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Putt Better Under Pressure With This Simple Putting Tip

By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on

Patrick Cantlay after making a putt on Saturday afternoon at the Ryder Cup.(Getty Images)

I want to help you channel your inner Ryder-Cupper.
You've seen over the last two days at Marco Simone how match play is a totally different animal from stroke play. For some, it brings out the best in their game, and for others, well, not so much.
Today, I want to give you a quick drill to help you work on a key aspect of match play: putting. This drill will help you learn to be more aggressive and confident on the green, critical to fighting off match play pressure and winning or halving holes.
There is no doubt about it: putting can be stressful, especially when you have already missed one or two putts early in a round that you should have made. When we feel pressure on the putting green, we often tense up. When we tense up, we often squeeze the putter grip in our hands a little tighter, creating tension that runs up our arms. When that happens, we can quickly lose a nice free-flowing stroke.
Additionally, when the pressure gets ramped up on the green, we tend to get anxious about the results after we contact the ball. When this happens, we often tend to look up early. When you look up early, your putter swings up as well, and putts fall short of the hole.
To practice fighting tension and looking up, follow these steps:
  • Get a 2x2 piece of wood.
  • Place the piece of wood 10 feet away from you on the putting green, just to the side and about 2 feet past a hole.
  • Grab ten golf balls and putt them, going through your regular routine, toward that piece of wood.
  • As you putt, you want to be tension-free and not look up. You will be listening for the ball to hit the 2x2. You want that sound of the ball hitting the wood to be softer and not a hard knock. Record how many out of ten hit the 2x2 with the correct sound.
When done, switch to putting to the hole right next to the 2x2 and repeat the same process, only now, you are listening for the ball to go into the cup.
Repeat the steps from 15 foot, 20 foot and 25 foot.
Brendon R. Elliott, PGA

Sorrento, FL

Brendon Elliott

Director of Instruction, Freelance Golf Writer

After 16 remarkable years of nurturing young talent and fostering a love for golf through The Little Linksters Golf Academy, Brendon Elliott is excited to announce the transition of leadership to esteemed Coach Ricky Collado in 2025. As the baton is passed, Coach Ricky will take charge of all operations and become the primary point of contact for any Linksters-related inquiries. As Brendon steps into a new chapter, the focus will shift to launching and growing BE A GOLFER, a new academy dedicated to competitive teenage golfers. This initiative will continue both in-person and remote coaching, harnessing years of expertise to nurture the next generation of golfing talent. Further expanding horizons, Brendon will also dedicate time to One More Roll Golf Media. This venture aims to collaborate with various golf media outlets and businesses, delivering high-quality written, video, and voice content. Despite these new ventures, Brendon will remain closely connected with Little Linksters. A commitment to collaboration with Coach Ricky will continue, particularly with projects like the PGA Junior League, ensuring a lasting impact and smooth transition. “I am thrilled about the future of Little Linksters under Coach Ricky Collado’s leadership. This transition marks a change and an exciting new direction for me and the academy. I look forward to contributing my efforts towards developing competitive young golfers and advancing in the golf media landscape.” ~ Brendon R. Elliott, PGA More About Coach Brendon... Brendon Elliott is a distinguished PGA Professional who has received over 25 prestigious industry awards recognizing his contributions and influence in youth golf, most notably, the 2017 PGA of America National Youth Player Development Award. With numerous appearances on the Golf Channel and local news outlets in Florida, Brendon has established himself as a respected educator and influencer in the golf industry. Renowned for his expertise in all aspects of golf, he is a sought-after speaker at golfing events and panels. In the past three years, Brendon has expanded into media, writing for esteemed outlets such as PGA.com, PGA Magazine, Golf.com, GolfWRX.com, RG.org, and many others. Elliott is also part of the “Quiet Please Golf Podcast” crew and hosts a livestream show on the Golf Live App called “Monday Evening Tee Time.” Brendon’s dedication to advancing the sport has made a significant impact on the golf community.

Meet Brendon

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