Best Golf Putting Games
Did you know that on Amazon there is a shopping category called Putting Games? When I initially set out to write this article with fun golf putting games, I had in mind putting games you could play at home as well as at the golf course during practice.
But doing a little research to see what other putting games are out there, I found a new golf game called Putter Ball, which is golf’s version of beer pong. And I also found the Amazon category Putting Games.
So in addition to those two starters as actual training aid style putting games, let’s now jump into some putting games you can do with just your golf ball and putter. No need for a training aid or purchase of an actual game for these.
Golf Resource: Foy Golf Academy Practice System + Practice Plans
Why Putting Games Work?
Golf putting games are a fun way to make practicing putting more interesting. I’m sure you’re here today because your putting could use some help, but you also are looking for a fun way to go about it.
We have tedious, high volume practice routines you could follow to quickly improve your putting. But let’s also try the more fun approach by competing in putting games with friends or trying to best your personal records.
You’ll find yourself more motivated to practicing your putting when you gamify it, adding scoring and win/loss components.
3 Best Golf Putting Games to Challenge Yourself
#1: Random Birdies
Start out by placing 9 golf balls randomly around the practice green at your local golf course. Choose a hole on the green that you’ll putt to. You’ll be putting to this same exact hole for all 9 balls.
We chose 9 golf balls for this game to simulate the front 9 of a golf course. Each ball represents one hole so you’ll essentially play “9 holes” and since these are birdie putts, it pretends that you have reached every green in regulation.
The best score you can get is 9 under par (-9) if you were to make all 9 of these random birdie putts for this game.
Test your skills and see what you can score. Then repeat this putting game by dropping 9 balls randomly again and see how you fare. You can adjust the game and make it 18 holes by dropping 18 balls or completing 2 sets of 9.
Resource: Best Practice Programs to Follow Step by Step
#2: Drawing Fun Shape Outlines with Golf Balls
Another way to make putting practice more fun is to get creative. Sure, we could mark out a 3 foot putt and a 6 foot putt and spend hours hitting putt after putt until are hands bleed.
But I’ve found a new, more fun approach that also gets you experience hitting a wide range of putts. It involves creating shapes and drawings on the putting green by using golf balls.
For example, to create an outline of a square (with the hole in the middle) we would use 4 balls to mark four corners of the square.
You can get creative with this putting game by drawing shapes, letters of the alphabet, numbers and anything else that comes to mind.
You probably already have done a variation of this drill by creating circles around the hole and squares around the hole, but mix it up with new drawings.
#3: The 5-4-3-2-1 Golf Drill
This putting drill challenges you from multiple distances while building feel and muscle memory from repetition.
Start by placing 5 golf balls about 60 feet away form a hole. Use your putter to measure 3 foot lengths at a time or take a tape measure.
Next, set 4 balls down at 50 feet, then 3 balls at 40 feet, 2 balls at 30 feet, and 1 ball at 20 feet.
This putting game will challenge your lag putting (speed control) and how well you can nestle the ball close to the hole for an easy tap-in putt to finish the hole.
When you mark each distance on the green and set the golf balls down, do so in an arcing shape so that the balls are not in a straight line of each other. This will give you the space to hit all the putts with a clear line to the hole.
Start with the 5 balls at 60 feet and try to get all 5 within 2 feet of the hole. Have a 2 foot circle around the hole with ball markers so you can set a target to get the putts inside of.
We can turn this drill into a putting game by adding pressure. You have to get all 5 putts within 2 feet to move on to the next distance at 50 feet with 4 golf balls.
Try to complete this putting game by getting all 15 balls within 2 feet of the cup, in a row. Start over if a putt ends up outside the two foot circle.
Side note: You may need to pause the game to clear the balls inside the circle occasionally to free up space and avoid collisions that could skew the results. For example a putt you hit with too much speed may have gone into the circle and back out the other side, but collided with a ball instead making it appear safe.
Overall, give these 3 simple golf putting games a try and you’ll have more fun at practice. Random birdies simulates scoring and birdie putt situations. Drawing shapes helps you practice from a variety of locations around a hole. And lastly, the 5-4-3-2-1 game helps you work on distance control with less focus on making the putt like in the first two putting games.