Putting Out of Your Mind Review: The Best Putting Book Ever?

Do you want to stop 3-putting and have Tiger-like confidence on the greens? 

If so, Putting Out of Your Mind by Dr. Bob Rotella - considered by many as the GOAT of golf psychology - is one of the best books to help your short game. Anytime I find myself in a putting slump or need a confidence boost, I’ll give it another read.

Like all of Dr. Bob Rotella’s books, they’re short, easy to read, and extremely practical. While I highly recommend reading it entirely, today, I’ll share five game changing lessons from this book to help you make more putts. I share all these tips with my mental golf coaching students and know they’ll help your game. 

Putting Out of Your Mind Review 

When it comes to putting, few books are as iconic as Dr. Bob Rotella’s Putting Out of Your Mind. Known for his unparalleled expertise in the mental side of golf, he offers a fresh perspective on what it takes to become a great putter—not through mechanics, but through mindset. 

This book isn’t about grip changes or technical drills; it’s about building confidence, focus, and trust in your stroke. Which is exactly what wicked smart golf is all about - better golf, without swing changes. 

One of the standout lessons from the book is the idea that great putters aren’t born—they’re made. Dr. Bob Rotella emphasizes that putting is as much about belief and attitude as it is about skill. The book dives deep into how to overcome fear, develop a routine, and stay calm under pressure, whether it’s a three-footer to save par or a 20-footer to win the club championship.

The best part? These lessons aren’t just for professionals. 

The principles outlined in Putting Out of Your Mind are actionable for golfers of all levels. It’s a book that makes you think differently about putting and challenges you to approach the game with a new mindset—one where you focus less on the outcome and more on trusting your process. 

After reading the book, I took several key lessons to heart and saw immediate improvements in my putting. Follow these five tips for more confidence on the greens. 

1. Find the Right Putter 

The first putting tip from Dr. Bob is to pick a style of putter that works for you. This is such an important concept, I spent an entire chapter in my book talking about it as well. 

Most golfers spend all their time and energy buying a new driver and irons but neglect a putter. When in reality it should be the other way around. This is why I suggest investing in a custom putter fitting so you can ensure your putter is perfect for you. 

The cool thing with putting is that not much changes in terms of technology with drivers. You can buy a great putter today and keep it for 5–10 years (or more) if things are going well on the greens.

As Dr. Bob said, “If you think the putter you’re using will help you, it probably will. Conversely, if you think the putter you’re using is worthless, it most likely will be.

The truth, if we define truth objectively, is that it shouldn’t matter much which putter a player uses. A good putter can get the ball in the hole with his shoe if he has to.”  

So, let me ask, is your putter fit for you? If not, consider heading to your local fitter to make sure it’s dialed and helping your game. 

2. Always Pick a Read 

Always pick a read, even if it's not the right read, you're more likely to hit the putt solid and it actually has a chance to go in. But if you're standing over the putt, you're indecisive, you're taking longer, you're getting too in your head. 

You're probably going to hit it short, you're not going to commit to it, and you're not going to make a lot of those putts. This is a mistake I made for years and now I always make sure I commit to a line. 

So, how do you commit to a line? Trust your instincts!

After playing for 20 plus years and getting back into tournament golf in 2017, I couldn't agree more. Your first instinct in golf is typically right, so trust it so you can hit the putt with enough juice.  

Having a good green-reading process is key to trusting it. Watch this YouTube video below where I share some easy green reading tips. 

3. Create a Putting Routine 

Dr. Bob talks about a lot in all of his mental golf books about the importance of a consistent routine from tee to green. Yet, most amateur golfers don't have a consistent routine and then wonder why they're not consistently good.  

Routines are a part of sports - whether it’s NFL field goal kickers or NBA players shooting free throws, all of them have consistent routines. Don’t forget, golf isn't a reactionary game - you need to have a routine to set yourself up for success. 

A good routine will help you minimize internal chatter, focus on your target, and prepare your mind/body for the putt. It’s one of the easiest ways to play better golf fast. 

Is there anything worse than standing over a putt thinking, “Does this putt break right? Does it go left? Is it uphill? Is it downhill?” 

This happens from not picking a read (as mentioned above) and not having a good pre-shot process. But when you commit to a line and a set of rituals you do before the putt, you’ll have more belief than ever before. 

4. Spend More Time on Short Putts 

One of the most important putting lessons I’ve learned from Dr. Bob is to focus on short putts (2-6 feet) more than anything else in practice. This is the range where most golfers can get one or more shots back per round. 

Think about it, even the best golfers in the world only play about 70% of the greens in regulation. That means 30% of the time they’re scrambling to save par, which is usually having to make putts in this range.

Dr. Bob said that short putts are the equivalent to basketball’s lay up shot.

“The short putt, like the lay-up, is the foundational skill upon which all else is built. It’s no coincidence that basketball teams get ready for every game by practicing lay-ups. It’s equally true that good golfers make sure their short putting skills are always honed.” 

If you’re ready to minimize three putts, you need to master your short ones. I strive to make 300 (or more) 3–5 footers per week. Even in the offseason, I use my PrimePutt mat (read my review here) and various putting aids to improve my consistently from short range.

Also, if you want an awesome training aid to help improve your start line, consider the Putting Thing from WhyGolf (read my full review here).

5. Make it Mentality 

One of the most important tips I’ve learned from Dr. Bob is to stop trying to “lag it up.” So many golfers on 30+ foot putts might even announce to the group - “just trying to lag it up.” 

Look, I get it - in theory it makes sense. 

Statistically, you’re not going to make a lot of putts from 30+ feet based on the PGA Tour stats. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have some putts go in.

Dr. Bob’s point is simple - try to make every putt (aka, every putt is a GREEN light putt). 

When you have this approach, two things will happen:

• You’ll probably make more long putts.
• You’ll have a shorter second putt when you do miss. By having the intention to make it vs. “lagging it up” to a 3-foot circle, you should have a shorter second putt. 

Having more 2–3 footers vs. 4–5 footers will definitely make golf easier. But it only occurs when you commit and give your mind a clear target. 

Try to make everything, even if it’s a 60-foot downhill slider. But let me clarify, this doesn’t mean you need to try and jam every putt in and if it misses, it's 8–10 feet by the hole. 

Closing Thoughts 

Dr. Bob Rotella has some of the best mental golf books ever and couldn’t recommend this one enough. Make sure to read or listen to Putting Out of Your Mind so you can learn even more from the GOAT of golf psychology. 

To help your putting even more, make sure to check out the Look and Shoot Putting System. Developed by a PGA Tour putting coach, it can give you incredible confidence on the greens by teaching you how to go "unconscious" and get in the zone.