Putting Isn’t About Mechanics – Stop Overthinking and Start Scoring

Hey, it’s John Fitzgerald here—biomechanics coach, golf performance obsessive, and the guy who’s spent the last 20+ years studying how the body truly moves in sport and everyday life.

If you want to drop strokes fast, here’s the simplest truth in golf: eliminate as many shots as possible inside 100 yards. For most amateurs, that means one thing—way fewer putts.

Dave Pelz’s research makes it crystal clear: putting accounts for nearly half your strokes in a round. Amateurs routinely rack up 36–50 putts. Pros hover around 30. Cut a few three-putts, turn lag putts into tap-ins, and your scorecard improves dramatically—without ever touching your full swing.

I’ve always kept instinctual. The feel, the pace, the line—I don’t overthink it on the course. (And I’m half-joking when I say I hope writing this doesn’t mess with my own game!) Because here’s the key: great posture and positioning aren’t things you “hold” or micromanage in the moment. They’re the automatic result of trained movement patterns your brain runs in the background, guided by constant feedback from your muscles, joints, and balance system.

Overthinking interferes with those subconscious programs. But I can break it down into a few simple, practical concepts—plus a handful of intuitive insights most people don’t talk about.

1. The Putting Stroke: Keep It Simple and Smooth

Grip it however feels natural. Use whatever putter you like. You could even stand on one foot for all I care—as long as the stroke feels like a mini pendulum: shoulders and torso doing the work, arms and hands just along for the ride.

Before the motion, lock in your setup with a quick routine. My three intuitive checkpoints as I address the ball (on the course or in practice):

1. Square stance – square face

2. Feet under hips – eyes over the ball

3. Ball centered – weight centered

   
   

Simple, neutral, and biomechanically sound. This frees your brain to focus on feel instead of mechanics.

Right after addressing the ball, I use saccades— quick, jumping eye movements—to trace the line from ball to hole and back. This rapid scanning lets my visual system pick up subtle slopes, breaks, and speed cues without staring or overanalyzing. It’s like letting your eyes do the heavy lifting so your body can trust the read and execute naturally.

During the stroke itself, I look at the hole, not the ball. This works for me and every amateur I’ve coached—you won’t convince me otherwise. At first it just felt comfortable and trusting. But the more I’ve explored it, the more evidence I’ve seen that supports trusting your target over fixating on the ball.

In sports, there are fixed targets (basketball hoop, catcher’s glove) and moving ones (receiver downfield, incoming fastball). The hole is your fixed target—the ball is just the object you’re sending. Great athletes lock eyes on the target and let their body coordinate the force, angles, and timing subconsciously.

Fixating on the ball (like staring at your release point) is like a basketball player staring at the ball instead of the hoop. Pros make 41% from 10 feet, 15% from 20, and just 7% from 30 when doing that. Compare that to the league-wide 3-point average around 36%. Your eyes and targeting system are incredibly powerful—trust them.

One more setup detail that gives me the purest roll: I slightly lean the shaft forward at address. That little forward press helps the face stay consistent through impact.

2. Pace: This Is Where Most Putts Die

Three-putts are rarely about bad reads. They’re almost always bad speed.

Pelz’s data shows the best lag speed leaves the ball rolling about 17 inches past the hole. Too firm and the hole effectively shrinks. Too soft and break becomes unpredictable.

My approach: Keep pendulum smooth and the forward acceleration consistent on every putt. Simply adjust backswing length for distance—like pulling a slow slingshot farther back to generate more energy….. while the release stays smooth, unforced but controlled and natural.

Practice Drill (The Gate Drill):

Place two tees just wider than your putter head. Groove your pendulum swing through the gate with three practice strokes (half, three-quarter, full) using the same unbroken rhythm. Then drop a ball in and putt. A successful rep means the putter glides through cleanly while the ball stays on your intended line. This is one of the fastest ways to dial in consistent pace and path.

3. Reading the Green: It’s Just Physics

Reading greens isn’t magic—it’s physics you don’t need a calculator for. Remember these core truths:

• The slower the ball is rolling, the more it breaks.

• The faster the ball is rolling, the less it breaks.

  
  

That’s why you can expect more break on long putts and downhill putts (the ball slows down and gives gravity more time to work). You’ll see less break on uphill putts and firm/fast greens (the ball stays moving faster through the slope).

Bonus tip: Always pay extra attention to the last 4–5 feet. That’s where the ball slows dramatically and the real break shows up.

Intuitive Green-Reading Tricks Most My Friends Don’t Think About.

• Grass Grain: From behind the ball looking toward the hole, check the blades. Shiny side facing you? With the grain—faster. Dull side? Against the grain—slower. Don’t think too much on it just take note and move on

  
  

• Flag Lean: Walk around the hole and note which way the flag leans. It’s a reliable indicator of overall slope.

  
  

• Dry Lips: Look closely at the hole edges. Dry, flaky grass or soil on one side usually means that side is higher—break runs away from it.

  
  

• Water Visualization: Stand on the low side or behind the hole and imagine pouring water from the cup. Where does it drain? This quickly reveals the overall contour and helps you pick the apex of your putt’s curve.

  
  
  
  

Choosing Your Putt: Pace + Line Together

I picture the entire putt holistically. Before worrying about exact line, I visualize the ball rolling to a spot just behind the hole at the perfect speed. Then I imagine the same line with too much speed and too little. This mental rehearsal gives my brain and body instant feedback.

You won’t sink every putt tomorrow. But dial in these fundamentals—drawn from the best players and my own 20 years of observation—and you’ll start draining more, three-putting less, and watching your scores drop fast.

The greens are where most golfers can make the biggest improvement. Get out there, practice with purpose (especially those lag drills), and trust your trained instincts.

Keep it simple. Keep it natural.

See you on the first green.

— John Fitzgerald

Biomechanics Expert & Golf Performance Coach

MI Golf Health | migolfhealth.com