Long putts don’t require a long follow-through

One of the biggest problems amateurs have on long putts is controlling the stroke. Too often, the impulse is to make a big, unwieldy motion, especially on the followthrough, trying to chase the ball down the line. This can lead to a breakdown of the wrists, and you either make poor contact or the putterface closes and you pull the putt— sometimes both.

Instead, keep your backstroke and through-stroke the same length, and put some power behind the hit. Keep the back of your top hand flat, and drive the stroke with your arms and shoulders. You’ll be surprised how far you can roll the ball. You want controlled acceleration with the putter moving its fastest when you make contact (left).

A compact stroke also reduces your margin of error and helps keep the putterface square to your target line.