Rory’s Riviera Banned Shot: Beat Trap Putts
Riviera’s par-3 6th has a bunker in the middle of the green. If your ball ends up on the wrong side, the “easy” putt suddenly turns into a puzzle.
At last week's Genesis Invitational, Rory McIlroy faced that exact problem and chose a move you rarely see from regular golfers: he chipped from the putting surface, carried the bunker, and took the stress out of the roll. He liked it so much, he did it again on Sunday. (Source: Golf Channel)
The real lesson here is not “start chipping off greens.”
It’s this:
Putting is only safe when it’s simple. When the putt gets weird, you need a smarter default.
The No-Cute-Putt Test
Before you autopilot to putter, ask these 3 questions:
Can I roll it with normal pace and normal break?
Yes = putt.Does my putt require a “perfect” speed to work?
If it has to die on a ridge, trickle down a slope, or avoid a scary spot by inches, that putt is a trap.Do I have a runway?
If the fringe is clean and you have green to work with, a low bump often beats a fancy putt.
If you fail #2, you should at least consider a bump.
That one decision can save 2 to 4 shots per round, because it removes the classic sequence: lag to 6 feet, miss, tap in angry.
If three-putts are your usual leak, this pairs perfectly with today’s tip: Stop Three-Putting (Pro Secrets)
Quick Practice (10 Balls, 5 Minutes)
Towel Landing Drill
Put a towel 2 to 3 paces onto the green.
Chip 10 balls from just off the green.
Goal: land it on the towel, not “close to the hole.”
If you can land 7 out of 10 on the towel, you will stop fearing tight lies.
Want a Simple System You Can Use Mid-Round?
Most golfers lose strokes around the green for one reason: they choose the shot based on comfort, not math.
So I built a small tool that makes the choice automatic.
Paid readers get a downloadable Excel file that includes:
A one-page Decision Matrix (Putt vs Bump vs Soft Loft) you can memorize fast
A Round Tracker that shows how many strokes your choices are costing you
A Practice Plan that targets your weakest decision in 15 minutes
If you have ever walked off a green thinking “I should’ve chipped that,” this is for you.