In a recent post, I provided lag putting drills to undertake on the practice green.

However, this article takes a step back to better understand what lag putting is and how you can better execute them on the golf course. In addition, I will explain why lag putting is an effective technique to combat the dreaded 3-putt.

Following these steps will enable you, as an amateur, to confidently navigate the putting green and reduce your overall golf scores. Furthermore, I will teach you how to read grass grains and use them to your advantage in lag putts.

What is Lag Putting?

Lag putting is the art of getting the ball close to the cup on long putts. Your intention is not to sink the first putt but rather rest it within a couple of feet of the cup. This puts you in a prime position to drain the second putt. If you hit a green in regulation, that would see you card a par.

You typically pick to lag your putt when you are more than 20 feet from the hole. The majority of golfers, especially beginners, will not sink this putt. Therefore, you should set yourself up for a short putt on your next shot.

Tips on How to Hit Better Lag Putts

Soft Grip

Lighter grips are best suited for lag putts which rely on feel and judgment more than anything else. A looser grip gives you a superior putting feel for two reasons. Firstly, it allows you to feel when the putter head is veering off-path, giving you a chance to pause and correct the issue.

Secondly, a golfer who employs lighter grips for longer putts can better feel the top of the backstroke for optimal distance control. A firm grip reduces feedback, limiting your ability to judge power and putter head path.

Golf Pro Rory Hie suggests not controlling the pendulum motion. Instead, allow your grip to provide the feel of the putter’s weight in your hands. In addition, a lighter grip helps you better judge the speed of the putt to prevent you from over-hitting your putts:

Start Small

The 15, 20, 40, and 50-footer drill is one you should consistently apply in your practice sessions. Lay down five balls at each interval and start from the closest mark.

Putt all 5 balls, and do not progress to the following distance until all balls are within 3 feet of the hole. Keep going until you achieve a 100% success rate from the furthest mark. This helps you achieve a superior feel for the ideal putter length on the backstroke for each distance.

When you get onto the course, you will not fear 60-footers, as your muscle memory will take over and boost your long putting game.

Look at The Cup During Practice Strokes

Coaches often grill into high handicapper golfers, the idea of looking over the ball at address. While this is correct at setup, I discourage it during your practice stroke.

This is problematic on a lag putt where you need to judge the distance to the cup and break of the green. You cannot analyze the layout correctly if you are not focused on what lies ahead. Zero in on the hole during your pre-shot routine and take a few practice strokes to judge the required strength.

Do this as often as you need until your putting stroke replicates the shot you are about to hit. Remember your training from the Start Small drill and employ that feel for proper distance control.

Read The Green

Learning to read greens takes practice, but the faster you learn the ropes, the easier a long putt becomes. Occasionally, you may have a 50-foot downhill putt that breaks left to right. Instead of employing the same length backstroke as I would on a flat surface, I reduce my power.

In addition, I use the break of the green to take my ball towards the vicinity of the cup. Amateurs struggle with this element of the green, as the undulation is confusing and startles the average golfer.

Rickie Fowler explains that he reads the green as soon as he walks up to it. This gives him an understanding of which direction it is sloping and the level of undulation:

Once he has marked his ball, he approaches the hole from the other side to envision how the ball will travel down to the cup. Then he reads the green from behind his ball and correlates the two findings.

Once he feels the line of the putt, he can now turn his attention to the weight of his stroke. This helps him optimize his speed control for better lag putter results.

Read The Grain

Another significant factor to consider is the grass grain and the direction of its growth. Golf instructor Stefany King shows a simple trick to reading the growth direction of the grass. This helps you identify the speed of your putt and the path of your ball roll:

She suggests inspecting the cup and identifying the area that is browned out around the edge. This is the side where the grass is growing with the green. That means if you putt from that side, it will be a slower putt and a straighter line.

Conversely, if you putt from the opposite side, the ball will roll faster and gravitate to the brown side of the cup. This is a good start for beginners willing to go the extra mile for a good lag putt. Over time you will learn about the impact of Bermuda, poa, and bentgrass. But for now, this is an ideal introductory lesson.

3-Foot Radius

The key to your first long-range putt is to get it into a zone of 3-feet around the cup. Work on getting the ball past the cup, especially on downhill putts. You cannot overhit the ball, as it may roll off the green.

However, if you leave your first putt short, you will face a tricky downhill second putt, which you want to avoid as much as possible.

My advice is to position an alignment stick 3-feet behind the cup to encourage you not to pass this point on your first putt. You can follow the same procedure as the start small drill, where you hit 5 putts from different distances.

In addition, there is the option to add scores into the equation to make your practice time more exciting. If you sink your first putt, you put yourself down for a birdie. However, a ball that passes the cup but remains within 3 feet equals a par.

