I've taught thousands of new golfers over my career, and there's one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty: putting is where you can save the most strokes the fastest. While driving might be more exciting, the old saying "drive for show, putt for dough" exists for a reason. Nearly half of all your shots in a typical round will be putts. Master this skill early, and you'll be outplaying your buddies in no time.
Let's break down everything you need to know to get started on the greens.
The Perfect Putting Posture
Great putting starts with how you set up to the ball. I see so many beginners hunched over like they're trying to read fine print on the ground. Your posture should be athletic but comfortable.
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly flexed. Bend from your hips, not your waist. Your arms should hang naturally, creating a straight line from your shoulders down to the putter head. Your eyes should be positioned directly over the ball or slightly inside the line. This perspective is crucial for seeing your intended line correctly.
When I'm teaching new golfers, I often place an alignment stick on the ground pointing at their target. Then I have them set up and drop a ball from their eyes. If it lands on the stick, their eye position is perfect.
The most common mistake? Standing too far away from the ball. This forces you to reach, creating tension in your shoulders and arms. Get close enough that your arms hang comfortably.
Grip: Hold It Like You Mean It
Your putting grip doesn't need to match your full swing grip. In fact, it probably shouldn't. The goal is stability and feel.
Left: The conventional grip for right-handed golfers has the weaker left hand above the dominant right hand. Right: The cross-handed grip features the weaker left hand below the dominant right hand.
I recommend beginners start with what's called a "conventional" grip. Place your left hand (for right-handed golfers) on the grip with your thumb running straight down the shaft. Then place your right hand below it, with your right palm facing the target. Your right thumb should also run down the shaft.
The pressure should be light—about a 4 out of 10. Imagine holding a small bird: firm enough that it doesn't fly away, but gentle enough not to hurt it.
As you progress, you might experiment with cross-handed (left hand low) or claw grips, but master the basics first. The key is consistency. Whatever grip you choose, use it every single time.
Alignment: Aim Small, Miss Small
Even perfect stroke mechanics won't help if you're aimed at the wrong spot. Alignment in putting is everything—and it involves both your putter and your body.
First, always read the green from behind the ball. This gives you the best perspective on the slope and break. Once you've determined your line, find a spot about 12-18 inches in front of your ball that sits on that line. This becomes your immediate target.
For straight putts, align the putter face perpendicular to your target line. The line on your golf ball (if it has one) can be helpful here. Point it toward your target to give yourself a visual reference.
Tip: Use alignment sticks, tees, or any other type of visual aid to help make sure you are properly aligned.
Just as important is your body alignment. For right-handed golfers, your feet, hips, and shoulders should form parallel lines positioned slightly left of your target line. Think of railroad tracks—your body alignment forms one rail, while your ball-to-target line forms the other. They run parallel but are not the same line.
A common mistake I see in beginners is having the putter face aimed correctly but the body aligned improperly. When this happens, your natural stroke will tend to compensate, causing pushes or pulls. Use alignment sticks during practice to check that both your putter face and body positioning are correct.
I've had students improve dramatically just by focusing on this complete alignment approach rather than just aiming at the hole itself.
The Backstroke: Less Is More
The backstroke sets the tone for your entire putting motion. The most common mistake I see with beginners is taking the putter too far back, especially on short putts.
Your backstroke should be controlled by your shoulders, not your wrists or hands. Think of your arms and shoulders forming a triangle that remains intact throughout the stroke. Your wrists should remain firm but not rigid.
The length of your backstroke determines the distance your ball will travel. For a 3-foot putt, your backstroke might only be 3-4 inches. For a 30-footer, it might be 12-15 inches. Developing this feel takes practice, but it's worth the investment.
A great drill: Place tees in the ground at different distances from a hole. Start at 3 feet, then 6 feet, then 10 feet. Practice hitting putts to each distance, paying attention to how far back your putter goes for each one. You're building a distance library in your muscle memory.
The Throughstroke: Smooth Acceleration
The throughstroke should be a natural continuation of your backstroke, not a hit or jab at the ball. The most important concept here is acceleration.
Your putter should be moving slightly faster through impact than it was during the backstroke. This creates a smooth roll instead of a skid. Many beginners decelerate through impact, causing the ball to hop and lose direction.
A good rule of thumb: your throughstroke should be slightly longer than your backstroke. If you take the putter back 6 inches, it should follow through about 8 inches.
