hitting a golf ball on the putting surface with a putter; "his putting let him down today" strike (a golf ball) lightly, with a putter; "he putted the ball several feet past the hole" : hit a putt; "he lost because he putted so poorly
In golf, when you putt the ball, you hit a putt. Turner, however, putted superbly, twice holing from 40 feet. to hit a golf ball lightly a short distance along the ground towards the hole (put)