Cameron Smith Says Busting This Common Myth Will Make You a Better Putter

When it comes to putting, Cameron Smith is a maestro, as the 1-time major champion is generally regarded as one of the best in the world.

Before Smith dialed in his putting stroke, he often struggled with a lot of the same mistakes that amateur and beginner golfers do — namely, buying into certain “need-to-do” myths that have been passed down through millions of golfers over decades.

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But Cameron Smith found one specific golf myth that was crushing his putting the most, and he finally decided to ignore it a few years ago to become lethal on the putting greens — which he explains in the video below.

Cameron Smith Says Ignoring 1 Myth Helped His Putting Stroke the Most

When Cameron Smith lit up the 2022 Open Championship for his first-ever major, he did so my dominating with the flat stick — as he set an unofficial PGA Tour putting record with 255 feet of putts made during the second round.

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One interesting thing that Smith does, which is pretty uncommon, is to avoid taking a practice stroke. Instead, he says he trusts his process and confidently hits his putt.

“I wouldn’t say I really work on my tempo so much,” he once said. “I don’t take a practice stroke, so I like to kind of visualize and feel a lot, rather than feeling it through body motion. I guess I just like to visualize it.”

While that’s rare, especially for a player with his putting ability, the one thing Cameron Smith really started doing was gripping the putter grip tighter, rather than holding it too soft — which would cause his clubface to twist a bit.

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“Probably the best advice I’ve ever received, you know, I used to hold the putter quite softly, and that led to some [bad] activation and setup stuff,” Smith says in the video above. “So I actually got told to hold the putter a little bit tighter.”

Golfers are often told to hold the putter with soft hands and extremely light grip pressure. But for Smith, doing the opposite helped make his stroke more consistent — which can be a valuable golf tip for players looking to try something new to improve their stroke.

How Cameron Smith’s Tip Can Help Golfers Who Rarely Practice

Most amateur golfers rarely have enough time to play 18 holes, let alone spend time trying to get better at putting. Sure, they may hit a few putts before teeing off, but that’s hardly enough time to rebuild an inconsistent stroke.

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That’s why Cameron Smith’s putting tip is worth trying. By using a slightly firmer grip, it can reduce excessive hand and wrist movement without forcing you to think about several swing mechanics at once — while also steading your clubface.

But Smith isn’t trying to eliminate wrist movement completely. Instead, he allows just a small amount of natural wrist hinge while using his upper body to move the putter back and through.

This is an important distinction for amateur golfers.

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Trying to lock every joint in place can create tension and make the stroke feel robotic. And if there’s one thing we know about tension: It kills golf swings. But holding the putter too loosely may allow the wrists to take over, causing the face to open or close through impact.

So using a secure putter grip can help you find the balance between those two extremes.

Is Cameron Smith’s Putting Grip Right For You?

So is Cameron Smith’s putting tip one you should try? Of course, because you have nothing to lose if you’re giving away too many strokes on the greens.

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Before your next round, just hit a few putts using your normal grip pressure. Then increase that pressure slightly and pay attention to how stable the putter feels throughout the stroke.

Focus on these three important things:

• Keep the pressure consistent from setup through impact

• Allow your shoulders and upper body to move the putter

• Avoid intentionally flipping or locking your wrists

If Smith’s firmer grip helps you start more putts on your intended line, stick with it during the round. If it creates too much tension and you lose some athleticism, reduce the pressure until the stroke feels stable but still comfortable.

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Remember, there’s no universal putting grip that works for every golfer. So do what’s most comfortable (and effective!) for you, and stick with it — because effective putting is less about finding the perfect stroke and more about creating a repeatable stroke.

Don’t Forget to Do this When Reading Greens

When there’s either stress or excitement about an upcoming putt, many golfers simply rush through their read and routine, and then botch it.

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So in the video above, top-ranked golf teacher Christopher Smith reminds players to avoid being in the 90% of golfers who forget to read the direction of the putt.

After walking the line from my ball to the hole to feel the break, Smith gives me a masterclass in how to properly read the full putt, not just the break.

“When you straddle the line like that, what does it tell you?” Smith asks.

I explain that it helps me feel the break of the putt. But Smith reminded me that, while my green-reading routine was good, I was completely ignoring the other half of the process: Finding out the direction of the putt.

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“What are you doing to see the uphill, downhill aspect of this putt?” he calmly asks me. “Come look at it from the side and tell me what’s higher, the ball or the hole?”

After seeing the ball is higher, it shows me that this is a downhill putt, so I need to adapt my stroke to let gravity take my ball down the hill rather than the length of my putting stroke.

“If you don’t know that this is slightly downhill, you’re speed may not be very good,” Smith shares. “Speed should be your priority… so you need to be aware on any lengthy putt whether it’s uphill or downhill.”

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So in addition to trying Cameron Smith’s golf tip for gripping the putter, also start incorporating the green-reading hack that Smith suggests if you’re serious about shaving a few strokes off your scorecard each round.

Craving more golf swing tips and golf instruction? Be sure to follow Nick Dimengo on Instagram, and subscribe to Rainmakers Golf on YouTube for more relatable swing advice to help your game improve.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Golf section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.