Keep your head still until you hear the ball drop into the cup (or at least for a second or two after impact). Moving your head too soon is putting poison.
Tempo: The Secret Sauce
If there's one thing that separates great putters from average ones, it's tempo. Your putting stroke should have a consistent rhythm regardless of the length of the putt.
I teach my students to count "one-two" in their heads. "One" is the backstroke, "two" is the throughstroke. The timing stays the same whether it's a 3-footer or a 30-footer. Only the length of the stroke changes, not the tempo.
When you watch the pros on TV, notice how their putting strokes all have a beautiful rhythm to them. That's not an accident. They've grooved that tempo through thousands of repetitions.
Mastering Different Putt Lengths
Short Putts (1-5 feet)
These are the putts you absolutely must make to score well. The key with short putts is commitment and confidence. Keep your stroke short and accelerate through the ball.
A great practice drill: Place 10 balls in a circle around a hole, all 3 feet away. Your goal is to make all 10 in a row. If you miss, start over. This builds tremendous pressure and helps you develop a repeatable stroke.
Mid-Range Putts (5-15 feet)
These are your scoring putts. Make a few of these per round, and your scores will plummet. The focus here should be on speed control. The perfect speed gets the ball about 17 inches past the hole if it misses.
For these putts, read the break carefully and trust your line. A tentative stroke on a breaking putt is almost guaranteed to miss low.
Long Putts (15+ feet)
On long putts, your primary goal is distance control, not necessarily making them. Getting the ball within that 3-foot circle around the hole is a success.
Focus on your rhythm and making solid contact in the center of the putter face. A great way to practice is to place a club on the ground 3 feet beyond a hole. Practice hitting long putts that stop between the hole and the club.
Green Reading: Becoming a Detective
Reading greens is part science, part art form. As a beginner, start with these basics:
- Always look at the overall slope of the green. Water drains downhill, and so do putts.
- Putts break more as they slow down. A fast putt will hold its line better than a dying putt.
- Grain (the direction the grass grows) affects the ball's roll, especially on Bermuda grass greens.
When in doubt, remember that putts break more than you think. I've rarely heard a golfer say, "I played too much break on that one."
For more advanced green reading techniques, check out my article Master the Art of Green Reading: A Pro's Guide to Sinking More Putts, right here on the PrimePutt Blog.
The Mental Game: Confidence Is King
Putting is as much mental as it is physical. The best putters in the world believe they're going to make every putt they look at.
Develop a consistent pre-putt routine and stick with it. Maybe it's two practice strokes, one last look at the hole, then stroke. Whatever works for you, make it consistent.
After you've read the green and chosen your line, commit 100%. Doubt is a killer on the greens. Even if your read is wrong, a confidently stroked putt on the wrong line is better than a tentatively stroked putt on the right line.
Realistic Putting Goals for Beginners
What constitutes "good putting" for a beginner? Here's a rough guide:
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Making 50% of your 3-foot putts
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Making 20% of your 6-foot putts
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Two-putting from 20+ feet consistently
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Fewer than 36 putts per round
As you improve, these numbers will get better. The PGA Tour average is about 29 putts per round, but they're hitting more greens in regulation than you are.
Equipment: Finding Your Magic Wand
Your putter should feel like an extension of your arms. While you don't need to spend $400 on a putter as a beginner, don't go too cheap either.
The two main putter styles are blade and mallet. Blades are more traditional with a simple design, while mallets have more weight distributed around the perimeter for forgiveness.
If you struggle with keeping the putter face square, a mallet might help. If you have a natural arc to your putting stroke, a blade might suit you better. For a deeper dive into choosing the right putter, check out my complete guide to selecting your perfect flatstick.
Length matters too. Most off-the-rack putters are 34-35 inches, but your height and setup posture might require something different.
Practice Makes Permanent
Notice I didn't say "practice makes perfect." That's because whatever you practice is what you'll do on the course, good or bad.
The best practice combines technical drills with pressure situations. Here's a simple practice routine:
Start with short putts to build confidence. Then move to lag putting to develop distance control. Finish with some "game situation" putts where you have to make a 5-footer to "win."
A quality putting mat at home can be a game-changer. Even 10 minutes a day on a good mat will improve your putting dramatically. Look for one with true roll characteristics that simulates real green conditions.
Remember, the goal isn't to be perfect—it's to be a little better each time you practice. Putting is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the process, celebrate the small victories, and watch your scores drop.
Now get out there and roll some rocks!
