get your hours in.
By practicing these drills regularly, you can greatly improve your lag putting skills and improve your general performance on the greens.
FAQs
How To Get Good At Lag Putts?
To become good at lag putting, you need to do three main things: create a consistent pre-shot routine, learn exact aiming techniques, and learn how to navigate the course’s contours.
What distance counts as a lag putt?
A lag putt is any distance that you think will be hard to hit in one stroke. During these situations, your first putt is meant to set up your ball well for your next putt. This will vary from player to player.
What does the phrase “lag game” mean when used in golf?
When playing golf, a “lag game” is when you purposely hit your first shot so that you can set yourself up for your next shot better. People often use this technique when they are putting, where they “lag” their shots on purpose to get close to the hole.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, mastering the art of lag putting can be the key to elevating your golf game. Putting, while often frustrating, is undeniably crucial, and the lag putt, with its distance from the hole, presents a unique challenge. By honing your skills and employing a strategic approach, you can turn these challenging putts into a strength of your game.
Remember the importance of a solid pre-shot routine, precise aiming, and skilful handling of breaks in the terrain. Consistency is key, and practice is paramount. So, grab a bucket of balls and engage in the suggested drills regularly to witness a significant improvement in your lag putting abilities. Your success on the greens awaits!
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