Favorite Putting Practice Drills

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By Fred Closs

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  1. Fred Closs

    Fred Closs
    Denton, TX

    We all know holing more putts = lower scores. Many years ago, a friend taught me what have become my favorite putting drills:

    1. Place 2 balls on the green, about 18" apart. Putt one ball so that it hits the other then, bring that ball back to where you putted it while leaving the ball you hit where it ends up. Repeat this until you miss the other ball. Then start over and repeat. The beauty of this drill is you rarely leave the putt short and it builds massive confidence on shorter putts. My record for contacting the other balls is 23 putts consecutively.


    2. Find an uphill or downhill area on the practice green between 2 holes, 20 to 30 feet apart. Putt 2 balls from one hole to the other, then putt them back to the other hole, This putting up the hill, then back down the hill builds great touch.

    So, what drills do you like?

  2. andy r

    andy r
    Cheshire, CT

    I like to drop  5 or 6 balls in a circular fashion around the hole, all about 3 to 4 feet from the hole. Putt those til I  make everyone then move back 2 feet each round til I am 12 feet or so from the hole.

    Also one thing I would like to suggest is to get fitted for a putter, my local pro suggested it and it has made a big diffrence in my putting stats.

  3. Tyler H

    Tyler H
    Appleton, WI

    I like to do a ladder drill of 3, 6, 9 and 12 foot putts starting over if you miss. Generally end any of my putting practice sessions with this drill  from f different locations.

  4. eboos

    eboos
    Whitinsville, MA

    What I did this fall to eliminate 3 putts was to drop balls anywhere on the green and to putt the first one for closing the distance and approximate line leaving a second putt in gimme range. My reads aren't always that good, but my feel has greatly improved.

     

  5. Ron M.

    Ron M.
    Ossining, NY

    I like to set 5 balls from 3ft to 7ft at 12/3/6/9 O'clock(1 at a time)...I also practice my distance putting with a 4ft wide string attached to 2 post and try to putt a foot past the sun shadow..

  6. Connor I.

    Connor I.
    Maysville, OK

    I always putt in the miniature hole on the practice putting green, I make 10 putts in a row from 3 feet, then make 5 putts from 6 feet, and last make 3 putts in a row from 10 feet. this makes the regular sized hole look huge after this drill.

    good luck in 2013!

     

    Connor

  7. Steve H

    Steve H
    Clearfield, UT

    I like to do the same thing that everyone has mentioned....Then when you are done praticing, get the group together and play sinks, pull back, and whatever your game is for serious CASH$$$.  that's when you learn how to putt and sink under pressure....especially if you don't have cash in the old wallet....

  8. Dallin H

    Dallin H
    Arlington, TX

    I typically do the 3 foot and 6 foot circle putting drill.  About a month ago I bought a 3 foot circle that I take to the practice green and place it around one of the holes and I try to nail as many long putts into the circle as I can.  When I'm done, I just fold the circle up and put it back in my bag. 

  9. ToddL

    ToddL
    Attleboro, MA

    My best putting drill/practice before a round is to simply try and determine the speed of the greens.  I will putt to a single point (not a practice hole) and see how close I come to it.  By not using a hole as my target, I can get a true distance of how far I hit the putt.  The roll past the mark is very important to me in determining how fast the greens are playing.  

  10. Fred Closs

    Fred Closs
    Denton, TX

    Todd L said:

    My best putting drill/practice before a round is to simply try and determine the speed of the greens.  I will putt to a single point (not a practice hole) and see how close I come to it.  By not using a hole as my target, I can get a true distance of how far I hit the putt.  The roll past the mark is very important to me in determining how fast the greens are playing.  

    Great idea Todd! It makes sense that you could be holing every putt on the practice green, but find your speed is waaaaaay off on the course. It's happened to me.

  11. fred k

    fred k
    falls church, VA

    here's one i learned from an acquaintance on one of the mini tours:

    place 2 tees a little wider than a putter head apart and use them as a "gate" to pass the putter through as you stroke 3-6 footers.  really good in the case that you feel you've lost your stroke or don't have speed control.  i've done this to the extent that i've left footprints from my stance in the practice green.

    - fred

  12. Chris S

    Chris S
    Dubuque, IA

    Great tips TT! I always like getting new drills. It keeps practice fun and fresh. Keep'em coming!

    Chris S

  13. Hotsauce

    Hotsauce
    Georgetown MA

    These are all some great drills. I love the mini cup, but those are few and far between. The ladder is a great one too and my personal favorite as well.

  14. 808HACKER

    808HACKER
    Leonia, NJ

    I usually take about 3 balls and place them in line about 3 feet apart and try to putt all three balls in consecutively and if I miss one, I start over.  After doing those for awhile I practice some long distance putts, maybe around 20-30 feet long and try to be in at least a two feet circle around the hole.  I do this before every round I play, unless I get to the course late.  If I'm late to the course, I just stretch out my body to get warmed up.

  15. TAIII

    TAIII
    Oswego, IL

    Military

    I use an effective learning process in honing my putting to program success:

    10 inch putts - 8 holed consecutively

    16 inch putts - 8 holed consecutively

    2 foot putts - 8 holed consecutively

    3 foot putts - 8 holed consecutively

    4 foot putts (with some break) - 4 holed consecutively, 4/4 within 8 inches

    6 foot putts - 8 consecutively within 8 inches

    10 foot putts - 8 consecutively within 12 inches

    15 foot putts - 8 consecutively within 15 inches

    20 foot putts - 8 consecutively within 18 inches

    30 foot  putts - 8 consecutively within 24 inches

     

    Master each level before going to the next challenge. If you miss, start over. It is both challenging and fun and will build supreme confidence in the Art of Putting.

     

    -Golf Rules

  16. cam j

    cam j
    dove canyon, CA

    For me, i take 5 balls and i start 3 feet away from the hole . Once i do that i putt until I make all 5 in a row then I move back a foot. Then I work to make 5 in a row and I keep moving back one foot at a time 

  17. david h

    david h
    attleboro, MA

    I like getting a feel for the geens first by lagging up some longer putts and then work the circle drill. But a couple of years ago I just lost all feel and went to get a lesson and was shown a nice drill. Set 2 balls up 1 on yhe heel and 1 on the toe, square the putter up to both and take your normal stroke. The ball that goes faster and farther was hit by the leading edge of the face, I now start all my putting with this to make sure I have the club face square at impact. This works with all putting strokes but helped me find the right putter for my swing as well. Fitted for the Kombi-s .

  18. Chris E

    Chris E
    Nacogdoches, TX

    I have two drills that help with my stroke and build confidence in shorter putts:

    1.  I place 3 balls about 3' from the hole.  After addressing the ball I take my lead hand off of the putter and hold it about 2" off the grip.  I putt all three balls focusing on keeping my hand the same distance off the grip throughout the stroke.  I repeat the drill three times before I do the same thing with my trailing hand.  This helps me to feel that I am rocking my shoulders instead of swinging the putter with my arms.

    2.  I putt 3 balls from about 12' to a hole.  For each ball that misses I take that ball and move it the length of my putter away from the hole.  Doing this means my typical 2nd stroke will be between 3-5'.  I usually work my way around the putting green from hole to hole doing this drill so that I get a feel for different distance putts outside of 10'.  After doing this drill for about a week the hole begins to look huge when I'm putting inside of 5'.

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