Jack Nicklaus holed a 110-foot putt in the 1964 Tournament of Champions, leaving the crowds agape at his technical finesse and powerful demeanor. Don’t try to replicate it just yet, since this is the official world record. However, it’s still possible to have long-distance putts in your arsenal.

A solid lag putt that leaves a tap-in can significantly lower your score and build momentum, while shorter strikes can translate into frustrating three-putts. But what qualifies as a long putt? A widely accepted norm in the golfing world defines any putt of 20 feet or over as a long putt. In fact, it’s rare even among the Tour pros at less than 20% of all putts. But with intentional training, long putts can go from nerve-wracking to routine.

We dug in and narrowed down training elements to the absolute needle-movers for sinking putts with greater distance management. Here are the top five ways we found that can transform your driver game.

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#1: Master Your Setup and Stroke Path

Stability and setup might be the most important starting points for any golfer, no matter whether you are a rookie or a pro. This isn’t all about comfort or feel, contrary to what you might believe. A proper stance goes a long way and includes right shoulder alignment and even properly gripping the club.

Your shoulders should be roughly parallel to your target line so that your arms and putter can swing back and through on a consistent path. Then, bend forward from your hips, not your waist, with your arms hanging loosely to reduce muscle tension. Take your time to set yourself up properly, since even a slight misalignment of 1-2 degrees can significantly alter the course of the ball. In contrast, one study shows that proper alignment leads to 23% more putts than with alignment issues.

#2: Control Distance with Stroke Size, Not Power

How many of us believe golf requires brawn more than technique? Not many, right? But when it comes to sinking greater distance putts, our first thought flickers to power and strength. Contrary to popular belief, stroke amplitude, or simple stroke size, matters much more than powering your way through the shot. Research shows that elites scale their stroke length, especially the backswing, as the distance of their putts increases.

Essentially, the secret sauce: make a longer back-and-through stroke to achieve greater distance. So to apply it, scale your driver farther back before making the swing, as you twist your torso towards the target. This extended swing trajectory helps build better momentum, as the force transfers from the club to the ball at impact.

#3: Maintain stability

Right as you hit the ball, that exact moment defines more than you might realise. In fact, one 2008 study found that putter face alignment at impact explained about 80% of the ball’s starting direction, while putter path explained ~17% and impact point only ~3%. What this means for you is to minimize any extra movements that might alter your alignment. Your hands, arms, and shoulders should perform the stroke, while keeping your head, lower body, and stance as still as possible. A stable base brings repeatable motion to each of your strokes. If your legs shift, your hips rotate, or your head moves during the stroke, that can invariably affect your face‐angle, path, and speed.

#4: Read the Green, But Prioritize Distance

Longer putts come with their own physical mechanics. But it can be broken down into two simple factors: line (hill/break/undulation) and the speed of the ball. And contrary to what amateurs focus on, speed dictates distance management more than reading the greens. Sure, we cannot skip the minute details and the slope assessment, but focus more on the speed you can gain.

A study found that expert putters spent significantly more time analyzing larger‐scale surface features and speed cues rather than obsessing over tiny line details. So, begin by analyzing the bigger details. Is there a slope (left-to-right or right-to-left)? Is there a bunker close by? Now, when you’re done with the assessment, you mustn’t go halfway with the speed, as slower balls are more susceptible to course influences.

#5: Practice cross-country putts

Stepping onto the practice greens can feel overwhelming and directionless without an actual routine. On the flip side, sinking dozens of shots means nothing either if you are not intentional with your training. To prepare for the real course situations, you should diversify your training schedule to fit shots from long, varied distances (end-to-end of the green, off-the green, different slopes). This helps build the feel and calibration required to face longer distances during actual games.

To apply it to your training schedule, start by varying distances. Don’t just hit from 20 to 30 feet. Drop balls from 30, 40, 50 feet (or more if space allows), or from the fringe/off-green areas. To take the pressure off of sinking the hole, use different targets like cones. That rewires your brain to aim for the ball in the band where there’s a comfortable second putt.

Mastering long putts isn’t about luck — it’s about feel, consistency, and confidence. Practice with purpose, trust your stroke, and those long rolls will start finishing closer — or even dropping in.