Scottie Scheffler's Putting Pre-Shot Routine (with Nelly Korda)
How do two world No. 1s read a putt? On a sloping green, Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda break down their pre-shot routine: reading the putt in several steps, practice strokes (or the lack thereof), and what they’re really looking at when they strike the ball.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
Both players are reading the putt in several points. Nelly Korda looks from behind the hole, then behind the ball, then at the center of the putt; near the hole, she takes one or two one-handed practice strokes to get a feel for where the ball slows down, and takes a wide swing to see if the putt goes uphill or downhill. Scheffler takes a similar approach: on a putt of this length, he divides the line into three sections and simply “sees” where the ball is going to go.
Net difference: Scheffler no longer makes trial runs close to the ball. He gets a feel for the one-handed stroke as he reads the putt, holds the image in his mind, and strikes the ball—so as not to spend too much time over the ball. Nelly Korda takes her stance behind the ball, her eyes on her line of play, never looking at the ground. When putting with the putter, Scheffler doesn’t aim at an intermediate point: he looks the spot where the ball must enter the hole. Korda aims instead for the edge of the hole or a mark on the green when the putt breaks a lot.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Start reading the line from the back of the hole, then position yourself in the middle of the putt.
- For an average putt, divide the line into three sections and look at each one.
- Near the hole, make a one-handed swing to get a feel for the speed where the ball dies.
- Walk around the putt to assess the slope—whether it's uphill or downhill.
- Step back behind the ball and keep a clear picture in your mind of what the ball needs to do.
- If you're taking practice swings, do them behind the ball while facing the tee line.
- Take your stance, focus on where the ball should go into the hole, and hit it right away.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Practice your swings next to the ball, with your head turned toward the ground rather than toward the line.
- Hovering over the ball for too long before hitting it.
- Align the ball's trajectory with obsessive precision and lose your athletic edge.
- Losing confidence because the line isn't running perfectly, even when the putt goes in.
- Focus on the same target every day: the sensations in your hands and eyes change.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- A three-part analysis of each average putt
- One-handed practice shots to get a feel for the speed control near the hole
- A series of putts without a practice stroke, striking the ball immediately after reading the line
- Choose a specific entry point in the hole (a strand, a spot) and putt toward it with a putter
Your Questions
Why doesn't Scottie Scheffler take practice swings anymore?
He says he's tried everything. When he was off-balance, he would get into the habit of looking in the wrong direction and spend too much time hovering over the ball. Now, he visualizes the one-handed stroke as he reads the ball, holds the image in his mind, and then hits it.
Where does Nelly Korda practice her shots?
Behind the ball, without ever looking down: her eyes remain fixed on the starting line she has chosen.
Should we aim for a point in the middle of the line?
Not Scheffler: he looks at the exact spot where the ball needs to go into the hole—for example, a small white spot in front of the hole. Korda, on the other hand, aims for the edge of the hole or a mark on the green when the putt breaks a lot.
Should you draw a line on the ball?
Both players often do without it. Korda doesn't set anything up when she's putting well and places the logo near the line when she misses her targets; Scheffler places the logo in the desired direction without thinking about it, to keep things athletic.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Scottie Scheffler). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.