How to Putt Under Pressure Senior Putting Tip (Video) - by Dean Butler
How to Putt Under Pressure Senior Putting Tip (Video) - by Dean Butler

Let’s talk about ‘Putting under Pressure.’ Let me just give you an example of being under pressure. Here I am on my own, I’ve got a two and a half feet putt, if I go through my procedure and I get myself lined up, I can just swing the putter back, talk to you and then she pops, but what if I’ve got the same putter again? And this time, I’ve got everybody on the veranda of the club house and it’s my putt that’s going to take my team to the final of this match play tournament and then all of a sudden you can imagine, this putt now is all about pressure; my breathing pattern is changing, I’ve got the pressure of everybody on me.

So how do we cope? Think back to what we said right at the beginning, when I’m here and I’m talking to you, I’m relaxed, I’m nice and casual and I’m relaxed, I can do that. And what you got to do is you – on those pressurized moments you’ve got to put yourself back into the routine environment that you have when you were on your own on that putting green, just hitting the balls casually with nobody around. So we have to have a routine and routine is absolutely crucial here. I’ve been in this position many, many times playing matches and I know what it’s all about. The first thing you must do, imagine this putt, imagine the pressure. This is what we are talking about, how to cope, the pressure, people all around you, so the first thing is what people, what people? They are not there. You might say it’s easier said than done, well as the race horse do down all hurdles, its got blinkers on, all he can do is see what’s in front of him. This is your task, you’ve done all that practice, lets get down, forget everybody else, this might as well be a two and a half feet putt in your lunch break. That’s the way you’ve got to think about doing that if you still think ‘I can’t do it, I can’t do it’ slow your breathing down, slow it down, take a deep breath. And I mean, take a deep breath, when you take that deep breath and hold it and let it out slowly, believe me you start to relax and I wouldn’t be surprised if you do it two or three times. And then when you come to that ball, remember; what people, what situation, what pressure. Its now you and that hole and you’ve got to block everything out, and it’s easier said than done, I’m sure you’re thinking and it is if you know the routine; remember the situation that you were in at the beginning, whenever you just hitting it in willy-nilly. The fact that everybody is there and what is counts for and the pressure, what it would mean to you, the club and to me if I holed it, its got to be pushed aside. So have that routine, have that procedure, slow your breathing down that is the most – probably the most crucial element I’m going to say to you on camera, slow your breathing down. Have a couple of practice swings and then go to that ball, from there slowly breath out and just pull the trigger back and don’t worry about anybody else. I know you think its easier said than done, I’ve been in that position many, many times, but if you learn to be blinkered like the horse on that race course, believe me you’ll be astounded, how all of a sudden the pressure which was immense will be reduced. We are not saying you won’t have any pressure because we are human beings, but if we can reduce that pressure, it makes you a little bit more relaxed rather than being uptight and tense and your breathing going shorter and quicker. So, that’s the way. Have a good routine, remember what you did in practice and take it to the situation that you’re faced with. That’s how you cope with pressure in putting. 2014-04-02

Let’s talk about ‘Putting under Pressure.’ Let me just give you an example of being under pressure. Here I am on my own, I’ve got a two and a half feet putt, if I go through my procedure and I get myself lined up, I can just swing the putter back, talk to you and then she pops, but what if I’ve got the same putter again? And this time, I’ve got everybody on the veranda of the club house and it’s my putt that’s going to take my team to the final of this match play tournament and then all of a sudden you can imagine, this putt now is all about pressure; my breathing pattern is changing, I’ve got the pressure of everybody on me.

So how do we cope? Think back to what we said right at the beginning, when I’m here and I’m talking to you, I’m relaxed, I’m nice and casual and I’m relaxed, I can do that. And what you got to do is you – on those pressurized moments you’ve got to put yourself back into the routine environment that you have when you were on your own on that putting green, just hitting the balls casually with nobody around. So we have to have a routine and routine is absolutely crucial here. I’ve been in this position many, many times playing matches and I know what it’s all about.

The first thing you must do, imagine this putt, imagine the pressure. This is what we are talking about, how to cope, the pressure, people all around you, so the first thing is what people, what people? They are not there. You might say it’s easier said than done, well as the race horse do down all hurdles, its got blinkers on, all he can do is see what’s in front of him. This is your task, you’ve done all that practice, lets get down, forget everybody else, this might as well be a two and a half feet putt in your lunch break. That’s the way you’ve got to think about doing that if you still think ‘I can’t do it, I can’t do it’ slow your breathing down, slow it down, take a deep breath. And I mean, take a deep breath, when you take that deep breath and hold it and let it out slowly, believe me you start to relax and I wouldn’t be surprised if you do it two or three times.

And then when you come to that ball, remember; what people, what situation, what pressure. Its now you and that hole and you’ve got to block everything out, and it’s easier said than done, I’m sure you’re thinking and it is if you know the routine; remember the situation that you were in at the beginning, whenever you just hitting it in willy-nilly. The fact that everybody is there and what is counts for and the pressure, what it would mean to you, the club and to me if I holed it, its got to be pushed aside.

So have that routine, have that procedure, slow your breathing down that is the most – probably the most crucial element I’m going to say to you on camera, slow your breathing down. Have a couple of practice swings and then go to that ball, from there slowly breath out and just pull the trigger back and don’t worry about anybody else. I know you think its easier said than done, I’ve been in that position many, many times, but if you learn to be blinkered like the horse on that race course, believe me you’ll be astounded, how all of a sudden the pressure which was immense will be reduced. We are not saying you won’t have any pressure because we are human beings, but if we can reduce that pressure, it makes you a little bit more relaxed rather than being uptight and tense and your breathing going shorter and quicker.

So, that’s the way. Have a good routine, remember what you did in practice and take it to the situation that you’re faced with. That’s how you cope with pressure in putting.