How to Be Deadly Accurate on Downhill Putts

One of the first pieces of golf strategy that most players learn is the fact that you want to keep the ball below the hole whenever possible.  It is almost always easier to putt or chip uphill than downhill, as the job of controlling the speed is much easier when going up a slope.

However, positioning your ball below the hole just isn’t always possible.  Golf is a hard game, and you aren’t always going to be able to place the ball in the perfect spot to leave yourself an easy putt or chip.  So, with that in mind, one thing becomes clear – you need to be prepared to handle those tricky downhill putts successfully.

Yes – you still want to leave the ball below the hole as often as possible.  But what about those holes when you miss your target, and are faced with a slippery downhill putt?

The rules of golf aren’t going to let you just move the ball to a better spot, so you need to have a plan in place.  Fortunately, putting downhill is not quite as scary as some people would lead you to believe.  With good fundamentals and a healthy dose of confidence, you can knock in your fair share of putts – even if you are on the wrong side of the hole.

A Change in Mindset

While you don’t need to be afraid of downhill putts, you do need to have a respect for the challenge that they present.

When putting uphill, you can be fairly aggressive with your speed, knowing that the ball isn’t going to race past the hole even if you hit it a bit too hard.  However, when putting back down the hill, you can’t afford to be so aggressive with your speed.  Hitting a downhill putt just a bit too hard can leave you with a difficult putt coming back – and a three putt might be in your future.

The mindset that you have on a downhill putt should be focused on a two putt, with the hopes of rolling one into the cup from time to time.  When you are focused on two putting, your main concern will be getting the speed just right – because if you get the speed right, you are likely to be within tap-in range even if your read was a bit off.

It takes some patience to think about two putting rather than trying to knock the ball into the middle of the hole, but this is one of those times on the course where patience is going to be your best friend.

Stay Still

Moving into physical fundamentals that relate to putting downhill, one of the biggest keys for you to remember is simply to stay still.

Yes, it is important to keep your body still when hitting any kind of putt, but it is especially important when putting downhill because you are going to be tempted to look up early.  Downhill putts tend to be more nerve-wracking than uphill putts, so your eyes are more likely to move up toward the hole as you swing the putter.  Of course, moving your head early is likely to cause you to miss your target line, so holding still is a point of huge importance.

Photo via Flickr

When practicing your putting, try keeping your head and eyes down until you hear the ball rattling in the bottom of the cup.  Not only are you going to keep your head down until your stroke is finished – you are going to keep it down until the ball has stopped rolling.  This simple drill is a great way to remind yourself that you need to stay still when hitting your putts.

Play More Break

This is a point that is commonly overlooked by the average golfer.  When putting downhill, you need to play significantly more break than you would on the same putt coming in an uphill direction.

Why?  The answer is simple – the ball is going to be rolling slower, therefore it will have more time to take any break that is present in the putt.

Amateur golfers consistently under-read their downhill putts, which is why so few of them fall in.  Any time you are facing a quick downhill putt on a side slope, be sure to pick a target line that gives your ball plenty of room to work back toward the hole.

Consider the Speed

It is important to remember that not all downhill putts are created equal.  Just because you are facing a putt that is technically downhill does not necessarily mean that it is going to be a super-fast putt from start to finish.

If the course you are playing does not have particularly fast greens, or if there has been recent rain on the course, it might be that the putt doesn’t play that fast at all.

To dial in your speed, find a downhill putt on the practice green before your round begins and test out the pace for yourself.

Use the Toe

When you do face a downhill putt that is lightening quick, you might not want to use the sweet spot of your putter to strike the putt.  Of course, the sweet spot is going to give you the best roll and the best energy transfer – but you don’t want great energy transfer when you are putting down a fast slope.

Instead, line the ball up out toward the toe of the putter and make your normal stroke.  Missing the sweet spot (intentionally) will cause the ball to come off slower, and you might have an easier time getting the speed right.

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Putting downhill doesn’t have to be scary – although it is never going to be as desirable as putting uphill.  By using the tips above, and by spending plenty of time practicing this type of putt, you can improve your performance from this position rather quickly.

As long as you are willing to be patient and think more about two putting than anything else, you can avoid disaster – and you may even make a few along the way.

Cover Photo via Flickr