The 3-Inch Line
from "The Education of a Golfer" by Sam Snead
Day 7 in our 7-part series on The Education of a Golfer by Sam Snead.
The priority of the short game was hammered into Sam’s brain every time he played Paul Runyan.
Sam called Runyan the “128-pound demon.” Everyone else called him “Little Poison.” He only hit 225 off the tee. Sam outdrove Runyan by 60 to 80 yards. That’s almost a football field.
Sam says, “After the drive, Runyan would be so far behind me I’d lose sight of him—and then he’d beat me into the hole!”
Sam wanted that winning edge. He worked hard until chipping and putting became the scoring foundation of his game. But in the late-1940s, that foundation began to crumble.
“Visualize just the first 3 inches.”
Sam writes, “Little putts of 8 feet and less cost me two or three U.S. Open titles, and left me so ashamed that once I almost quit golf.”
The frustration continued at the 1949 Masters. Sam drove far and chipped like a dream. But he missed so many putts that he opened with rounds of 73 and 75.
On Saturday, he asked a pro named Vic Ghezzi for help. Vic said, “Sam, on putts of 6 feet or less, concentrate on starting the ball on the line you like for the first 3 inches.” In other words, visualize just the first 3 inches and roll the ball over that line.
3 inches is less than the width of two golf balls. How could that possibly make a difference? But Sam was desperate, so he spent the morning practicing the 3-inch line.
“I holed 18 out of 20 from all distances.”
On Saturday, he started 8 shots down the leaderboard. On Sunday, he won the Masters. The 3-inch line didn’t just work on short putts. It helped on every putt.
Sam writes, “On Sunday, I holed 18 out of 20 from all distances. I felt confidence both in myself and in my putter—which is 90% of putting.”
Later that year, Sam won the PGA Championship—the very tournament where the 128-pound demon, Paul Runyan, had beat Sam twice. Winning was proof that Sam had learned his lesson well.
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci
We’ve all gone through those valleys where our putters turn against us, and we need a fresh approach.
So if you’re struggling inside 6 to 8 feet, give the 3-Inch Line method a try. Go through your routine, pick your line, set up over the ball, and then visualize just the first 3 inches of your line. Start the ball on that short path and, like Sam, you might be surprised at the results.
That’s how crazy this game can get. Sometimes, the biggest problems have the smallest solutions.
I hope you enjoyed The Education of a Golfer by Sam Snead. This is not only a great biography. At the end of each chapter, Sam also shares tips and techniques. Stories and strategies: that’s my idea of a perfect golf book. Get your copy here.
That’s all for now. Tomorrow, we’ll launch a brand new 7-day series. Until then, keep imagining what’s possible.