Ok... Ok... Let's be honest. How long do you spend on your putting? I clocked myself one time and found that I got bored practicing my putting in 13 minutes FLAT! And I am a PGA Professional and know I need to spend the MOST time of my practice on putting. After all the putter accounts for roughly 40-50% of your strokes and is the greatest equalizer and the best scoring club in the bag. But it is BOOORRRING to stand there and hit put after putt after putt.
Here are 5 drills I have devised to strengthen the two critical skills used in putting. Distance control and Face Alignment. There are 5 drills that you can do with a combination of 3 different ways. Overall that is 15 variations of these drills. My recommendation is to do the 5 drills first, then the next time do them with one of the variations. This should take you roughly 45 minutes, keep your mind engaged and strengthen your putting. Also, I have found that listening to your favorite music extends practice as well.
1) 30 Foot ladder drill - work on speed by putting each ball slightly shorter and shorter. Get as many balls as you can. Reverse the direction and have the speed go slightly further each time.
2) Clock drill - work on the 3 speeds from 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock from just outside the leather. Putt at a speed of 1, 2, 3. 1 speed is just fast enough to have the ball get to the hole and drop in. 2 speed the golf ball doesn't touch any of the sides. 3 speed is the ball hits the back of the hole, pops up and then drops in.
3) Ladder drill - take any number of balls (but at least 3) and align them on a similar line and putt from various distances - 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 feet etc
4) Confidence drill - Pick a very, very close putt - 1 foot to begin with. Practice making a certain number in a row (say 25). Practice repeatedly hitting the ball into the hole. If you miss start over again. Don't worry about stroke, alignment or anything technical. The next time you do this drill move back a couple of inches.
5) Random Practice - from a central location drop 10-15 balls. Practice hitting putts to various targets around the green. All the different holes, a leaf, a tee, the edge of the green. Vary your targets as much as possible.
Now, you can do each of these drills a couple different ways.
1) Peak Drill - free up your stroke by looking at the target when you putt.
2) No Peak Drill - leave your eyes on where the ball was at address. Develop your feel and touch by "guessing" at your result in relation to your target. "Short and Left" or "Good line but a bit long" Say your guess out loud.
3) "Gate" or Tee Drill - place a tee on the toe and one on the heel of the putter. Allow the putter to pass through the two tees. The closer they are the harder it becomes. THIS GREATLY INCREASES CENTERNESS OF CONTACT.
I don't imagine you will be able to do all 5 drills each 3 different ways. Pick one skill at a time and work on it. Once you feel you have become better (or you get bored) more to another drill. The idea is to have your mind engaged for a bit longer while you practice and have better quality practice.
Your friend in golf...
John Grothe, PGA
john.grothe@gmail.com
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