# Putting, putting, putting. The best drill ever conceived



## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

*Putting, putting, putting. Drill for all types of putts*

I don't care what anyone says, if you can putt well, you can score well. I see people banging away at drivers and long irons all day on the range when they'll only use these clubs 1/3 of the strokes they'll use their putters.

The fact is, it doesn't take a whole lot of skill to get on or around the green in regulation on every hole. It also doesn't take a lot of skill to get the ball on the green on your next shot if you miss in regulation. What separates the good players from the great is putting. Again, the key to scoring well is PUTTING.

One of the problems I see when people practice their putting is that they don't go through their full routine on the practice green and they don't do any drills. They just blindly putt with no goal. This does nothing but ingrain the same habits you already have.

I did not copy this from anywhere or get it from any magazine. This is my own drill that I have developed over the course of the last year while working on my putting. The result is one of the best putting drills you will ever do.

DRILL:
Grab 8 golf balls that you would normally play with. Mark them how you would play. If you put a line on them to align putts, make sure that line is on them. Now place these balls in a staggered pattern N, S, E, W, NW, SW, NE and SE around the hole. Place them distances from 20 to 6 feet (try to find a hole to putt at with some break in it). Put a tee just on the outside of each end of your putter where every ball is.

Now, this is the important part!! Putt every ball as you normally would on the course. Go through your putting routine on every ball. Read, line up, second read, everything. Don't take any shortcuts. If you hit one of the tees on your stroke, redo the putt. If you knock it by the hole by more than three feet, redo the putt.

Switch it up around to different holes and take note of any misses you have during this drill. This will tell you where you are missing your putts most often. Going through your routine every time will help you relax and the course as well as build confidence with your routine away from the course. Putting with your putter blade between the tees will ensure you are squaring your putter face at impact. The variation in distances will help you build feel in your putting, so you're not just hitting the same 10 footer over and over.

Now this isn't the only putting drill that you'll need to develop a good putting game, but it's probably one of the best you'll come across. I promise you, if you do this a couple of times weekly for 30 minutes or so, you'll notice a big improvement.

Fairways, Greens, Pars, and Birdies
Cody

P.S. While the drill works best while going through your whole routine, it can also be beneficial without doing this. If you are in a rush, skip the routine part.


----------



## fitz-uk (Apr 28, 2006)

Nice post, totally agree with your ideals on putting.

I have found that putts around the magic 8 foot mark have improved an awful lot since I started my own pre-game routine.

Similar to yours, but most of my distances range from 8 foot down, 4 or 5 balls, just putting them from a semi circle around the hole. If I miss one, I start again. This has dropped an awful lot of shots from my game.

Nice post, I'll have to give yours a whirl next time I am at the course.


----------



## white_tiger_137 (Mar 23, 2006)

Summing it up:
Go through your routine with putts of different lengths and break, but with tees outside your putter. Certainly a fine way to practice, but that's like telling people about your revolutionary new diet:
Eat right
Exercise

Now that you've already aerated the green with your tees, try this on a hole sitting on a slope, one where you have to aim outside the hole on a medium length putt. Stick a tee directly between you and the hole. Now make your putt. 

By forcing you to go around the tee, you might actually make MORE putts than you would without the tee in your way. Why? Because you're not going to miss low, and you're not going to hammer it past the hole. This little obstacle in your way is enough to force you to find the most effective way of making your putt.


----------



## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

It is safe to say that the overwhelming demographic of this forum are weekend or a couple of times a week golfers. The number one question I am asked, aside from "how can I hit the ball farther," is for putting drills. When I see the proverbial weekend or couple of times a week golfer "practice," they are just putting putting putting, the same putt, over and over.

My goal as an instructor is to provide guidance in the form of proper techniques and drills so the golfer can improve, just as a personal trainers job is to provide guidance in the form of proper diet and exercise techniques so his or her pupils stay in shape. Yes, these may seem obvious after reading them, but don't they all?

A tip about getting the ball started up high on putts, obviously very good. While it should be common sense that it is easier to make putts from the high side than the low side, for some reason, the majority of people still miss low. Sometimes people need to be reminded of the obvious.

If we are all trying to help here, I'd like to kindly ask that members please refrain from talking down on other's tips or drills, unless there is an obvious flaw that may actually hurt someone's game.

Much appreciated.

P.S. The power of using your routine on the green is subconscious, or mental as most would call it. Using your routine on the practice green makes it easier to use on the course, which calms you down. Being calm and relaxed, you make more putts.


----------



## white_tiger_137 (Mar 23, 2006)

> It is safe to say that the overwhelming demographic of this forum are weekend or a couple of times a week golfers. The number one question I am asked, aside from "how can I hit the ball farther," is for putting drills. When I see the proverbial weekend or couple of times a week golfer "practice," they are just putting putting putting, the same putt, over and over.


We have our fair share of pretty good golfers. But I agree 100% with the same putt over and over tunnel vision thing.



> My goal as an instructor is to provide guidance in the form of proper techniques and drills so the golfer can improve, just as a personal trainers job is to provide guidance in the form of proper diet and exercise techniques so his or her pupils stay in shape. Yes, these may seem obvious after reading them, but don't they all?


I was just saying that this drill was pretty general. Anyone with any imagination at all could come up with something similar.



> A tip about getting the ball started up high on putts, obviously very good. While it should be common sense that it is easier to make putts from the high side than the low side, for some reason


People just don't have confidence in their putting, most likely from a lack of practice, which might be what your first post was getting at.



> Sometimes people need to be reminded of the obvious.


And that's fine. I just don't want people posting anything TOO obvious, spamming the forum, just trying to win the Big Bertha.



> If we are all trying to help here, I'd like to kindly ask that members please refrain from talking down on other's tips or drills, unless there is an obvious flaw that may actually hurt someone's game.


There's nothing wrong with the drill itself. What I had a problem with was your presentation of it. It's like putting instructions for long division in a calculus book. There's nothing wrong with long division, or the way it's being taught. It's just out of place.



> P.S. The power of using your routine on the green is subconscious, or mental as most would call it. Using your routine on the practice green makes it easier to use on the course, which calms you down. Being calm and relaxed, you make more putts.


Nothing wrong with that.

I never meant any harm with my post. I know it's hard to tell exactly what someone's intentions are over the internet. 

Truce?


----------



## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

Yea no hard feelings man. I don't want you thinking I was spamming anything. I post a lot, yea. But I am here to help and I feel everything I post is helpful. This drill has been one of the most helpful to me


----------



## 300Yards (Jan 23, 2007)

That is more or less, the same way I warm up for putting. I also like to do the tee drill. You put two tees about 4 inches apart, 4 foot short of the hole, and then practice rolling the ball through the tees. This is good for someone who always leaves it short. That's not an original idea though..


----------



## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

Well, I've never seen it posted anywhere, so I figured I'd share it along with why it works. Hopefully more people will shave putting strokes by using this drill! Putting really isn't that hard if you practice.


----------

