When I stand over a putt of less than 5 feet and the little voice says: "Geez, anybody could make this, don't blow it", I know how much pressure is swimming around me and how much more likely I am to miss the putt. If I then feel like standing up and starting over, I KNOW the pressure is really near out of control. Trying to concentrate on each step of the process, like the above post suggests, doesn't work for me. So instead, I abbreviate and simplify the process: I first relax my grip then concentrate on a shortened backswing.
This may sound crazy; "changing my stroke" for a short putt, but the reasons I think it works for me is that I am only concentrating on one thing, and because the shorter backswing seems to minimize the chances of pushing or pulling the putt. Anyway, it's what I have brainwashed myself to do and I've had good success with it.
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