I Made a 30-Foot Putt… Then Learned Why
Settle in. Let’s talk golf.
From one of my more recent posts, I shared that I hit an excellent drive on my first 18-hole round. Naturally… my brain immediately went to one thing:
“If I make this… I might need to break out a happy dance.”
And yes… that thought was very intentional.
Because the first time I ever played golf – first hole – I had about a 30-foot putt from just off the green in the rough. I grabbed my very cool TaylorMade Spider putter, took a couple practice swings like I knew what I was doing…
…and then putted.
It started rolling across the green.
Tracking…
tracking…
Right into the hole.
No exaggeration – straight in.
Now look… I’d love to tell you I acted like I’ve been there before.
I didn’t.
I jumped.
I celebrated.
I absolutely hit a full-on happy dance.
Zero dignity. Zero regrets.
The group I was with? Shocked… laughing… fist bumps all around.
And honestly – that moment right there?
That’s probably when golf got me.
Because there really is nothing like that feeling.
A really good drive.
A pure iron.
A putt that drops from distance.
You know exactly what I’m talking about.
But then… my brain did what it always does.
It went straight to:
• Why did that work?
• Why did it go that far?
• Why didn’t it stop sooner?
• Was that luck… or can I actually do that again?
And the big one:
How hard am I actually supposed to hit a putt?
The Part Nobody Tells You (But Actually Matters)
Here’s where things get interesting.
There’s a ton of research around putting speed…most notably from Dave Pelz…and it all points to something that feels a little backward at first.
Putts that are hit slightly firmer are actually more accurate.
Not crushed.
Not rammed.
But firm enough that if they miss…
they would roll about 1–2 feet past the hole.
Why That Works (Without Getting Too “Textbook”)
When a putt rolls too slowly, a few things start working against you:
• Little bumps near the hole
• Grain in the grass
• Spike marks
• Slight imperfections around the cup
Basically… the ball starts listening to everything except you.
But when you roll it just a little firmer:
• It stays on your intended line longer
• It doesn’t get pushed around as much
• It rolls through that messy area around the hole instead of reacting to it
Think of it like this:
If you barely roll a ball across a bumpy surface… it gets knocked all over the place.
Give it a little more pace… it holds its line.
Same exact idea… just on grass.
Here’s the Part That Changed How I Think About Putting
If you try to “die the ball at the hole” every time…
You actually make the hole smaller.
Yep. Smaller.
Because now the ball has to fall in almost perfectly.
No room for error.
But at that 1–2 feet past speed?
The hole plays its full size.
Which means:
• More margin
• More made putts
• Less frustration
So… About That “Happy Dance” Putt
Looking back…
That putt wasn’t just luck.
I didn’t baby it.
I didn’t guide it.
I gave it a roll that had enough pace to:
• hold its line
• ignore the junk near the hole
• and actually give it a chance to go in
Did I know that at the time?
Absolutely not.
Would I like to pretend I did?
…also yes.
The Takeaway
Next time you’re standing over a putt, especially inside 10–15 feet:
Don’t baby it.
Give it a roll.
Not aggressive.
Not reckless.
Just enough that if it misses… it keeps going a little.
Because the goal isn’t just to get the ball to the hole.
It’s to give the ball a real chance to go in.
The Next Shot
Your next putt doesn’t have to be perfect – just intentional.
Trust the line. Give it a roll. Let it go.
Real Talk. Play Better.
Effort builds results.
