The Yardstick Drill: Keeping a Straight Path

The Yardstick Drill

The Yardstick Drill: Imagine being on the green, just one putt away from winning. That climax isn’t just a dream for many golfers. It’s very real, all thanks to the Yardstick Drill. As a golfer myself, I’ve felt the disappointment of a misdirected putt. And the pure joy when it lands perfectly in the hole. The Yardstick Drill focuses on a straight path for putting. It significantly boosts your chance of success. Golfers using this drill often see their accuracy soar to 80%. By using the iPing app, I’ve watched my own putting skill sharpen to a +1.2 handicap. This turns the green from a challenge into a chance for victory. Yet, taking this consistency from practice to play is the real challenge all golfers face.

Key Takeaways

  • The Yardstick Drill is crucial for better putting accuracy by keeping a straight path.
  • Putting takes up about 40% of a golfer’s game, so improving it is key1.
  • Proper practice setups, measured by apps like the iPing, lead to major improvements.
  • Focused drills can fix common issues like poor alignment and uneven stroke length.
  • Moving practice success to the course is a big hurdle for many golfers.

What is the Yardstick Drill?

The Yardstick Drill is an easy, effective way to better your putting accuracy in golf. It uses a yardstick on the green to help you putt straight. This method helps you achieve a straight path.

About 40% of golf is putting, so drills like this are key1. At a clinic, golfers learned to line up their eyes properly over the ball. They aligned the ball with the putter and used aids like string1. Items like a putting mirror help in maintaining a straight path.

Drills like the Yardstick improve your putting stroke. Using a putting mirror and practicing properly can fix common errors1. It helps avoid mistakes like bad alignment and uneven stroke lengths1.

By working on eye placement and alignment, your putts become more accurate. This leads to fewer mistakes and better game outcomes.

Regular practice of the Yardstick Drill creates a steady, repeatable putting stroke. This consistency is key for good results on the green. Getting better at this drill boosts confidence in your short game1.

  1. Ensure your eyes are positioned directly over the ball.
  2. Align the ball’s print lines with the putter’s lines.
  3. Use visual aids like string or a putting mirror to maintain a straight path.

Following these steps improves your putting accuracy. With regular practice and focus on alignment, your putts will become more precise. This leads to better performance on the green.

How to Perform the Yardstick Drill

To master the Yardstick Drill, follow a step-by-step method. This ensures you putt straight. Here’s how to start:

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Put a yardstick on the ground. It will show you where your putt should go.
  2. Place a ball so it’s in line with the yardstick.
  3. Hit the ball with your putter. Keep the putter face square to make the ball go straight along the yardstick.
  4. See if your putter moves straight or slightly curves away from the yardstick2. This helps you control where the ball goes.
  5. Stick colored tape 2 inches apart on the yardstick. It helps measure how far you hit the ball2.
  6. Try to hit the ball to the same color on both sides2. Do it evenly to get better at controlling distance2.
  7. Keep practicing this way to get better at controlling how far your putts go on the green2.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these errors in the Yardstick Drill for better practice:

  • Keep your eyes right over the ball and in line with the yardstick.
  • Make sure your eyes are at the same height as the green.
  • Align the yardstick and taped markers accurately with your putter’s face.
  • The putter and ball should line up perfectly to avoid mistakes.

Measuring Your Progress

It’s important to track your progress with the Yardstick Drill. Here are some ways to do that:

“The iPing app helps measure putting improvements. It shows how many putts stay on track. Practicing regularly and tracking your straight putts will show how much you’re improving.”

Metrics Description
Stroke Length Practice going back and forth to the same color smoothly2.
Stroke Variation Increase your stroke length by aiming for the same colored tape on each side2.
Path Control Make sure your putter moves straight or slightly curves away from the yardstick2.
Distance Control Practice hitting putts to get better at controlling distance on the greens2.

The Yardstick Drill: Key Benefits and Insights

The Yardstick Drill is known for making putting better on the green. Its main advantage is how it helps golfers putt straighter. One golfer went from using 40 putts to only 32 in a game. They said this big change was because the drill improved their aim.

