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Want To Stop Missing 3–5 Footers? Start With This 8‑Of‑10 Rule

Aug 24, 2026
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Most golfers obsess over long putts and ignore the ones that really decide their scores: 3–5 footers.

Those are the:

  • Par savers after a good chip
  • Bogey savers after a scramble
  • Knee-knockers on the last hole of league

If you can clean up that range, everything else on the course feels lighter.

Why short putts feel so stressful

Short putts expose:

  • Any doubt in your start line
  • Any lack of commitment to the stroke
  • Any story you’re telling yourself about “I always miss these”

We fix that by giving you reps and rules that rebuild trust.

A simple “8 out of 10” short-putt routine

On the practice green:

  1. Pick a flat-ish 3–5 foot putt.
  2. Place 10 balls around the hole in a small circle at that distance.
  3. Go through your full routine on each putt.
  4. Don’t leave until you’ve made 8 out of 10.

The rule is what matters. You’re telling your brain:

“I am a player who usually makes these. I’ve seen it hundreds of times.”

Run this a couple of times a week and those same putts in league feel a lot less like a coin toss and more like “something I do all the time.”

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If you want more structure around your putting work, the Great Putter's Blueprint includes:

  • Short‑putt confidence drills like this “8 out of 10” rule
  • Distance‑control games you can play on any practice green
  • Simple frameworks so you know exactly what to do in 15–20 minutes

👉 See what’s inside the Blueprint

Grab a couple of putting drills from there and make them part of your weekly routine. Those 3–5 footers will stop feeling so scary.

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