The Art of Lag Putting: Tiger Woods’ Secret to Success
The Art of Lag Putting: Tiger Woods’ Secret to Success
Swing coaches, statisticians, and mental coaches have all attempted to decipher the essence of Tiger Woods’ greatness. However, it was the man himself who provided a surprising insight when questioned by two former Stanford University golfers.
During a Golf Digest Happy Hour with course-management expert Scott Fawcett, he shared two revealing interactions he had with Maverick McNealy and Joseph Bramlett, both former Stanford players turned tour pros. They both sought Tiger’s wisdom on what made him exceptional, and his response was unexpectedly simple: lag putting.
According to Fawcett, who collaborated with McNealy on course management during college, McNealy directly asked Tiger, “Why are you the best player of all time?” To which Tiger replied, “Well, because I’m the best lag putter ever.”
Tiger elaborated to McNealy that regardless of the trouble he found himself in, he always felt confident in his ability to land an approach shot on the green and leave himself with a manageable 40-foot putt. Knowing he could consistently two-putt from anywhere on the green alleviated the pressure on his iron play.
Tiger’s mastery of lag putting played a significant role in his early-career dominance from 2000-2002, leading the PGA Tour in bogey avoidance.
What’s the lesson for the rest of us? Consider how often you find yourself within 10 feet of the hole during a round. For a scratch golfer, this might occur only two or three times per day, and even less for mid- and high-handicappers. The majority of your first putts will likely be from mid- to long-range distances, making proficiency in speed control crucial to reducing three-putts and ultimately lowering scores.
As Fawcett highlighted during the Happy Hour, a player averaging 79 only makes one more birdie per round compared to someone averaging 95. The real difference lies in bogey avoidance, with the lower scorer experiencing far fewer bogeys, doubles, and other detrimental scores—many of which result from three-putts.
“This game is not just about making birdies. It’s about avoiding bogeys,” asserts Fawcett.
By honing your speed control and becoming adept at lag putting, you can not only shave strokes off each round through fewer three-putts but also alleviate pressure on your iron game. Knowing you can comfortably two-putt from anywhere on the green empowers you to approach tricky hole locations with caution, simply aiming for the green and confidently executing routine two-putts to move on.
Tiger’s assertion that lag putting was pivotal to his success may hold more truth than initially apparel
