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How Brooks Koepka Transformed His Putting — And What Every Golfer Can Learn
By Brendon Elliott, PGA
Published on
A Thursday Night Adjustment Changed Everything
Brooks Koepka walked off PGA National’s Champion Course on Thursday afternoon with a 3-over 74 and a putting performance that ranked 111th in the field. His Strokes Gained: Putting number was a brutal -2.165. For a five-time major champion, it was the kind of round that makes you question everything.
But something happened Thursday night. Koepka made an adjustment to his putting stroke, and what followed over the next three days was nothing short of remarkable. He went from dead last among players who made the cut to posting the 15th-best putting performance for the tournament. More importantly, he rediscovered something that had been missing since his return to the PGA TOUR: confidence.
“I played really solid the last three days,” Koepka said after his final-round 65. “Putter obviously has gotten better. I haven’t looked at the stats, but just that little adjustment Thursday night made a huge difference. Finally found some confidence. I think that’s the one thing that’s been lacking.”
The Ripple Effect of Poor Putting
What makes Koepka’s turnaround so instructive for everyday golfers is his honest assessment of how bad putting affects the entire game. When you’re not making putts, you start trying to hit every approach shot to tap-in range. That puts pressure on your iron play. You might get more aggressive off the tee, trying to set up easier approaches. The whole thing backfires.
“Because I wasn’t making any putts, I felt like I had to hit it to tap-in, so it was putting pressure on the iron play, maybe being more aggressive off the tee,” Koepka explained. “It was kind of backfiring that way.”
This is the spiral that recreational golfers know all too well. You three-putt a couple of greens early in the round, and suddenly you’re trying to stuff every wedge shot. You miss a few six-footers, and now you’re aiming at the middle of every green instead of going at pins. The lack of confidence on the greens infects every other part of your game.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Look at Koepka’s progression through the tournament. After that disastrous first round, he posted a Strokes Gained: Putting of 3.939 in Round 2, second-best in the field. He made 131 feet, 3 inches of putts that day. In Round 3, he gained another 1.164 strokes on the field with the putter. Even in the final round, when he “only” lost 0.203 strokes putting, he was still making enough to shoot 65 and tie for the best Strokes Gained: Total for the day.
For the tournament, Koepka averaged 1.71 putts per green in regulation and ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting after ranking 111th following the first round. That’s a massive turnaround in 54 holes.
Congrats to Nico Echavarria
While Koepka was finding his form, Nico Echavarria was putting on a clinic of his own. The Colombian won the Cognizant Classic with a total Strokes Gained: Putting of 4.273, ranking seventh in the field. His 1.64 putts per GIR was third-best for the week. Echavarria’s balanced game, gaining strokes in every category, showed what’s possible when the putter gets hot. His 14.033 total strokes gained led the field and earned him a well-deserved victory. Congratulations to Nico on an outstanding performance.
Two Putting Tips From Koepka’s Breakthrough
Tip 1: Make a Change When Things Aren’t Working
Koepka didn’t wait until the end of the tournament to fix his putting. He made an adjustment Thursday night after the worst putting round of his week. Too many golfers suffer through an entire round, an entire tournament or even an entire season without making a change.
Action Steps:
- If you’re struggling on the greens during a round, take a few minutes on the practice green before your next round to experiment with small changes
- Try adjusting your grip pressure, your ball position or your eye line over the ball
- Don’t be afraid to make a change mid-tournament or even mid-round if something isn’t working
- Keep the adjustment simple and commit to it fully once you make it
Tip 2: Understand How Putting Affects Your Entire Game
Koepka’s insight about putting pressure on other parts of his game is gold. When you trust your putter, you can play more conservatively and strategically with your approach shots. You can aim for the fat part of the green knowing you can make a 15-footer. You can lay back off the tee on tight holes because you’re not desperate to have a wedge in your hand.
Action Steps:
- Before your next round, commit to a putting goal that takes pressure off your approach shots (like “I’ll make 80% of putts inside 6 feet”)
- Practice lag putting to get comfortable with the idea of leaving yourself 3-4 footers instead of trying to make everything
- On the course, aim for the center of greens on tough holes and trust that you can make the 20-footer for birdie
- Track your putts per round and celebrate improvement, even if your scores don’t immediately reflect it
A Sign of Things to Come?
Koepka finished tied for 13th at 8-under, his best result since returning to the PGA TOUR. More importantly, he found something on the greens that had been missing. He heads to THE PLAYERS Championship in two weeks with momentum and confidence.
“It’ll carry over for sure,” Koepka said when asked about taking this performance forward. “Thursday night was a bit of a breakthrough.”
For the rest of us, the lesson is clear: putting confidence is everything, and it’s never too late to make a change that turns your game around.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. Read his recent “The Starter” on R.org and his stories on Athlon Sports. To stay updated on his latest work, sign up for his newsletter and visit OneMoreRollGolf.com.
