Putting Drills

Drill Like A Pro

Putting Drills: Putting. It can be the difference between a birdie putt celebrated with a fist pump and a frustrating three-putt that leaves you muttering under your breath. While a powerful drive or a perfectly placed iron shot might steal the spotlight, every golfer knows that sinking putts is the ultimate key to a lower score.

The good news? You don’t have to be a putting prodigy to experience significant improvement. Here’s where putting drills come in – these targeted exercises can be incredibly effective for honing various aspects of your putting game, transforming you from a shaky putter to a green-reading, confidence-oozing machine.

Let’s delve into the top 10 benefits you can reap from incorporating putting drills into your regular practice sessions:

1. Stroke Like a Pro: Building Consistency is King

Ever feel like your putting stroke resembles a windmill gone haywire? Inconsistent putting strokes are the enemy of accuracy and distance control. Drills like the gate drill and the stroke path drill come to the rescue here. The gate drill involves putting through a narrow gate, forcing you to maintain a smooth, controlled back-and-through motion. The stroke path drill might utilize guide rods or rails to help you develop a consistent putting path, ensuring repeatability and eliminating stroke variations.

2. Aim True: Sharpening Alignment

Imagine this: You putt the ball perfectly, but it sails wide because your alignment was off. Drills focusing on alignment, such as the mirror drill or using alignment sticks, can be your saving grace. The mirror drill involves setting up a mirror behind the ball so you can see your entire posture and ensure your shoulders, hips, and putter face are all perfectly aligned towards the target. Alignment sticks placed on either side of the ball can also serve as visual cues, helping you square up your body and putter for a precise aim.

3. Dial In Distance: Feel the Force

How often do you leave yourself frustratingly short or rocket the putt past the hole? Drills like the ladder drill and varying distance drills can train you to become a distance-control maestro. The ladder drill involves putting from progressively increasing distances, helping you develop a feel for the power needed for different putt lengths. Similarly, practicing putting from various distances honors your distance perception and teaches you to adjust your stroke length accordingly.

4. Mastering the Art of Pace: Finding the Sweet Spot of Speed

Imagine a putt rolling effortlessly towards the hole, stopping just a hair short – a perfect tap-in for birdie. Speed control drills can help you achieve this putting nirvana. One effective drill involves practicing putts from various distances with different speeds, focusing on the subtle variations in your stroke that affect pace. This teaches you to finesse your putting stroke for a variety of distances, eliminating those heart-stopping three-putt situations.

5. Sharpen Your Focus: Staying Laser-Focused

Putting isn’t just about physical mechanics; it requires mental toughness as well. Many putting drills are designed to enhance concentration. Drills like hitting small targets or performing repetitive putting tasks improve your mental focus and train you to maintain concentration under pressure. With improved focus, you’ll be better equipped to block out distractions and sink more putts when the game is on the line.

6. Become a Green-Reading Guru: Understanding the Slopes

Reading greens is an art form, but drills like the circle drill or clock drill can equip you with the knowledge of a putting savant. The circle drill involves putting around a circle with varying slopes, helping you understand how different slopes affect the ball’s path and speed. The clock drill utilizes putting from various positions around a circle marked like a clock face, each section featuring a different slope or break. By practicing on these varied surfaces, you’ll develop a better understanding of how to read actual greens and adjust your aim and power accordingly.

7. Routine is Key: Building Confidence with Pre-Putt Rituals

Ever feel rushed or unsure of your routine when it’s your turn to putt? Regularly practicing specific drills helps golfers develop a consistent pre-putt routine, a series of steps you take before every putt. This routine can

include visualizing the putt’s path, taking a few practice swings, and focusing on your breath. By incorporating these steps into your practice drills, you’ll groove this routine into muscle memory, allowing you to approach each putt with confidence and calmness during a game.

8. Pressure Cooker: Handling the Heat

Feeling the nerves tighten when faced with a clutch putt? Competitive or time-limited drills can help you become a pressure-proof putter. Drills like the one-ball drill (where you putt one ball until you hole it from a variety of distances) or practicing match play scenarios simulate on-course pressure. These drills teach you how to manage your emotions, trust your stroke, and perform under pressure, transforming you from a nervous putter into a clutch performer.

9. Face It: Square Up Your Putter

Imagine a perfectly struck putt that veers off course – a classic sign of putter face misalignment. Drills that focus on ensuring the putter face is square at impact, like the gate drill or chalk line drill, can help you gain control of the face angle. The gate drill, mentioned earlier, forces a square face at impact as you putt through the narrow gate. The chalk line drill involves drawing a line down the center of the putting track and your putter face. By striving to maintain these lines aligned throughout your stroke, you’ll develop better face control, leading to more accurate putts.

10. See It, Sink It: The Power of Visualization

Many putting drills encourage golfers to visualize the ball’s path and the successful outcome of the putt. This practice enhances mental imagery skills, which are valuable for maintaining focus and confidence during actual rounds. Whether it’s picturing the ball rolling perfectly down the intended line or seeing it disappearing into the cup, visualization drills train your brain to believe in a successful outcome. With this positive mindset, you’ll approach each putt with greater confidence, increasing your chances of sinking more putts and lowering your scores.

By incorporating these putting drills into your practice routine, you can systematically transform your short game. Remember, consistency is key. Regular practice with a variety of drills will improve your putting mechanics, mental game, and overall performance on the greens. So, grab your putter, embrace the drills, and get ready to unleash your inner putting guru!