Distance Control on Uphill/Downhill Putts

My distance control is very poor on uphill and downhill putts - it is tough for me to "adjust" my speed, and I end up leaving uphill putts very short and blowing downhill putts past the hole.

I don't think the problem is related to green reading - I am pretty good at determining left/right break, and I can generally tell how uphill/downhill a putt is.  I just can't get the speed right off the putter.

I think it may be a poor choice of technique: I think about how hard I would hit a flat putt, and then take a bit off or add a bit (ie, "I'll hit in 10% harder).  That's probably a poor approach, right?  I realized - after a particularly bad round on hilly greens today - that it might be better to putt to a shorter (for downhill putts) or longer (for uphill) target instead...basically, imagine a hole that is a certain distance closer/further than the real one and putt to that point.

Interestingly, my approach DOES work pretty well for adjusting to fast/slow greens, but that's something that is generally consistent within a round.

Thoughts?

Nothing really I can say about it. I usually just know the feel for it. For me, I actually have better speed control when it is either flat, lots of uphill or lots of downhill. If you get gradual uphill putt, or downhill, those are the ones that I struggle one. I always putt the extremes the best really, just easier to see them.

First I would determine if you have good distance control at all. Find a flat spot on the green and lay down a stick 15 feet away, or a piece of string, and putt to it. Hit 5 putts, and see how many end really close to that line. I would say really close is couple inches short or long, like 1-2 inches. Nothing drastic like a foot short or a foot long. If you can't hit all 5 really close, then I would say you struggle overall with distance control. If not, then I would just recommend practicing those putts you struggle with till you get feel for it.

I can save myself some time - from 15', I'm going to be within a foot (long/short) with all 5, but there's no way all 5 are going to be within 1-2 inches.  So, there's the answer...I guess I have just noticed that it's much WORSE on uphill/downhill putts.

It sounds from your post that you go more by feel, rather than "setting" a target a certain distance short/long.  So maybe my approach isn't the issue, just my poor control overall.

I think I'm good there - I do sort of a metronome thing, and (I shoot for, at least) a symmetrical backswing/follow through.

So...practice, practice, practice it is.

cool