For decades, golfers have been obsessed with finding the perfect line. We read greens from every angle, plumb-bob our putters, and visualize a laser-straight path to the hole. But what if this intense focus on line is actually holding us back? What if the most important skill in putting isn't aim, but something else entirely? Welcome to the counterintuitive truth of putting: for most putts, speed control is more important than line.
This isn't just a contrarian opinion—it's a scientific fact backed by decades of research from some of golf's brightest minds. Understanding the relationship between speed and line, and prioritizing pace control in your practice, can fundamentally change how you approach putting. It can turn frustrating lip-outs into made putts and transform you from a good putter into a great one. Let's dive into the science behind why speed is king on the greens.
The Science of the Shrinking Hole: Effective Hole Size
The golf hole is 4.25 inches in diameter. That's a fixed, physical measurement. However, the effective size of the hole—the size of the target your ball can actually enter and stay in—changes dramatically based on the speed at which the ball arrives. This is the single most important concept to grasp when it comes to the speed vs. line debate.
Imagine a putt that is hit with just enough speed to die right at the front edge of the cup. For this putt, the entire 4.25-inch diameter of the hole is available. If the ball catches any piece of the edge, it will tumble in. Now, consider a putt that is hit firmly, with enough pace to travel several feet past the hole. As this faster-moving ball catches the edge of the cup, its momentum can cause it to spin out, resulting in a frustrating lip-out. In this scenario, the effective size of the hole has shrunk.
This isn't just a feeling; it's physics. According to a fascinating chart from the book Lowest Score Wins, co-authored by instructor Erik J. Barzeski, the data is staggering. As highlighted in a Golf.com article, the effective hole size shrinks dramatically with increased speed:
- A putt that dies at the hole uses the full 4.25-inch diameter.
- A putt hit to roll 1 foot past the hole shrinks the effective size to 2.6 inches.
- A putt hit to roll 2 feet past shrinks it further to 1.9 inches.
- A putt that "takes the break out" and would finish 5 feet past the hole has an effective target of just 0.5 inches —a mere half-inch!
This data reveals a critical truth: hitting putts with excessive speed dramatically reduces your margin for error. That putt you lipped out? It wasn't necessarily a bad read. It was almost certainly a speed problem. Had the ball been traveling just a little slower, it would have dropped. Prioritizing speed control gives you the largest possible target to hit, making your line less critical.
Dave Pelz and the 17-Inch Rule
No discussion of putting science is complete without mentioning Dave Pelz. A former NASA scientist, Pelz applied rigorous data analysis to the short game and revolutionized how we think about putting. One of his most enduring contributions is the "17-inch rule."
Through extensive research, Pelz determined that the optimal speed for a putt, to maximize its chances of going in, is a speed that would carry the ball 17 inches past the hole if it missed. Why this specific distance? It's a brilliant compromise between two competing factors.
On one hand, as we've seen, a slower ball has a larger effective hole size. On the other hand, Pelz identified what he called the "lumpy donut" effect. This refers to the area immediately surrounding the hole (from about one to six feet out) that receives the most foot traffic. This constant traffic depresses the turf and creates subtle imperfections and bumpiness. A putt that is rolling too slowly can be knocked offline by these imperfections in the "lumpy donut."
The 17-inch pace is the perfect solution. As detailed in Golf Digest's summary of his findings, this speed is firm enough to hold its line through the bumpy turf around the hole, but still slow enough to take advantage of a large portion of the hole's diameter. It avoids the pitfalls of both the timid, dying putt and the overly aggressive, firm putt. It's the goldilocks speed: just right.
How Speed Controls the Break
Speed and line are not independent variables; they are inextricably linked. The speed at which you hit a putt directly determines how much it will break. A faster putt has less time to be affected by the slope of the green, so it will break less. A slower putt has more time to be influenced by the slope, so it will break more.
This is where many amateur golfers get into trouble. They pick a line, but they don't have a specific speed in mind for that line. If you read a putt to break one foot, but then hit it with the speed for a two-foot break, you will miss. Conversely, if you hit it with the speed for a six-inch break, you will also miss. Every line has a corresponding speed, and you must master both to be a great putter.
However, since speed control gives you the largest possible target (a larger effective hole size), it makes sense to prioritize speed first. By developing a consistent, optimal pace—like the 17-inch rule from Pelz—you can simplify the equation. If you know how fast you're going to hit your putts, you can learn to read the corresponding amount of break for that speed. This creates a consistent, repeatable system for putting, rather than guessing at both speed and line on every putt.
