My Putting Warm-up and Favorite Drills

[Themightyoz]

Posted this in  an answer to another question.  It might help you as well.  This is my preround warmup set of drills and the basics of what I practice.

Here's my putting warm up that I have found makes things a happy balance between analytical and feel.  It might look like a lot, but it warms up all aspects of my putting and now that I have done it for a while it only takes about 10 minutes.  When I actually putt I pace off the putt while doing my aimpoint and then once I pick a spot to start putt at line up my ball.  Take one look at the hole and let it go.  That last look is to turn off all the analysis and let my brain do the rest, I've given it all the tools I can.

1.  When I warm up I do five drills, one for timing, one for aimpoint, one for distance,  and one for path and one for feel.  I wrap up with one for confidence.

Most important drill in the set:

Timing Take 5 balls and just putt them until you find your timing 

Aimpoint Uses aimpoint. Find a spot on the green that to you feels like 2 degrees or so of break.  Putting until you hole it so you know the green speed and a feel for how much break for aimpoint.  Adjust as needed.

Distance test I use a mallet putter so I use it as a rough estimate of how far back to bring the club.  I put down 4 tees representing the three basic gears of my distance for putting on a flat part of the green.  The first tee lines up with the leading edge of my putter the back tee lines up with back tee.  I then putt from with a backswing from the first to second tee then the first to third tee and first tee to fourth tee.  I DO NOT worry about follow through distance.  I do worry about timing as outlined above.  I then pace off   how far a 1,2,3 go write it on my scorecard and then use

path gates

I then hit some putts with this to warm up path

Feel

I wrap up by hitting putts to the edge of the green to get a sense of feel for green speed.  I hit from various spots.

Confidence 

I finish off by holing 5 3 ft putts for confidence and lining up my eyes

Edited March 30, 2024 by iacas
fixed text and videos