In this episode of Golf High IQ, Brian Bailie tackles the question, "Why do I suck at short putts?" by breaking down the key components of successful putting: read, speed, and start line. He explains that many golfers mistakenly focus heavily on start line drills when, in fact, read and speed are more critical for short putts (3-6 feet). Through a stool analogy, Brian highlights the importance of balancing all three components, noting that even with a face error of up to two degrees, good read and speed can still result in made putts. He sets performance goals based on skill levels, from newbies to enthusiasts, and assigns a homework task for listeners to assess their make percentages from 3-6 feet, with specific benchmarks for each golfer level. This foundational understanding will be built upon in future episodes to help improve putting performance.