Johnny Miller says...

“Please play more break” on the dreaded slice putt.   

PLAY MORE BREAK

One of the more interesting moments of the 2013 U.S. Open broadcast from Merion was watching NBC lead announcer Johnny Miller’s continuing frustration with all the missed putts on the low or amateur side of the cup. Johnny’s frustration began during the early rounds and continued into the weekend, ending up on Sunday with him pleading with the viewers to “please play more break.”  He just got tired of watching so many putts that had no chance to go in on Merion’s severely sloping greens.

 He was right on point about most golfers not playing nearly enough break. The slice putt is the breaking putt that most golfers have a tendency to under read the amount of break. Stanford golf coach Wally Goodwin went as far as instructing his players to triple the break on the dreaded slice putt. He was also tired of watching the same low side misses that frustrated Johnny Miller.  The inability to make those little sliders has ruined many golf rounds. 

The DREADED SLICE PUTT

Very few players play enough break on all breaking putts. To make breaking putts, you must match your line and your speed. The problem is compounded on the dreaded downhill slice putt. It is very difficult when you are standing above the ball and the putt is sliding away from you, to roll it high enough or hard enough to go into the hole. The fear factor of the ball taking off away from you down the slope makes it very difficult to release the putter. You must get your ball into the fall line, directly above the hole for the final gravity phase of super-fast downhill putts. The most severe sidehill putts on fast greens require the player to start the ball rolling uphill, prior to the effects of gravity taking over. The downhill slice putt is especially difficult to hit hard enough or high enough.

THE SOLUTION

Abandon the slice putt. No more slice putts. Magically turn your slice putts into hook putts. Putt the left to right putt left-handed.  You go from standing above the ball and facing downhill, to standing below the ball while facing uphill. The arc of your stroke now matches the arc of the putt. All putts are now rolled with hook spin, topspin, or overspin. All short putts now break toward you, like a boomerang.

All your putts will now hold their line better. It is much easier to play more break when you are putting from the low side. It happens naturally when you push or shove your putts. Also standing above the ball makes it extremely difficult to release the putter. It is considerably easier to release the putter down the line when you are standing on the low side of the ball and facing uphill.  

THE PROPER FUNDAMENTAL POSITION ON ALL SINGLE BREAKING PUTTS: 

STAND ON THE LOW SIDE OF THE BALL AND INSIDE THE ARC