Improving Putting Accuracy

This drill focuses on making your putting more accurate. It works on many skills like swing plane, grip, and how you move your wrists3. It leads to hitting the ball better and being more precise with your putts. In short, the Yardstick Drill helps golfers get the ball in the hole more consistently4.

Aligning Your Eyes and Putter

Getting your eyes and putter lined up right is also key. Where you look and how your head is tilted can change where your ball goes. Making sure your eyes are right over the ball helps you know where it will go. This part of the Yardstick Drill makes your putts go straighter.

Testimonials and Success Stories

Many golfers talk about how the Yardstick Drill helped them get better fast. It has made their short game stronger and they miss less. Rain or Shine Golf has a lot of tools and advice for using this drill at home4. Patrick Reed’s big win at THE NORTHERN TRUST, scoring -16, shows how good practice pays off5.

Conclusion

The Yardstick Drill is more than just a practice routine. It helps you putt straighter and with greater accuracy. By working on eye alignment, where the ball is, and the putter’s line, you become more precise. This skill is crucial because 40% of golf is putting. So, spending time on drills like the Yardstick Drill is important1.

This drill, when practiced regularly, can bring big improvements. It can fix common issues like bad alignment and uneven stroke lengths. These problems can really affect your game. With enough practice, you’ll likely see your scores drop, just like many other golfers have1.

Using drills and tips from top golfers and tech like the iPing app helps a lot. It measures your progress and tells you what to fix. Look at Lydia Ko. She’s at the top because she practices a lot and uses drills. Her stats show how important regular practice and the right drills are for success6.

So, the Yardstick Drill can really up your putting game. If you practice it often, your putts will get better and more confident. For even more on effective putting, check out these indoor putting drills. You can also see how pros like Lydia Ko improve their game6.

FAQ

What is the Yardstick Drill?

The Yardstick Drill is a training method in golf to better putting accuracy. It uses a yardstick to guide the ball straight. This helps players putt straight by following the yardstick’s path.

How do I correctly perform the Yardstick Drill?

To do the Yardstick Drill, you should place a yardstick on the ground. It will guide where your putt should go. Then, put the ball in line with the yardstick. When you putt, keep the putter straight to ensure the ball follows the yardstick.

What are common mistakes to avoid during the Yardstick Drill?

Some mistakes to watch out for include not lining up your eyes right, and putting the putter wrong. Fix these by aligning your eyes directly above the ball. Make sure the putter and ball’s line are matched.

How can I measure my progress in the Department of Yardstick Drill?

Keep track of how often your putts follow the yardstick’s path to see your progress. Using apps like iPing can show improvements. These tools provide clear data on how your putting improves over time.

What are the key benefits of the Yardstick Drill?

The Yardstick Drill mainly improves your putting accuracy and consistency. It helps in making straight putts and lowers the number of putts per game. This drill fine-tunes your stroke and enhances your precision.

How can aligning my eyes and putter improve my putting accuracy?

Aligning your eyes properly with the putter and ball is key. Having your eyes over the ball and aligned with your putt path improves accuracy. It ensures your putts stay straighter and more accurate.

Have golfers experienced success with the Yardstick Drill?

Yes, many golfers have seen big improvements in their putting game from this drill. They’ve had fewer three-putts and gained confidence in short putts. Golfers note better accuracy and consistent performance.

Source Links

  1. https://primeputt.com/blogs/golf/best-indoor-putting-drills
  2. https://www.mygolfinstructor.com/instruction/practice/drills/indoor-drill-putting-yardstick-drill/218/
  3. https://www.golfwrx.com/308896/practice-the-nail-drill-to-improve-your-swing-without-thinking-about-it/
  4. https://rainorshinegolf.com/blogs/resources/how-to-practice-golf-at-home
  5. https://crokergolfsystem.com/reed/
  6. https://www.golfdigest.com/story/lydia-ko-two-drills-hole-more-putts-dominate-on-the-greens