Begin putting with three decisions: a comfortable setup, the line you want the ball to start on and the pace that fits that line. Practice short starts and longer-distance control separately so each miss gives useful information.
Build a comfortable setup you can repeat
Hold the putter securely with a grip that feels comfortable and lets you repeat the face orientation. Settle into a balanced stance with your arms relaxed. A coach can help adapt grip, eye position and putter fit; one pressure number or eye position is not a universal requirement.
Avoid changing several details because of one missed putt. A short, nearly straight practice putt is a useful place to check whether the ball starts where you intended.
Separate start line from pace
PGA instruction uses start-line gates and distance drills to focus practice on different putting skills. PGA: Putting Practice.
For a short start-line check, choose a nearby spot and roll five putts over it. Count the starts separately from the makes. Passing a gate does not prove an exactly square face; it shows the ball passed that particular gap.
For pace, roll balls from three distances toward a broad finishing zone. Record short, within the zone or long. This SLGP exercise gives feedback without pretending that a few practice putts predict your score.
Read the slope and choose a starting direction
Look at the slope between the ball and hole without delaying play or stepping on another golfer’s line. Consider whether the putt is uphill, downhill or across a slope. Choose the initial direction together with the intended pace. Do not aim automatically at the highest point of an imagined curve: the starting direction and the later curved path are different things.
Keep the stroke comfortable and let the result inform the next read. A missed short putt is not evidence that your entire technique needs rebuilding. For a repeatable session, use the putting drills worksheet. You can also ask Stubbs about the pattern; improvement and fewer three-putts are possibilities to work toward, not promises.
