Lag Putting Drills - How To Improve Distance Control

Lag putting is one of the most underestimated skills in golf. While many players obsess over sinking short putts to save par, the ability to roll the ball close from long distances can dramatically cut down on those dreaded three-putts and elevate your entire putting performance.

This article explores the fundamentals of lag putting, explains why it is essential for lowering scores, identifies the most frequent mistakes that sabotage consistency, and offers practical strategies and drills to sharpen distance control. By the end, you will have the tools and mindset to reduce strokes without wasting energy on miracle attempts.

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What Is Lag Putting?

Lag putting is all about rolling the ball near the hole from a considerable distance. Rather than pursuing a low-percentage, highlight-reel putt, the primary goal is to leave a short second putt that virtually guarantees a two-putt. Unlike short putts, where the line is paramount, lag putting emphasizes speed control. If you consistently finish within a comfortable three-foot radius, your chance of three-putting plummets.

On shorter putts, you focus on a precise line to drop the ball in the cup. With a 30 or 40-foot lag putt, the question shifts to how firmly you must hit the ball to keep it close. Uphill or downhill slopes add another layer of complexity because they change the force needed to prevent the ball from either falling short or racing far past the hole. Fast greens amplify small errors, causing overhits or underhits to become serious problems. Uphill putts might demand a longer, more forceful stroke, while downhill putts require a delicate touch and unwavering confidence. The best lag putters embrace the physics at play, reading not just the break but how various slopes influence momentum from start to finish.

Why Lag Putting Is Critical for Lower Scores

Lag putting is one of the quickest ways to reduce three-putts. By concentrating on speed, golfers sidestep the chain reaction that often unfolds when a long putt soars six feet past or stalls far short. Even professional golfers rarely aim to hole lengthy attempts; instead, they try to ensure an easy follow-up. Statistics show that pros three-putt less than 5% of the time from 30 or more feet, while amateurs can hover above 20%. That difference frequently comes down to well-developed distance control.

Developing a repeatable lag-putting stroke also removes guesswork. Once you have a consistent motion tailored to each distance, there is no need to rely on sheer luck. If you know that a 30-foot putt on flat ground requires a certain backswing length and tempo, you can adjust by shaving off a fraction of that stroke for a downhill version. When you keep the ball within tap-in range, your confidence builds as you play, and you avoid the stress and momentum shifts that come from leaving uncomfortable comeback putts. Proper lag putting creates a positive ripple effect, turning potential bogeys into easier pars and adding a dose of calm to your overall approach.

Common Lag Putting Mistakes and Reader Struggles

Poor Contact: The Silent Distance Killer

A mishit off the heel or toe of the putter can rob a long putt of both power and accuracy. Many players mistakenly blame slopes or green speed when the real issue is an off-center strike. When you fail to square the putter face at impact, the ball may come up well short or skid unpredictably off-line. Developing a consistent, centered strike is critical to reliable distance and direction control.

Hip Sway: The Stroke Wrecker

Some golfers unintentionally thrust their hips during the stroke, transforming a smooth pendulum motion into a jab. This often leads to too much acceleration through impact and sends the ball racing by the hole. When you address a 30-foot putt, the goal is a steady, shoulder-driven arc. Any extra lateral movement introduces unwanted power and wreaks havoc on consistency.

Deceleration: The Short-Miss Habit

Deceleration is a common tendency when facing downhill putts or slick greens. Players begin with a full backswing but panic mid-stroke, causing them to slow the putter head right before impact. This results in putts coming up short and rolling out far less than intended. Trusting a smooth, accelerating follow-through—even when you worry about overshooting—can save you from the dreaded three-putt.

Peeking Too Soon: The Trust Issue

Looking up prematurely to follow the ball often causes the putter face to open, pushing the ball off-line. This minor twist can turn a 25-foot uphill putt into a missed line and a frustrating four-foot come-backer. Lag putting demands the discipline to keep your head still and your eyes down through contact, letting your stroke do the work before you watch the outcome.

Line Over Speed Obsession

Many golfers fixate on the break of a 40 or 50-foot putt and forget the real priority is the force needed to reach the hole area. You might read a perfect double-break only to end up miles short because you never focused on generating enough speed. While reading the break is important, it means little if you lack the pace to carry the ball into tap-in territory.

Fear of the Comeback Putt

Some players prefer to leave the ball short of the hole under the assumption that they are avoiding risk. Unfortunately, a timid 35-foot putt that stops six feet away guarantees an even tougher chance at saving par. This approach can backfire because you must then re-read a tricky break under more pressure. The desire to avoid trouble often invites it when nerves kick in, so trusting your speed control is a better long-term solution.

