It’s Saturday. You are driving down the road, perhaps going to the golf course or a college football game with family or friends.
And then, suddenly, out of nowhere, you do a massive double-take. To your right stands the reigning U.S. Open champion, holding up a cardboard sign that reads, “Send This To A Friend Who Always 3 Putts.” You cannot believe your eyes, but yes, there is Bryson DeChambeau, the LIV Golf star who might currently be the most popular player on the planet, not named Tiger Woods.
This is a perfect example of why DeChambeau’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. His YouTube channel has taken off, as he has aired episodes with former President Donald Trump, 6-time major winner Phil Mickelson, and former Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Tony Romo. He seems to be at peace playing on LIV, too, considering the global fan’s perspective more than ever before.
That same mantra applies to his latest Instagram post, which not only trolls but educates.
In addition to posting his cardboard sign, which every golfer can relate to, DeChambeau included a video to help amateur golfers struggling with three-putting.
His advice?
Use a ruler to help with speed.
“If you’re three-putting, the best thing you can do is practice your speed control,” DeChambeau said in the video.
“What works for me is using a ruler and marking 10-foot, 20-foot, 30-foot, and establishing how hard you need to hit your putts to [go].”
DeChambeau explains that you should place marks on a yardstick that indicate how far back you should bring your putter in your backswing. He demonstrates how you should set that yardstick on the ground, in front of your feet, as you practice putting. Different distances require different levels of power, so this drill can help any struggling amateur gauge that. You should bring your putter back only so far for a 10-footer, a little more for a 20-footer, a little more for a 30-footer, and so on.
“I can practice a 10-footer, a 20-footer, or a 30-footer all day long, and all I’m doing is referencing my foot, exactly where I need to take that putter head back,” DeChambeau adds.
“Over the course of time, that work and that practice you put in will ingrain into a feel. So, for example, I can look up at you, and I can hit a 10-footer just like that perfectly every single time on a flat-level surface.”
He then does the same no-look exercise for 20-foot and 30-foot putts, demonstrating his strong feel on the greens.
“For me, that’s what helps me control my speed the best and allows me to perform at the highest level,” DeChambeau said.
So, to avoid three-putts, perhaps you should take after DeChambeau’s ruler drill. If it can help him win a pair of U.S. Opens, it can help you control your speed on the greens, too.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
