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Putting Putter Intermediate ⏱ 6 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

Ball Position and Speed Control with Van de Velde

At Carnoustie in 1999, Jean Van de Velde says he never took three putts all week, thanks to his ability to perform speed control on hard, windy links greens. In this lesson, he explains why speed control starts with a simple adjustment: the ball’s position in the stance.

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Jean Van de Velde
Jean Van de Velde · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.
Schedule · Step 2 of 7Putt Better in 7 StepsCounts when: The ball rolls immediately, without bouncing, on 10 consecutive putts.
Step 3 →

To be continued

11 minSame problemBryson DeChambeau's Putting: Roll, Launch, ClockBryson DeChambeau · Intermediate / Expert4 minSame problemJustin Rose's Focus on PuttingJustin Rose · Intermediate / Expert6 minFrom the same proShank and chipping: Don't push your hands toward the ballJean Van de Velde · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

Jean Van de Velde highlights the importance of putting: on a par-72 course where all the greens are in regulation, half of the shots are putts. Speed control allows you to consistently leave yourself in a good position comfort diameter, 20, 30, or 40 cm, depending on the players, and to keep the second-easiest putt possible. Whether short or long, a missed putt is still a missed putt. He cites his experience at the 1999 Carnoustie Open: on windy links courses with hard greens and tricky flag placements, his first putts would end up very close, and he says he never took three putts all week.

No matter what your style is, it stands out four components of the speed control and discusses the first one here: the ball's position. With too much weight on the right foot, the ball is struck on the downhill side of the arc: the putter smashes it against the ground, it spins, and hops at the start. The “punch” putting style of Gary Player, Bobby Locke, and Arnold Palmer was well-suited to slow greens. On today’s fast greens, you hit the ball at the bottom of the arch, a perfectly square putter, or just a little further to the left, when the putter starts to rise: the ball picks up topspin and rolls cleanly.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Determine your preferred diameter around the hole: 20, 30, or 40 cm.
  2. Take a few putts while watching how the ball leaves the cup: does it bounce?
  3. If so, move the ball forward in your stance.
  4. Place it at the bottom of the putter's arc, or just a little to the left of that.
  5. Swing so that the putter rises slightly after the ball.
  6. On long putts, aim to finish within your comfort zone.

Key Takeaways

The speed control leaves you with a comfortable margin around the hole.
The goal is to set yourself up for the second-easiest putt.
The ball's position determines how the ball leaves the putter.
Ball too far to the right: hit it down, making the ball bounce.
The punch putting stroke worked well on slow greens.
Ball at the bottom of the arc or slightly to the left: topspin and a clean roll.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Pass the ball too close to the right foot.
  • Slam the ball against the ground by hitting it as the swing arc comes down.
  • Keep your putting sharp on fast greens.
  • Thinking that a short putt is less of a big deal than a long one: a miss is still a miss.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Putting by focusing solely on where the ball starts
  2. Three ball positions tested over the same distance
  3. Long putts aimed at a circle 30 to 40 cm around the hole

Your Questions

Why does my ball bounce when it leaves the putter?

According to Jean Van de Velde, it’s probably too far on the right foot: you hit it as the clubhead comes down, the putter presses it against the ground and gives it a spin that makes it bounce.

Where should you place the ball so it rolls well?

At the bottom of the putter's arc, with the face perfectly square—or just slightly to the left—as the putter begins to rise. The ball then gains topspin.

Is the punch putting still appropriate?

He cites Gary Player, Bobby Locke, and Arnold Palmer, who played the ball in the middle of their feet using a “punching” stroke. In his view, that style was suited to slow greens, not today’s fast greens.

What is the comfort diameter?

The area around the hole where you feel comfortable making your second putt: 20, 30, or 40 cm, depending on the player. Speed control ensures the ball is consistently left in that area.

Learn More

All “Putting” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Nelly Korda's Left-Hand-Low Putting: Interlocked GripNelly Korda putts left hand low, fingers interlocked, so she moves the putter with her chest rather than her hands, especially under pressure. Bryson DeChambeau's Putting: Roll, Launch, ClockDeChambeau checks his roll along a chalk line, reviews launch angle in slow motion and finds the straight putts by walking around the hole. Rory McIlroy's Putting: Right Arm and AimRory shares his two fundamentals—keeping his right arm tucked in and lowering his right shoulder—along with his challenge of six consecutive putts and his focus on a nearby spot. Jean Van de VeldeAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Jean Van de Velde). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

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