Practice makes perfect, and when we talk about putting in golf this statement can’t be more true.
Unfortunately when it comes to putting, a shortcut to success doesn’t exist.
Amateur golfers normally don’t have the luxury of time, thus it is important to spend your time wisely when you do get a chance to practice your short game, and in particular your putting.
You might think that you are practicing your putting when you go to the practice green and putt at random holes without any purpose, but without doing focused putting drills on a regular basis it will take a long time before you notice improvement on the greens.
Resource: Golf Practice System with Step by Step Practice Plans + Video Lessons
Putting Drills to Add to Your Routine
Below are 6 putting drills that will get you to practice like a pro, and with quality of practice improvement will soon follow.
- Train tracks drill
- Rhythm – prayer grip drill
- 3 and 6 footers around the world
- 2 putt speed drill
- Draw back
- Putt to the Tee
Drill #1: Train Tracks
In order to get consistent putting results on the golf course it is very important to have a putting stroke with good fundamentals.
The first, and in my opinion most important fundamental is to have a putting stroke that goes straight back and through.
When the stroke gets longer on distance putts, the arc of the putting stroke will be slightly towards the inside, which is what is suppose to happen.
The first 3 – 4 inches on the backstroke and follow through has to be as straight as possible.
Having a putter head that moves through the hitting area with a square clubface will lead to consistency in strike and direction, thus more putts holed with good speed.
The train track drill is a great putting drill to practice this fundamental with.
Take two alignment sticks, or golf clubs, and align them in the shape of train tracks at a hole, set up the train tracks about 6 feet away from the hole.
The width of the tracks has to be slightly wider than your putters width.
It is important that your putter can move freely between the tracks, but don’t allow yourself too much space.
This drill will improve the path of your putting stroke, and the great thing about it is that it can be done anywhere at home or even in your office during your lunch break.
Drill #2: Rhythm – Prayer Grip Drill
Another key fundamental of a consistent putting stroke is good rhythm.
Having good rhythm will lead to consistency in strike and distance control, both factors that will lead to improved putting results.
In order to get good rhythm it is important to use your shoulder turn to rock the putter back and through.
Gripping the putter with 2 fingers only is a great putting drill that will force you to use your shoulders in order to stroke the putt.
Open your hands up, place your hands on either side of your grip, the hands will resemble hands that are in the prayer position, line the grip up so that your middle fingers are the only 2 fingers that are touching the putter grip.
At first it will feel nearly impossible to putt the ball, but your body will figure out that you need to use your shoulders in order to generate enough speed to make a putting stroke.
This is a great putting drill that will train a good shoulder turn in your putting stroke, and as a byproduct of a good shoulder turn you will have improved rhythm.
Resource: Golf Practice System with Step by Step Practice Plans + Video Lessons
Drill #3: 2 Putt Speed Drill
Speed is arguably the most important factor in putting.
Many amateur golfers blame missing short putts when they have a couple of 3 putts per round, but most of the time distance control on longer putts is the problem.
It is important to take a close look at your putting game as a whole in order to blame the correct area for your putting woes.
The 2 putt speed drill is a great putting drill that will help you eliminate those dreaded 3 putts.
Chose 2 holes on the putting green that are about 30 – 40 feet away from each other, take three balls and putt between the two holes, putt out every putt and continue going until you have 10 consecutive 2 putts in a row.
This drill help with more than just your speed, it will also challenge your mental game.
When you have made about 8 two putts you will start to feel some pressure in order to continue the streak to 10.
Drill #4: Putting 3 and 6 footers Around the World
Most weekend golfers are very quick to give a 3 or 4 foot putt to their buddies. Deep down they are doing it with the hopes that the favor will be returned because secretly they are petrified of those short putts themselves.
This is one way to deal with the problem, but in reality the plan has zero longevity.
When you play in your annual club tournament, then you will have to putt out those short putts. So it doesn’t really benefit you to skip them in your practice rounds.
The 3 and 6 footers around the world putting drill is a great drill that will help you get confidence on those short putts.
Take 6 tees and place them in a circle around the hole, start with 3 footers before you move on to 6 feet.
The goal is to make 6 putts in a row, use only one ball and move on to the following tee after every putt, move on even if you missed.
Continuously moving on to a new tee is important because this way you don’t get use to hitting the same putt over and over.
Once you have mastered this try and get 12 in a row (2 times around the circle), and once that doesn’t challenge you anymore move on to 6 feet.
Drill #5: Draw Back
Draw back is a great putting drill that will work on both speed and short putts.
It is an easy 2 putt when you roll your first attempt to a couple of feet from the hole, but draw it back to 4 or 5 feet and all of a sudden that little putt will get your attention.
Take one ball and go around the putting green, choose 18 different putts, all par 2’s, but draw the second putt back a grip length every time, the goal is to get a score of even par 36.
Once you have accomplished that draw it back a putter length, this will make it considerably more difficult.
If at first even par is too difficult, try and improve on your personal best score every time you do the drill.
And don’t forget to grab my list of the 10 best short game drills.
Drill #6: Putt to the Tees
This drill is simple. Stick a tee in the green to give yourself a tiny target and hit putts to it, trying to make the golf ball bump into the tee.
Start closer to the tee at first until you get good hitting the tee consistently with your putts.
Then move back farther and farther testing your skill.
I love this putting drill and include it as part of my putting practice routine.
When I go back to putting to a normal hole, the hole feels much bigger of a target having gotten used to hitting a small tee during this drill.
Golf Practice System for Lower Scores
Learn the exact golf practice routines thousands of students at Foy Golf Academy are using to lower their golf scores.
Follow these step by step practice plans and watch video lessons to learn how to improve your golf swing, chipping, and putting fundamentals.
Get access to hundreds of golf drills to practice as well as content on the mental side of golf, fitness plans, worksheets, and many more resources. This is a complete golf practice system.
Start Following These Practices —> Nick Foy Golf Practice System
Work hard,
Nick Foy, Instructor
*Some links on this page may contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting me.