Avoid putting 3 with this simple strategy at the beginning of your cycle

Welcome to Play Smart, GOLF.com’s regular game improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.

There is nothing more disappointing than making a few big numbers on the first few holes and ruining your round before you really get going. That’s why it’s so important to get off to a good start. If you want to send a low number, you have to act quickly.

Establishing a rhythm in vegetables is a big part of that puzzle. When you arrive at a new course, it can be difficult to dial in your speed and feel early in the round. But if you’re going to play well, it’s very important that you sink a few putts over the first few holes. Or, at the very least, avoid carding any expensive three putts.

In today’s edition of Play Smart, we enlisted the help of GOLF Top 100 teacher Joe Hallett to explain how to do it. think your way through the first few holes on the greens. And by doing so, how can you make your rounds start faster.

Start your journey immediately

There is nothing worse than a three-putt. But if they arrive early in your round, they can be a huge momentum killer. To avoid these costly mistakes, Hallett suggests using a “match-play” strategy early in your cycle.

“I want to hit the putt so that when I hit it, you look at me and go, ‘Choose that.’ That’s great,’” Hallett said. “The first five or six holes, we just get it closer to the cup.”

By doing this, you accomplish two things. 1. You dial in your speed on the rack. And 2. you avoid triple placing and adding strokes to your card with unforced errors.

“Early in the morning, you run off some of that adrenaline,” says Hallet. “Try a putting strategy and it will improve your stroke play.”

Try it next time you’re in class. Don’t focus too much on making average length putts early in the round. Instead, focus on getting it close and avoid three-putting until you’re really settled in the round. By doing so, you’ll avoid unforced errors early in the round and gain momentum so you can post strong scores at the end of the day.

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Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Before joining the GOLF team, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists in all disciplines and covers youth and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.