Golf Glossary
Putt (putting)
In short
A putt is a rolling stroke played on the putting green, usually with a putter. The aim is to send the ball into the hole with the right line and the right pace. Putting accounts for a large share of all strokes in a round, and the par of a hole normally allows for two putts.
What is a putt in golf?
A putt is any stroke where the ball rolls on the putting green rather than flying through the air. The green is the very closely mown area around the hole. Because the grass is so fine, the ball rolls smoothly, and small differences in force and direction decide whether it drops.
The word comes from Scots, as an old variant of the English verb ‘put’. Most players putt with a putter, a club with an almost vertical face. The Rules do not require a putter, though: you may use any club on the green.
Putting is part of the short game. Depending on ability, roughly a third to just over 40 per cent of all strokes in a round are putts. Very good players sit nearer the top of that range because they need fewer shots to reach the green. That is why improving here saves strokes faster than adding distance off the tee.
How a putt is played
A putt starts before you pick up the club. When your ball is on the green you may mark it, lift it and clean it by placing a ball-marker right behind or next to it. Then you read the green: where is it higher, where lower, and which way will the ball curve? That curve is called the break.
Many players then follow the same routine every time:
- replace the ball with its line pointing along the chosen target line
- set the putter face square to that line
- align feet, hips and shoulders parallel to the line
- make one or two practice strokes to feel the length
- swing back and through smoothly while keeping the head still
After the stroke, keep your eyes on the spot where the ball was for a moment before watching it roll. This stops the shoulders from opening too early.
Golf putting technique: grip, stance and pendulum motion
Putting technique rests on a simple idea: the arms and shoulders form a triangle that swings like a pendulum while the wrists stay as quiet as possible. That keeps the face stable at impact so the ball starts on line.
There are several grips. The reverse-overlap grip, with the index finger of the top hand resting over the fingers of the lower hand, is the most common. Some players putt cross-handed (left hand low for right-handers) or use a claw grip. What matters is that both hands work as one unit.
Stand about shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower, with your eyes roughly over the ball or just inside the target line and the ball slightly forward of centre. Control distance with the length of the backstroke, not with a hit at impact. A smooth, even rhythm matters more than force.
Lag putt: getting long putts close
A lag putt is a long putt where holing out is not the main goal. You want to roll the ball close enough that the next putt is very easy. Many coaches use an imaginary circle of about one metre around the hole as the target.
Pace is what counts most. Leaving a ball two metres short on the right line is annoying, but rolling it three metres past is often worse because the return putt becomes awkward. On long putts, plan the speed first and the line second.
Pay attention to the second half of the putt. That is where the ball slows down and reacts more to slopes. Uphill you can be firmer; downhill a short backstroke is often enough.
Rules for putting (Rules of Golf 2023)
Rule 13 covers the putting green. The key points for beginners:
- You may leave the flagstick in the hole when putting. There is no penalty if the ball hits it.
- You may repair ball-marks, shoe damage and similar damage before putting. Natural imperfections and aeration holes are not included.
- Accidentally moving your ball or ball-marker on the green is not penalised; the ball is replaced.
- You must not deliberately test the surface, for example by rubbing it or rolling a ball.
- You must not anchor the club against your body (Rule 10.1b).
In stroke play there is a two-stroke penalty if your ball, played from the green, hits another ball at rest on the green. That is why players mark balls that sit on someone’s line. If your ball overhangs the lip, you may wait ten seconds after reaching the hole to see whether it falls.
Practical example: two putts on a par 4
A par 4 allows four strokes: two to reach the green and two putts. Imagine your second shot finishes twelve metres from the hole. The green rises gently towards the hole and slopes off to the right.
You hit a lag putt, aim slightly left of the hole and allow enough pace for the slope. The ball stops 80 centimetres away and you hole the short one with a calm stroke. Result: four strokes, a par.
Had you hit the first putt too hard and rolled three metres past, a three-putt and a bogey would have been likely. The example shows why good distance control often saves more strokes than a perfect line.
Learning to putt: common mistakes and drills
Beginners tend to make the same mistakes: a short backstroke followed by a jab, busy wrists, lifting the head too early and aiming left or right of the target.
These drills help:
- Ladder drill: putt to three, six and nine metres and try to stop every ball within a one-metre zone around the hole.
- Gate drill: push two tees into the green just wider than the putter head in front of the ball and putt through the gate.
- Circle drill: place several balls in a one-metre circle around the hole and hole them one after another.
Short, frequent sessions beat long, rare ones. Even ten minutes before each round sharpens your feel for the day’s green speed.
Try it at Golf Lounge
On the Golf Lounge’s 6-hole ‘Red’ short course, every hole finishes with putts on the green. No golf licence is needed and a round usually takes under an hour. For a playful way to practise, try the 9-hole ‘Blue’ Putt Course: nine short, mini-golf style holes for all ages, clubs provided, and it stays open in winter. If you want to work on line and pace in a focused way, you can add the PuttView green after a course or coaching session. The system projects the putting line, pace and green contours straight onto the green.
Frequently asked questions
What is a putt in golf?
A putt is a stroke in which the ball rolls across the putting green. It is usually played with a putter, but any club is allowed. The aim is to roll the ball into the hole with the right pace and line. The par of a hole normally includes two putts.
What is a lag putt?
A lag putt is a long putt where the main goal is to get the ball close to the hole. An imaginary circle of about one metre is a good target. That leaves an easy second putt and avoids three-putting. On a lag putt, pace matters more than the exact line.
Can the flagstick stay in when putting?
Yes. Since the 2019 changes, which remain in the 2023 Rules of Golf, you may leave the flagstick in the hole while putting. There is no penalty if the ball hits it. If the ball comes to rest against the flagstick with any part of it below the surface of the green, it is holed.
How can I learn to putt?
Start with short putts of one to two metres and focus on a calm pendulum stroke from the shoulders. Then build distance control with ladder drills at different lengths. Short, regular sessions work better than occasional long ones, and a coach quickly spots problems with aim and grip.
How many putts per hole are normal?
The par of a hole usually assumes two putts. Holing a longer putt saves a stroke, while three putts on one green, known as a three-putt, usually cost one. Beginners should therefore practise pace on long putts above all, because that is where most extra strokes are lost.
As of: October 2026