Downhill putts are very difficult, we would much rather have an uphill putt. More 3 putts happen because the down slope was not judged correctly.

There are three ways to handle the downhill putt.
1. Read the putt. Walk around the hole and look at the severity of the slope. Play maximum break.
2. Hit the ball with the toe of the putter. By hitting the ball away from the sweet spot of the club, less force is applied, which causes the ball to roll more slowly.  However, you’re taking the chance of opening up the putter face. This can cause a putt to go off target. Therefore, if you’re going to try this method, you have to have a tighter grip on the putter to keep the club face from opening.
3. The second way to control the putt is to choke down on the putter. Sometimes you may have to grip the shaft of the putter instead of the grip. Doing this will effectively shorten the club, which allows less power on impact.

If the downhill is extreme, grip even further down on the club shaft. This will probably feel very awkward and seem difficult, but practice it and you’ll find it easier to hit a short, controllable distance, even on a fast downhill putt.

See you on the practice green.

Thinus Keller
PGA Head Golf Professional