How to Get More of Your Putts Rolling On Line

We don’t need to explain to you how important it is to roll your putts “on line.” If you don’t hit your line with a given putt, it isn’t going to go in. It’s just that simple.

Making a putt requires getting two elements just right – the line and the speed. The topic of speed control is a subject for another article, but here we will dive into what is required to hit your lines as often as possible.

No one is perfect in this area of golf, but hitting your line more often is going to lead to better putting and lower scores.

To hit your lines, you need to have good technique with the putter. Where speed control largely comes down to feel and understanding the speed of the greens, hitting the line is all about mastering a technique that delivers the face of the putter to the back of the ball in the right position. If you can dial in your technique, it’s almost certain you’ll begin to hit more lines immediately.

Three Essential Keys to More Accurate Putts

To get started, let’s jump right into three keys that will help you hit more accurate putts. If you are able to put these three keys in place in your own short game, you are sure to hit the line more often.

#1 Keep a Steady Head

Holding your head steady is extremely important when putting. Since the putting stroke is such a controlled motion, there is no reason for your head to be moving at all as the putter swings.

The problem with allowing your head to move is that the movement of your head is going to cause other parts of your body to move, as well. Ideally, you’ll stay as still as possible when putting, letting the putter rock back and forth while most of your body stays perfectly still.

Work on keeping your head still during the putting stroke and you might be surprised to find how easy it becomes to hit your lines.

#2 Maintain “Soft” Hands

This is perhaps the most overlooked tips on the greens. If you’d like to hit your line more often, you need to maintain a soft grip on the putter throughout your stroke. Many golfers hold onto the handle of the club far too tightly, and that grip pressure makes it hard to swing the putter freely. Not only will such a tight grip make it hard to hit your lines, but you’ll also find that it’s tough to control your speed properly.

During your next practice putting session, try to relax your grip and let the putter swing more freely. It might take some practice to get used to how the putter feels in your hands but give it some time and you should be happy with the results.

Keep in mind however that it is possible to hold the putter too softly. If you start to have trouble controlling the face of the putter as it moves through impacting the ball, that’s an immediate indication that your grip has become too soft. So work to find that “sweet spot” of grip pressure for maximum control. 

#3 Use a Square Stance

It’s not only the position of the putter that is important at address. It’s also important that you position your body properly so you can swing the putter directly down the line without having to manipulate it through impact.

If your stance is accidentally opened or closed to the target line – even slightly – that error can cause you to miss your line. So, as you are working on your putting technique, be sure to pay attention to how you position your body over the ball.

Get your body in the right spot and it will get easier to make putts.

You Must See the Line Clearly

It’s hard to hit your target line if you don’t even have a good idea of where that line is. That might seem obvious, but a surprising number of golfers just aim in the general direction of the hole, rather than getting specific on the line they hope to hit.

One good way to get specific with your line is to pick an intermediate target.

An intermediate target is something that is located between your ball and the hole, precisely on the line that you are picking for the putt. This could be anything, but when putting, it is often a discolored spot on the grass or something else that stands out from the surroundings. If you look close enough, it’s almost always possible to find a suitable intermediate target.

Once you have picked out your intermediate target for a putt, use that spot to focus on as you build your stance. This will give specific purpose to your aim, rather than just aiming in the general direction that you want your ball to roll. By being as specific as possible, you should be able to hit good putts more frequently.

Practice Your Short Putts

To work on your ability to hit the line accurately, be sure to spend plenty of practice time working on short putts.

Unlike long putts, which are about both hitting the line and controlling your speed, short putts are mostly all about the line. Set yourself up with a flat three-foot putt on the practice green and make as many as you can. Not only should you be trying to make these putts, but you should also be trying to make them directly in the middle.

You can even place a tee in the back of the cup to give yourself a very small target to use during this session. If you knock in a bunch of short putts in a row during practice, you’ll have plenty of confidence when you step onto the course.

Aim the Label of the Ball

Our last tip is one that’s extremely simple to put into action. Before each putt, when you replace your ball on the putting green, position the ball so the label is pointed directly down your target line.

No matter what brand of ball you use, you can point the lettering down the line to give you a visual representation of where you are trying to aim. Or, if you would prefer, you can draw a straight line on your ball to use for this purpose. Either way, lining up a visual aid will make it even easier to find that elusive line time after time.