TOUR TECHNIQUE
Sometimes just getting it close is the right play BY ANGEL YIN Cosying it up to the hole
‘Rolling one in from long distance is great, but always look for the leave that gives you the best chance of a two-putt.’
ON SPEEDY, SLOPING US Women’s Open greens, like the ones we played in the Open
at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, you can end up hitting a lot of lag putts. You have no choice but to play defensively if you want to avoid three-putting or worse. Generally, I like the ball to end up either hole-high or just beyond it, but I always look around the cup and deter- mine where the best miss is. For exam- ple, if it’s a downhill putt, the best place to miss might be a little long. That way, I have an uphill putt coming back. If
it’s an uphill putt, the best place is not going to be long. I don’t want a tricky, slick downhill putt coming back. I don’t
SPEED MATTERS MORE Don’t obsess over the line. Just get it close.
like leaving putts short, but when I’m lag putting, I’m making the best deci- sion to set up a two-putt. Lag putting is mainly about speed control. To practice it, hit long putts while looking at the hole. This will give you a visual connection to the length of the putt and improve your feel. Also, set up an alignment stick or a club as a barrier two feet (60cm) behind the hole and hit putts that stop between the hole and the barrier. Think of it as leaving it in the safe zone. When you get good at this drill, you’ll three-putt a lot less often. – WITH KEELY LEVINS ANGEL YIN, 26, from Monterey Park, California, has two wins on the LPGA Tour including the Honda LPGA Thailand in February. Through September, she ranked fourth in the strokes gained/putting stat.
44 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025
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