The secret to reducing the three-shot is the number on your speed.
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Welcome to Shaving strokes, a GOLF.com series where the game’s brightest minds share their tips to help you shave shots! today, GOLF Top 100 Teachers Joey Wuertemberger shares his “8-4-4” drill that helps control speed on the greens.
The three shot is one of the most frustrating mistakes a golfer can make. What should be the hard part (getting THE green) is taken care of, only to be spoiled by a mental error on the putting surface. Every time I make a three shot, I walk away wanting to break my putter over the knee.
However, triple placement should not be a regular occurrence. If you focus on the right things when you practice, you can minimize your three-putt frequency and, as a result, post lower scores.
The biggest key to reducing your three-point percentage is dialing in your speed control. When you can delay your first shot to a reliable distance from the hole, the three-shot cut becomes LOT easier.
Below, Top 100 GOLF teacher Joey Wuertemberger has outlined a drill that will help you feel on the greens and reduce your three-putts.
‘8-4-4’ deployment drill
Lower scoring shots begin on the greens. And if you want to maximize your success on putting surfaces, you need to enable speed control.
Doing this is easy: All you have to do is focus on the tempo and length of the stroke. Measured length of the putt (along with pace) is key to delaying putting it close and allowing putts to rest and drop into the hole.
To practice this, I like to use the 8-4-4 drill, which I learned from top 100 teacher Kevin Sprecher and Aimpoint inventor Mark Sweeney. The 8-4-4 drill will teach you the proper rhythm when you practice, while also giving you measurable stroke lengths for each putt.
Here’s how it works:
— Find a flat area on your green that allows for shots up to 30 feet.
—Place a tee eight inches behind the ball.
—Hit 10 shots at a good pace and focus on driving your back to the top.
—Match the length of your backstroke and forestroke.
— The shot should roll about 10 feet.
After going through this process a few times, you can begin to appreciate any flaws.
If the balls have gone more than 10 feet, your backswing may be too short, causing too much acceleration in the shot. If the balls have gone less than 10 feet, you may have a backswing that is too long, which leads to a slow stroke.
Once you have achieved the correct back length, you can start working at your own pace. For this, I suggest downloading a metronome app on your phone.
Put on some headphones and choose a bpm between 76 and 84. While you’re doing the 8-4-4 drill, focus on trying to match your beat to the metronome’s clicks. Start your swing on the first beat, finish your backswing on the second beat, and then hit the ball on the third beat. This will help you develop a consistent rhythm with your stroke.
The “4s” in the name of the exercise comes from adding four inches to the length of the stroke (both back AND through) for each additional 10 feet of throwing distance. For example, you would use a 12-inch shot from 20 feet and a 16-inch shot from 30 feet. You can add more theses for visual cues when practicing from any distance, or use a cue on a stretch rod.
As you begin to get a feel for this technique, you’ll have a solid foundation for taking the course. And as you start to master it, you’ll see your three-point shooting percentage drop drastically.
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