When these issues compound in real-world settings, golfers can fall into what feels like an endless loop of overhits, underhits, and missed lines. On a downhill putt of 20 feet, a fraction too much force can send the ball racing well past the cup, while an underpowered uphill stroke might sputter to a halt far in front. Each mishap then feeds new anxiety, and the pattern repeats.

Step-by-Step Techniques to Improve

The 3-Foot Circle Drill: Training Your Leave

A practical method for honing distance control is the 3-Foot Circle Drill. You can place tees or small markers around the hole to create a circle of roughly three feet in radius. Rather than focusing on holing the putt, the intention is to stop the ball within that circle. With repeated attempts from varying lengths, you learn to adjust the length of your backswing and follow-through based on slope and green speed. The metric for success becomes how frequently the ball ends up in that circle. By centering your stroke with your shoulders and maintaining a steady pendulum, you teach your hands and wrists to remain quiet. You also gain a more intuitive understanding of how slope alters the needed force, prompting shorter strokes downhill and longer ones uphill.

The Tempo Drill: Syncing Your Stroke

Another effective approach involves practicing with a steady beat to ensure consistent timing. Using a metronome app or any rhythmic tool allows you to match your backswing and forward swing to distinct beats. For instance, you might start your backswing on the first beat and contact the ball on the second. This pacing prevents common errors such as accelerating too quickly through impact or decelerating at the last second. By sticking to a stable tempo, you build trust in your stroke and learn how a near-identical rhythm can be adapted for shorter or longer lag putts simply by altering your backswing length. Consistency in tempo helps you avoid the rushed downswing that ruins distance control, particularly under pressure.

Building a Practice Routine

Tracking Progress and Setting Targets

Any successful practice routine should begin with clear goals. Whether you use a journal or a shot-tracking app, record the outcome of each lag putt during practice. If your objective is for 90% of 30-foot putts to rest within three feet, you can test this repeatedly and see when you fall short. This data-driven approach replaces guesswork with concrete benchmarks of improvement.

Dialing In a Baseline

It can be useful to start with moderate distances on flat ground to build confidence and consistency. By regularly rolling 10-foot putts and observing how many finish within a foot, you develop a foundation for your stroke. As you move back to 20 or 30 feet, the fundamentals remain the same, but you lengthen your motion to generate the power needed. This progression ensures that you have a reliable stroke before tackling more complex slopes.

Adding Terrain Before Increasing Distance

Once you are comfortable with a certain distance on level ground, introduce mild slopes at that same distance. For a 30-foot uphill putt, you may need a slightly longer backswing to overcome the rise; for a downhill version at the same distance, you can shorten the backswing accordingly. By working on different lies from the same yardage, you focus on the core skill of adjusting speed rather than juggling too many changes at once.

Managing Green Speed

Different courses or even different holes on the same course can vary widely in speed, so it is vital to develop an adaptable stroke. On fast greens, a gentler but accelerated stroke often keeps the ball from rushing well past the cup. On slower greens, you might stand slightly wider for stability and allow a fuller swing to generate enough power. The key is to maintain the same smooth cadence while fine-tuning your force based on green conditions.

Mixed Distances and Pressure Testing

A productive way to challenge yourself is to mark several balls at various distances—say 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 feet—and putt them in random order. This exercise forces you to recall the feel and stroke length for each specific distance rather than simply grooving one distance at a time. If you find a sudden drop in accuracy beyond 40 feet, concentrate on that segment of your stroke during your next session.

Weekly Progression and the 80/20 Approach

You might decide to increase your main practice distance by five feet each week, provided you meet your consistency targets. If you master 30-footers one day, move to 35- or 40-footers the next, but be willing to scale back if you see your percentage of putts finishing within the safe zone plummet. Most of your effort should focus on the distances you face most frequently. If you find yourself with 40-foot approaches more often than 60-footers, prioritize those mid-range lag putts to make the most significant impact on your score.

Real-World Application

All practice eventually needs to stand up to the test of an actual round. If you find yourself consistently short or long during real play, revisit your drills with an emphasis on tempo. When conditions change or nerves creep in, a firm foundation in your practiced routines helps you adjust more quickly. In a practice round, consider the first putt beyond 20 feet as an opportunity to apply your “lag-only” mindset. By treating these putts as exercises in speed, you confirm whether the transitions from the practice green carry into competitive scenarios.

Conclusion

Lag putting is ultimately about leaving yourself a stress-free follow-up putt. When you train speed control rather than obsess over the hole, long putts become less daunting, and three-putt disasters become rare exceptions instead of inevitabilities.

By identifying the flawed habits that hold you back, engaging in mindful drills to hone distance control, and following a structured practice routine, you can build a reliable, repeatable stroke. The result is a calmer mental approach and fewer wasted strokes—the perfect recipe for a lower score.