World Class Putting – A QLG Master Class
Section II – Part 7 – Putting Strategy
Content list
1. Introduction
2. Red Pins and Green Pins
3. Uphill vs Downhill Putts
4. Avoiding the Short Side
5. Entering the Hole from the High Side
6. Controlling Ball Speed
Introduction
Understanding the mechanics of putting is essential.
But mechanics alone are not enough.
To perform at a world-class level, you must also think strategically.
Putting is not just about reacting to each putt in isolation.
It is about understanding the probabilities of the game — and positioning yourself so the percentages work in your favour.
This is how elite players think.
The strategies that follow are built on simple principles grounded in mathematics and real scoring patterns.
Combined with the Three Universal Laws and control of line and pace, they give you a clear framework for decision-making on the green.
Red Pins and Green Pins
Not every flag should be attacked.
Some pins invite aggression.
Others demand discipline.
We define these as:
Green Pins
Red Pins
A Green Pin is a clear opportunity.
The position allows you to attack safely, with the intention of finishing as close to the hole as possible.
Ideally, your approach finishes inside the three-foot circle.
From this range, you should expect to hole out.
Even from inside six feet, the odds remain strongly in your favour.
A Red Pin requires a different mindset.
These pins sit near danger — edges, slopes, hazards.
In these situations, attacking the hole directly is not the correct play.
Instead, you play for position on the green and rely on your putting ability.
Your goal becomes simple: leave yourself a lag putt that finishes inside the three-foot circle.
From there you hole out and take your par.
Very few golfers consistently make this distinction.
And this is where unnecessary bogeys are created.
When intelligent strategy is combined with world-class putting, scoring becomes far easier.
Uphill vs Downhill Putts
Slope plays a major role in putting difficulty.
Downhill putts are significantly harder to control.
In fact:
They are three-putted roughly three times more often than uphill putts.
Gravity accelerates the ball.
Pace becomes harder to judge.
Break becomes less predictable.
Whenever possible:
Leave yourself an uphill or level putt.
Even a slight uphill advantage increases your margin for error and your chances of success.
This is a small adjustment that produces a big scoring impact.
Avoiding the Short Side
When a pin is positioned near the edge of the green, the surface effectively has two sides:
The short side
The long side
The short side offers very little green to work with.
Miss here, and recovery becomes difficult.
You are often left with awkward angles and very little margin for error.
The long side gives you space.
More green.
More options.
More forgiveness.
Even if the shot is not perfect, you still have a manageable putt.
Smart players favour the long side.
They remove unnecessary risk and give themselves the best chance to save par — or better.
Entering the Hole from the High Side
On a breaking putt, the ball should enter from the high side.
The high side is the side above the slope.
The low side is the downhill side — where gravity pulls the ball.
When a ball approaches from the low side:
It often passes the hole with speed.
It has very little chance of dropping.
When it approaches from the high side:
It works with the slope.
It has a far greater chance of falling in.
High side = opportunity.
Low side = missed opportunity.
Putts approaching from the high side also have far less chance of lipping out.
For this reason, when reading a breaking putt, your aim should always favour the high side of the hole.
This is one of the clearest patterns in world-class putting.
Very few golfers consistently apply it.
Controlling Ball Speed
The ideal putt is not struck firmly.
It is delivered with control.
It rolls.
It slows.
Then drops.
This is exactly what we want.
When speed is correct:
The hole effectively becomes larger.
The ball has more opportunity to fall in.
If it misses, it finishes close.
This dramatically reduces the chances of costly three-putts.
The sequence is simple:
Read the line.
Step in.
Feel the pace.
Trust that feel.
Then execute.
When the ball leaves the putter with optimum roll, judging pace becomes far easier — and far more consistent.
Strategy and Simplicity
When these principles are applied together, something important happens.
Putting becomes simpler.
You understand the percentages.
You make better decisions.
You give yourself better opportunities.
This is where scores begin to fall.
But understanding is only the first step.
To reach world-class standards, performance must be measured.
In the next section, we’ll show you exactly how to track your numbers and measure your progress.
This is where performance becomes real.