Putting practice drills

[lostmyballs]

What practice drills have you used in order to improve your putting over the years? Were there any that stick out to you as having been particularly effective? My usual short putt practice is to putt balls in a circle around the hole one putter length away and hit as many consecutive putts as possible. For middle putts practice I try to hit putts past the hole by a foot or so. For long putts I do the same, but from 30, 40, 50 feet away. These drills have gotten stale, do you have any suggestions?

[Mr3Wiggle]

I'd go with:

• String or chalk line drill
• Gate drill using 2 golf tees
• One handed putting drills

[blankwall]

Readon here this drill hit from three feet three balls make them all and move to 6 feet miss one and you rotate 90 degrees from six feet you have make two of the three to move back to nine if you make one you stay at six and rotate 90 if you miss both game over. Very fun little drill

[ApocG10]

A great drill for learning to read greens.

starting 3 feet from the hole, put a ball back 3 feet, then another at another 3 feet, then another, and another.

Hit the first, watch its line, move back to the second, try to hit the line of the first, and so on. Great drill for teaching pace and seeing how break works.

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

I'd go with:

String or chalk line drill

Gate drill using 2 golf tees

One handed putting drills

what is the gate drill?

[lostmyballs]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

what is the gate drill?

If this is the drill I'm thinking of, it is likely the same as below, perhaps substituting the tape with simply sticking the tees into the ground:

This drill examines the importance of striking the ball consistently out of the sweet spot on the face of your putter.

Take two tee-pegs and use sticky tape to attach them vertically to the face of the putter, so that each is 3/4 inch either side of the sweet spot.

Hit some putts no more than 2 yards, trying to strike the ball without making contact with the tees. If you can do that, you have successfully hit the sweet spot. However, if one of the two tees becomes trapped between the ball and the putter face, the ball will shoot off at a strange angle. Such indications mean that you have hit the putt out of the toe or heel end of the putter-head.

Taken from "The Complete Golf Manual" by Newell (2010).

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by lostmyballs

If this is the drill I'm thinking of, it is likely the same as below, perhaps substituting the tape with simply sticking the tees into the ground:

This drill examines the importance of striking the ball consistently out of the sweet spot on the face of your putter.

Take two tee-pegs and use sticky tape to attach them vertically to the face of the putter, so that each is 3/4 inch either side of the sweet spot.

Hit some putts no more than 2 yards, trying to strike the ball without making contact with the tees. If you can do that, you have successfully hit the sweet spot. However, if one of the two tees becomes trapped between the ball and the putter face, the ball will shoot off at a strange angle. Such indications mean that you have hit the putt out of the toe or heel end of the putter-head.

Taken from "The Complete Golf Manual" by Newell (2010).

Yup.

http://golf-info-guide.com/putters/make-more-putts-with-the-gate-drill/

[Mads Markussen]

http://www.videojug.com/film/golf-how-to-improve-your-putting-with-practice-drills

I have used these drills and found them good.

[dsc123]

I start with a 10 foot straight putt using a putting string to check my alignment, eyes over the ball, etc.  I do that until I feel confident that I'm setting up correctly.  Sometimes I'm good from the start and only hit 5 putts, sometimes it needs more work.

Then I do the following:

• Lag 10-20 balls to the fringe.
• 3 foot circle until I hit 15-20 in a row.
• 6 feet (only trying for about 5 consecutive makes).
• 20 Lag putts to a hole.

I plan to add more 12-20 footers into this--the "makable" birdie putts that I don't make.

[lostmyballs]

Mads, that is a really good link. I especially like drill 2.

One drill that helped me get a really good feel for putting tempo, which I previously had completely ignored, is to try to make straight 3' putts with your eyes closed. It's a pretty simple task, but only if you can rely on a smooth putting stroke.

[dsc123]

Also, Indoors I use the Pelz putting clips to work hitting the sweet spot.  I used to use a metronome for tempo but my wife kept making fun of me and it became favorite example when talking to others about my obsession, so I only do that when she's not around now.

[NM Golf]

Thread moved! Thanks

[mmoan2]

Buy the putting track endorsed by Phil Mickelson from Pelz Golf. $50 that will ultimately save you more strokes than you can count. My putting has always been pretty strong, but this thing works wonders. It helps you hit every putt straight and on the sweet spot, which in turn helps you read greens better because you know if you missed it wasn;t because you hit it off-center, but misread the green. Last night I was sinking 25 footers or putting them within inches like Ben Crenshaw. I sank 3 25 footers in a row and the two I missed were less than 6 inches away. The only thing it can't do for you is help you with your speed. For that, I suggest a lot of lag putting from 50 feet or so, mixing in uphill and downhill putts to boot. With a smooth stroke and practice getting 50 footers close, it's amazing how much easier it is to get the speed right on 10-15 footers.

Oh, and pratice. a lot. These days I find sinking a 30 foot bender much more rewarding than a 300 yard drive down the middle. They're both pretty cool, though :)

[mmoan2]

Pelz Golf also sells these clips for $19 that mirror the "gate drill" They come in 3 sizes. If you can hit 10 straight in a row using the "super pro" clip, you are a stud putter.

[skillzwhogolfs]

Ive done the one handed putting drill and I loved it. During putting during a match I actually feel like I am only using my right hand and having my left hand on there only to help keep my putter straight. Since then I have been putting my best in a long time.