How To Putt On Winter Greens

Putting on winter greens is never easy. Uncertainty as to how much a putt will break on wet grass and the difference in speed can often lead to tentative strokes. So, in the video and article below, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Barney Puttick offers some excellent advice that will help you overcome these challenges.

It's vital to factor in surface moisture and imperfections when putting this winter if you want to play your best. These are things a lot of amateurs neglect as they chase gains in other areas of the game. Here are some simple adjustments you can make when playing golf in cold weather to roll the ball better than ever.

Adjust your eyeline on slow greens

Using a putting mirror, which is one of the best golf training aids on the market, I like to regularly check I'm setting up with my eyes over the ball. However, in winter, that sometimes leaves me coming up short when the greens are slow. 

One of the common mistakes among amateurs is that they try to force the ball to the hole without altering their set-up. That can lead to all manner of inconsistencies, whether in direction, strike, or in how to judge putting distance.

Instead, move your eyeline inside the ball a little (pictured above), as that will give your arms more room to move and generate the necessary force without sacrificing control.

Ball position

Another thing that will help if you’re struggling on slow winter greens is to move your ball position. Normally, I have mine between the centre of my stance and my left heel, but for this, I’m going to nudge it a little further forward. Using an alignment stick is a great way to work on this and monitor it as it will ensure you’re setting up consistently each time. 

What this does is encourage you to hit your putts with more topspin, which will promote a better roll and allow you to minimise the detrimental effects of winter greens.

Break

The final aspect of putting on winter greens to consider is the change in break. With more grass, more surface moisture and less pace, putts won’t break as much, so it’s vital to account for this if you want to avoid the frustration of hitting good putts that rarely find the cup.

Head to the practice putting green and try this simple tee peg drill explained in the video above. It will help you get a general idea of the impact this will have at the course you frequent most, and enjoy your best winter of putting.