[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":18},["ShallowReactive",2],{"article-lag-putting-the-fundamentals-of-lag-putting":3},{"slug":4,"title":5,"subtitle":6,"image":7,"imageAlt":8,"category":9,"html":12,"wordCount":13,"prev":14,"next":15},"the-fundamentals-of-lag-putting","The Fundamentals of Lag Putting","Build a simple, repeatable approach for rolling long putts close instead of chasing unlikely makes.","\u002Fimg\u002Flag-putting\u002Fthe-fundamentals-of-lag-putting_fundamentals-lag-putting.png","The Fundamentals of Lag Putting illustration",{"slug":10,"title":11},"lag-putting","Lag putting","\u003Ch3>Start with the real goal\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>A good lag putt is not a heroic 45-footer that dives in on the last roll. It’s a putt that finishes close enough to make the next one routine. Once you accept that, your setup and stroke get quieter. You stop steering the face and start matching roll to distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On long putts, \u003Cstrong>pace beats perfection\u003C\u002Fstrong>. A putt that starts a foot right of your exact line but finishes pin-high often leaves less work than a putt that tracks beautifully and races eight feet past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Setup that supports touch\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Keep your posture athletic and comfortable, with your eyes near the ball line and your grip pressure light enough to feel the head of the putter. You don’t need a special “lag stroke,” but you do need room for the stroke to lengthen naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Try this basic checklist before longer putts:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Read the overall slope first, then the last six feet around the hole.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Pick a speed target: dying at the hole, rolling one foot past, or using a backstop.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Make two practice strokes while looking at the hole, not the ball.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Commit to the pace before you settle over it.\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Ch3>Stroke feel and distance control\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Most poor lag putts come from a short backstroke followed by a hit. Better distance control usually feels like a longer, smoother motion with the same rhythm back and through. Think of rolling a ball underhand to a friend across the green; your brain understands that motion without a lecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cblockquote>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>Coach’s tip:\u003C\u002Fstrong> If your first putt regularly finishes short, rehearse the stroke while staring at a spot just beyond the hole. Your body often responds better to a picture than to a command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fblockquote>\n\u003Ch3>Take it to the course\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Before a round, spend five minutes on putts of 25, 35, and 45 feet. Don’t worry about holing them. Count a success as any ball that finishes inside a comfortable tap-in circle. That warm-up tells you how fast the greens are moving that day and gives you a feel you can trust on the first few holes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Quick recap\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Lag putting is a scoring skill because it turns difficult first putts into manageable second putts. Read broadly, choose a pace, make a smooth stroke, and judge success by the leave. When your long putting gets calmer, your short putting suddenly feels easier too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n",399,null,{"slug":16,"title":17},"common-lag-putting-mistakes-and-simple-fixes","Common Lag Putting Mistakes and Simple Fixes",1782812355313]