Brandt Snedeker returned to winning form on Sunday by capturing his second PGA Tour victory of the season at the RBC Canadian Open.
As a player who should be used as the model for pace of play on the PGA Tour, Snedeker wastes no time playing each shot, almost to the point where it seems fast or rushed.
This is even more evident on the greens. His short, fast putting stroke has yielded excellent results throughout his career.
Those results continued in his three-shot victory Sunday.
What impresses me the most about Snedeker is his speed control on the greens.
Any great player or teacher can tell you that good putting starts with your ability to control speed. Unfortunately, many players struggle with their speed control on the greens.
Here are a couple tips to help you get control of the pace of your putts:
• Control your rhythm. There are many different styles of putting on the PGA Tour, but one thing they mostly have in common is good rhythm. Rhythm in a putting stroke can be defined as equal pace and distance from the backswing to the finish, much like a pendulum. Tempo, which is the speed of your rhythm, can vary. Snedeker uses a faster tempo than most players on Tour, but his putting stroke is equal lengths on both sides and the pace remains constant from start to finish. To improve your rhythm, use a metronome set to anywhere between 70 and 80 beats per minute and simply match your putting stroke to the beat.
• Use the same type of ball. There are many different types of golf balls on the market. Some are designed to increase distance, which tend to have a firm feel, while others are softer for enhanced feel around the greens. Controlling speed in putting is all about feel. If you’re like most golfers, you’re going to use any ball you can get your hands on, and for economical reasons I understand this. But for creating a consistent feel on and around the greens, using golf balls that are similar in feel will help you develop more feel when you putt.