Putting is where technique and touch hold the utmost importance. The art of getting the ball to the pin from anywhere on the green is no easy task. There are various struggles when it comes to putting and there are various methods to deal with it as well. One of the tougher putts to perform is to putt against the incline, That is uphill putting.

Uphill putts are legendary when you pull them off. Jack Nicklaus’s iconic 1975 Masters putt from 40 feet away from the 16 hole that pushed him to victory is one of the most iconic shots in golf history. But how do the greats do it? Well, we have an answer to that. Uphill putting requires two simple and basic steps that need to be pulled off.

1. Nice and Relaxed

First and foremost, you have to calm your nerves. While this is true for any stroke on the golf course, relaxing your shoulders and preparing for the shot is key to uphill putting. Because any slight movement could bother the lie or even cause the ball to roll back due to the terrain. Calmness is very important in such situations and an easy solution to that is constant practice.

1. Overhit your putt

The incline poses an extreme challenge. Any mistake in the power and the ball could come rolling back and go further behind than where it was initially. The momentum from the incline makes it a very dangerous situation for the golfer. So it is important that ideally when hitting the putt, you should ensure that the distance you are aiming for in your head is more than the actual pin distance. If it is 30 feet, you aim for 35 feet. This is because the incline’s unforgiving force could drag its motion, causing it to stop earlier than intended.  This will cause the ball to fall back and you would be in for a long day.

1. Ensure the correct line

Overhitting your putt solves one thing, but it would add another problem. That is the issue of the line. The key to putting is the line, be it incline, decline, or level ground. If you overhit and the ball misses the line, it could easily fall to another spot and that means you will have to work with another angle. Line is very important to ensure that a putt finds its way to the pin.

Now, that you know the keys to a successful putt, let’s look at one of the iconic uphill putts in golfing history.

Jack Nicklaus’s 1975 Masters putt

The Golden Bear was at his finest during the 1975 Masters. In his race to the fifth, the golf star was closely followed by Johnny Miller and Tom Weiskopf. And then we land at the iconic 16 hole.

Nicklaus’s ball was 40 feet from the pin, with an incline in front of it. Trailing by one stroke at this point, he needed a strong finish to reclaim the lead.

But Nicklaus was unfazed. For him, it seemed mundane. Nonchalantly, he swung his putt. Relaxed. Check. Overhitting. Check. Line with the pin. Check. 40-foot putt. Check.

He raised his club in joyous celebrations. That shot laid the foundation for his fifth victory at the Augusta National Golf Course. Setting him on the path of a legendary career. In nearly ten days, it would have been fifty years since the legendary shot was called and celebrated by all golfing fans.

What do you think are some of the other iconic uphill putts that you have seen on the golfing course?