If you watch a putt closely in slow motion, the golf ball does not leave the face and immediately start rolling perfectly end over end. There is usually a brief period where it skids across the green before transitioning into true roll.
That part is normal.
The problem is when the ball skids for too long, hops off the face or seems to launch differently from one putt to the next. If you are seeing that, there is probably something worth checking.
Some skid is supposed to happen
When the putter strikes the ball, the ball’s forward speed and rotational speed do not match yet. Friction between the ball and the green gradually changes until the ball reaches true roll.
Your goal can’t be to eliminate skid.
You are looking for a predictable launch and a relatively quick, consistent transition into roll. If one putt comes off low and starts rolling quickly while the next one hops and slides, distance control becomes much harder.
When skid becomes a problem
Some skid is normal. What you don’t want is a ball that takes too long to settle into a predictable roll.
Watch for:
- A visible hop right after impact
- The ball bouncing more than once before settling down
- A long sliding phase before the ball starts rolling
- Putts that launch differently even when the stroke and contact feel similar
- Speed that seems harder to control because the ball is reacting differently off the face
If you’re seeing one or more of these consistently, it’s worth looking at how the ball is being launched and whether your setup or putter loft is contributing to the problem.
Why your putter needs loft
A golf ball isn’t sitting on a perfectly flat surface. Its weight lets it settle slightly into the grass so the putter needs some loft to get the ball out of that small depression and moving across the top of the green.
The problem is getting too much or too little. Too much delivered loft can launch the ball higher than necessary and create extra skid or a visible hop. Too little can drive the ball into the turf before it gets moving. The goal is a clean launch that gets the ball out of the grass without sending it noticeably into the air.
What should you check?
If the ball is hopping or launching high, check whether the ball has moved too far forward or your hands are falling behind the putter head at impact. Both can add loft. If the ball looks like it’s being driven into the green, check for the opposite: too much forward shaft lean, a ball position that’s too far back or a downward strike.
Don’t automatically add a forward press or try to hit up on the ball. Make one setup change at a time and watch what happens to the first few inches of the putt. That’s the easiest way to tell whether you’re improving the launch or just trading one problem for another.
Use your phone to check it
Draw a line around a golf ball and set it perpendicular to your target line. Then record a few putts in slow motion with your phone close to ground level.
You don’t need to measure exactly how many inches the ball skids. Look at what happens immediately after impact.
Does it hop? Does it slide for a long time? Does one putt launch differently from the next?
If your setup and strike look consistent but you’re still struggling to produce a predictable launch, the loft on your putter may not match your stroke. That’s one of the things a good putter fitting can identify.
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