The Great Debate: Die it at the Hole vs. Be Firm
The discussion of putting speed often leads to a philosophical debate among golfers: is it better to die the ball at the hole or be firm and take the break out? The science we've explored gives us a clear answer: neither extreme is optimal.
The "Die it at the Hole" Approach: - Pros: Maximizes the effective hole size, using the full 4.25 inches. Gravity is your friend, and any part of the ball that catches the edge has a chance to fall in. - Cons: Highly susceptible to the "lumpy donut" effect. Any small imperfection in the green can knock a slow-moving ball offline. It also requires a very precise line, as the ball is taking the maximum amount of break.
The "Firm Putt" Approach: - Pros: Minimizes the effect of break and imperfections around the hole. It feels decisive and confident. - Cons: Dramatically shrinks the effective hole size. As we saw from the data, a putt hit to go five feet by has a target less than half an inch wide. This approach leaves almost no margin for error in your starting line.
The optimal approach, as validated by Pelz's research, lies in the middle. A putt with enough pace to go about 1.5 feet past the hole is the perfect blend. It's firm enough to hold its line through any bumpiness near the cup but slow enough to use a large percentage of the hole's diameter. This is the speed that gives you the best chance of making the most putts over the long run.
Practical Drills for Tour-Level Speed Control
Developing elite speed control doesn't happen by accident. It requires deliberate, focused practice. The following drills are used by tour professionals and top coaches to hone their pace control. The best part? They can all be practiced on your Chiputt putting mat at home.
1. The Ladder Drill This is a classic drill for developing feel for different distances. Place golf balls at 3, 6, and 9 feet from the hole. Start with the 3-footer and hit a putt, focusing on a smooth stroke and solid contact. Move to the 6-footer, and then the 9-footer. The goal is to adjust the length of your stroke to control the distance, not to hit the ball harder. After completing the ladder, go back down from 9 to 3. This drill trains your brain to associate a specific stroke length with a specific distance.
2. The 17-Inch Past Drill This drill is designed to train the optimal speed recommended by Dave Pelz. Place a tee or alignment stick 17 inches behind the hole. Your goal is to hit putts that, if they miss the hole, come to rest between the back of the cup and the tee. This gives you a specific target zone for your speed. It forces you to be aggressive enough to get the ball to the hole but controlled enough to avoid the dreaded three-putt. Practicing this on your Chiputt mat, with its consistent 10-stimp speed, allows you to groove this optimal pace.
3. The Eyes-Closed Drill This is a pure feel drill. Set up for a putt of about 10 feet. Go through your normal routine, but just before you take the putter back, close your eyes. Hit the putt, and then, based on the feel of the strike, predict whether the putt was short, long, or the correct speed. Then open your eyes to see the result. This drill disconnects you from the visual outcome and forces you to pay attention to the feeling of your stroke, which is the foundation of great speed control. As PGA Master Professional Dr. Alison Curdt suggests, removing excessive wrist motion is key to this consistency, and focusing on the feel of the stroke helps achieve that.
Bringing It Home: Practice on Your Chiputt Mat
Consistent practice is the only way to develop reliable speed control, and a high-quality putting mat is the perfect tool for the job. The Chiputt mat's true-roll surface, with a stimp speed of 10, mimics the conditions of a well-maintained country club green, ensuring that the feel you develop at home translates directly to the course.
Use the Precision Distance System on your Chiputt mat to make your practice more effective. The distance markers provide clear visual feedback, allowing you to practice the Ladder Drill with precision. You can set goals like hitting a putt from the 8-foot marker and having it stop exactly at the 10-foot marker, training your brain to calibrate distance with remarkable accuracy.
By prioritizing speed control in your practice, you'll find that your putting improves dramatically. You'll make more putts because you're giving yourself a larger target. You'll have fewer three-putts because your misses will be closer to the hole. And you'll approach every putt with more confidence, knowing that you have a reliable system for getting the ball to the hole with the perfect pace. Stop obsessing over the perfect line and start mastering the art of speed. Your scorecard will thank you.
About Chiputt Golf: Chiputt Golf is dedicated to helping golfers of all skill levels improve their short game through innovative golf training aids as well as expert guidance. Our team combines deep golf knowledge with cutting-edge technology to create products and content that deliver real results on the golf course.
