Why Putting Problems Are So Hard to Diagnose

Putting problems are hard to diagnose because a good stroke and a bad stroke, or good contact and bad contact, often don’t feel all that different.

A putt can come slightly off the heel, the stroke can slow down just a touch through impact, or the face can be a little unstable, and the ball still rolls forward looking close enough to fool you. Nothing feels dramatically wrong, so the real cause stays hidden.

That’s why golfers often struggle to identify what actually needs to change with their putting stroke.

Here’s an easy drill that helps:

Set a tee about two feet in front of you on a flat part of the putting green. Then take the Ball of Steel and make the same stroke you would use to hit a normal putt about 10 feet.

Because the Ball of Steel is about five times heavier than a normal golf ball, that same stroke will usually roll it about two feet.

If you make a smooth, accelerating stroke and find the center of the putter face, the ball will roll to the tee. If you miss the sweet spot or decelerate, you’ll feel it immediately. The ball will barely move, and in some cases, you may even double or triple hit it.

After five or ten reps, switch back to a normal golf ball and hit a few 10-foot putts with the same motion.

After a few reps with the Ball of Steel, a normal golf ball feels incredibly easy to move. The stroke feels more compact, contact feels more solid, and it almost feels like the ball wants to dive into the cup.

Give this drill a try - you'll be glad you did!