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Stories · Even the greats

Scottie Scheffler’s putting slump: stop chasing perfect

By The First 9 Team ·

Stick-figure drawing of a putting green. An alignment stick lies on the grass pointing at the hole, and a stick figure stands over a ball beside it with a speech bubble: Just roll it. A crumpled note reading Perfect has an arrow to a tidy note reading Simple. Caption: Stop chasing perfect.
Illustration: The First 9 (our own drawing, not a photo of the moment).

In 2023 Scottie Scheffler was the best ball-striker in golf and world No. 1, yet he ranked around 160th on the PGA TOUR in putting. In March 2024 he made a small change, let go of putting perfectly, and won three of his next four starts, including the Masters. The beginner lesson: you don’t need perfect putts. You need a simple setup you trust and permission to miss.

Even the greats: the putter that wouldn’t cooperate

Putting has tested Scheffler before. When he won his first Masters in 2022, he walked onto the 18th green with a five-shot lead and needed four putts from about 40 feet. He still won by three, and he laughed about it afterward.

The 2023 season was harder. He was named PGA TOUR Player of the Year and set ball-striking records, but his putting ranked around 160th on tour. At the Memorial he gained more than 20 strokes on the field from tee to green and still finished one shot behind the winner, because the putts weren’t dropping.

So he kept working: hours on the practice green, different putters, and a putting specialist before the Ryder Cup. That December, after winning the Hero World Challenge, he said he may have worked too hard: “When I’m struggling with something like my putting was last year, it’s almost like I focused on it too much at times.”

At the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational he switched to a more forgiving putter with a long alignment line on top, and he changed his goal. “If you’re trying to play perfect golf, it doesn’t really work,” he said. “There’s no such thing.” On Sunday he holed all 16 putts he faced from inside 10 feet and won by five. The next week he won THE PLAYERS, and a month later he won his second Masters.

Your first-nine lesson: trust a simple line, then let it go

You don’t need to be a great putter to enjoy your first nine. You have permission to keep it simple:

  • Borrow Scottie’s line. On the practice green, lay your alignment stick on the ground pointing at the hole. Set your putter square to it and roll a few putts along it. Now you know what “aimed” looks like.
  • Make two putts the goal. Get the first one close and tap in the second. Holing the long ones is a bonus.
  • Practice a little, then play. Ten calm minutes on the putting green before your round is plenty. More isn’t always better.
  • Small changes are allowed. If something feels off, try standing a little closer or holding the putter a little lighter. You don’t have to overhaul anything.
  • A missed putt is one stroke. Even a four-putt didn’t stop Scheffler from winning a Masters.

Our putting basics for beginners guide covers a simple setup and stroke. If you feel stuck, our why am I not getting better at golf guide sets realistic, kind goals.

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Facts are taken from the official and news sources above. Players are named with respect; no player photos or video are used on this page.