Why Amateur Golfers Leave Their Putts Short and Struggle with Distance Control"

One of the most frustrating experiences for any golfer is leaving a putt short, especially when the line is perfect, but the ball just doesn’t make it to the hole.

For amateurs, this is a frequent issue and often leads to higher scores. But why do so many golfers struggle with distance control, and what can be done to fix it? In this blog, we’ll explore the reasons behind these common putting mistakes and how you can take steps to correct them.

1. Lack of Confidence in Speed

One of the primary reasons amateurs leave putts short is a lack of confidence in their ability to control the speed of the ball. Unlike professionals, who have spent years perfecting their putting strokes, amateurs often overthink their putts. When they hesitate or decelerate through the ball, it robs the putt of crucial speed, causing the ball to stop short of the hole.

• Solution: Practice putting drills that focus on speed control. One effective drill is placing tees behind the hole and trying to putt so that the ball finishes just past the hole. This helps build the mindset of putting through the hole, rather than stopping the stroke short.

2. Inconsistent Practice on Green Speeds

Amateur golfers often don’t spend enough time practicing on greens that vary in speed. A putt that works on a slow practice green will leave you short on faster greens, especially if you don’t make the necessary adjustments. Many golfers don’t factor in the green speed when they play, leaving their putts too weak for faster surfaces.

A study from PGA coaches highlights that green speed can make or break your putting game. Fast greens require a much more delicate touch, while slower greens demand a more aggressive stroke​.

• Solution: When practicing, try to alternate between faster and slower greens (or simulate these speeds by changing how you approach your putts). Get a feel for various green speeds and adjust your putting stroke accordingly. 

3. Poor Distance Judgement

Many amateur golfers don’t spend enough time judging distance properly, which leads to leaving putts short. This is especially true when it comes to long putts. Misjudging the amount of power needed to get the ball to the hole, combined with not reading the slope of the green correctly, often results in the ball coming up short.

• Solution: Distance judgment improves with consistent practice. Use a putting string line or alignment tools like Putt Line Golf to help measure your putt lengths during practice. Also, focusing on drills like lag putting (where you aim for a specific target zone) will help build confidence in judging distances​.

4. Fear of Rolling Past the Hole

It’s common for amateurs to fear putting past the hole, especially on fast greens. This fear leads to a tentative stroke, where the golfer reduces their follow-through in an attempt to prevent an overshoot. Unfortunately, this often leads to the opposite problem: the ball stops short. Professionals frequently aim to roll the ball past the hole by a few feet to ensure they don’t leave any putts short, which is a mindset amateurs should adopt as well.

• Solution: Shift your mental focus to embrace putting through the hole. As golf legend Bobby Jones once said, “A putt that stops short of the hole never goes in.” By developing a more aggressive putting stroke, especially in practice, you’ll be more likely to sink more putts during your rounds. The Putt Line Visual Puck is designed to help you practice aiming at something visible - helping you putt into and through the hole more often. 

5. Not Practicing on Breaking Putts

Many amateurs spend most of their time practicing straight putts, which doesn’t prepare them well for the breaking putts they’ll face on the course. When faced with a putt that breaks from left to right, for example, many golfers aim too cautiously and leave the ball short of the hole.

• Solution: Incorporate drills that mimic real-game situations, like practicing putts on breaking lines. Use the Putt Line visual puck to mimic a hole on a sloping green and practice your line and speed control to be better prepared for breaking putts. 

6. Inconsistent Stroke Length and Rhythm

Amateurs often have inconsistent putting strokes, which results in poor speed control. If you’re not using a repeatable stroke length or rhythm for similar putts, it becomes almost impossible to judge distance accurately. Professional golfers spend countless hours perfecting their stroke rhythm, so they can control the distance with more precision.

• Solution: Focus on keeping your stroke smooth and consistent. A common technique is using a pendulum motion that’s controlled by the shoulders, minimizing wrist movement

Final Thought: How to Fix It

If you're consistently leaving putts short, the solution is often found in consistent practice and adjusting your mindset. Tools like Putt Line Golf are designed to help golfers correct alignment, focus on putting through the hole, and improve their overall distance control. By dedicating more time to practice and using these tips, you’ll start to see fewer short putts and more putts falling in the cup.