Anything beyond the alignment stick or short of the hole is a bogey. After your 5 practice putts from each distance, tally up your score before moving to the following interval.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years. Current Handicap: 8

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When used correctly, a hybrid can be one of the most versatile weapons in your armoury. They’re great tools to help you navigate tight lies, edge yourself closer to the green on longer holes, escape the rough or even tee off on shorter holes.

But they’re very much the Marmite of golf clubs. Some swear by them, whereas others rue what appears to be an inconsistency of outcomes. If you find yourself in the latter category, constantly wondering how to hit a hybrid, you’re in the right place. Here are six tips to get to grips with hybrids and add another string to your golfing bow.

What are hybrids?

A hybrid golf club is a combination of a long iron and a fairway wood, designed to replace the former and offer a simpler technique.

Hybrids were first released in the late 1990s and are particularly useful if you struggle with long irons. They really gained popularity when TaylorMade introduced its ‘Rescue’ clubs in 2003, which are all but synonymous with the clubs to this day.

Though they look like woods with their seemingly open club faces, hybrids are really irons and are generally used in their place. That said, you can tee off with them instead of your trusty drivers, and it’s versatility like this that has made them popular with pros and amateurs alike.

6 essential tips for using a hybrid

Keep reading, and you’ll see the steps necessary to maximise the effectiveness of these jacks of all trades.

1. Treat ball positioning a little like an iron 

First things first, the position of your ball is going to have a big impact on how well you’re executing your shots with hybrids.

Imagine where your ball would be if you were using a mid-length iron. Your feet are shoulder-width apart, and the ball is about as central as it can be. Now, move it ever so slightly forward – but not quite as far as if you were using a driver.

This is where it’s easy to go wrong with hybrids. Just because it bears the resemblance of a wood while largely having the characteristics of an iron doesn’t mean you can treat it as either club. A hybrid is an iron – you’re trying to compress the ball to maximise distance, so you don’t want to position the ball as you would for a wood. A sweeping swing might initially feel natural, but you risk hitting thinner shots.

So, your ball is located slightly further forward than a mid-length iron, but not so far as a driver.

2. Get your body positioning right 

As already mentioned, your feet should be shoulder-length apart. Your grip on the club itself should be neutral, and you should lean forward slightly so your sternum is a little in front of the ball.

The point of this is to create as steep an angle of attack as possible. This is a really versatile stance too – wherever your ball is on the course, it’s an appropriate and effective way of preparing for your shot.

3. Compress the ball

As you would when striking the ball with an iron, the best way to maximise the strengths of a hybrid is to compress the ball. In layman’s terms, this means using the ground as a third party in your shot.

This is why the correct technique is to hit down on the ball, not to sweep it. By delofting the clubface and hitting down (first the ball, then the ground), you’re squeezing both surfaces against the ball and compressing it, so it shoots off and travels farther. There are few feelings in golf quite as satisfying as getting this right and watching the ball rocket off into the distance.

If your technique is correct, you’ll make a divot in the ground.

4. Trust the clubface

Though the clubface of a hybrid looks quite open and lofted, it’s important to let the club’s design serve its purpose. Your goal is to compress the club, so even though a hybrid doesn’t entirely look like an iron, you should still trust it to behave in a similar way.

5. Perfect the swing

Like with any golf club, you’re not going to reap the benefits of using a hybrid if your technique in the swing is incorrect.

A smooth, consistent swing is necessary to get the maximum out of your hybrid. It’s important to keep the speed and power the same throughout your swing, but don’t rush it.  

Really commit. Get that clubhead down and compress the ball.

6. Know where to use your hybrid

The rough, the fairway, or tight lies. You name it. If it’s outside the green, a hybrid will likely be a viable option.

There’s a reason TaylorMade called their hybrids ‘Rescue’ clubs. After all, even if you’re in a fairway bunker, a hybrid offers you a way out and back into the game.

Additionally, teeing off – particularly on a shorter course – is an option with a hybrid, though it’s important still not to treat the club like a driver.

In many ways, a hybrid is best at setting up the shot, which will get you into the green, not necessarily getting you there itself. In some cases, rushing your way to the green from miles out can have negative consequences, so a methodical extra shot with a more forgiving club like a hybrid can pay dividends – even if it’s not quite as exciting.

Ultimately, these clubs were designed for fairways, and that’s where they’re particularly effective. That said, one of the great things about hybrids is that they can be used just about anywhere except on the green itself.

Key takeaways

If you remember to treat your hybrid like an iron and not a wood, you’re already making steps in the right direction. Swinging down, maximising that angle of attack and really compressing the ball are the keys to making hybrids work for you.

But, like everything, practice makes perfect. Hybrids may have been designed as an easier option than a fairway wood or long iron, but that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to thrive with them from the word go. Spend time practising, perfect your technique, and you might never have a bag without a hybrid ever again.

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