Let's here about some of your favorite putting drills.
Two of my favorites are:
1. Take 4 balls and place them equi-distant from the hole in a perimeter fashion. This help get the feeling of the ball breaking in all possible directions.
2. Place 4 balls in a direct line away from the hole - about 7ft apart extending straight away from the hole. Start by putting the closest ball, then move outward and put the next ball, etc. It is really good for distance control practice.
I like using one that we did when I attended a Pelz clinic. I think it was called 'saftey drawback" or something similar. I do this with one ball on a putting green with multiple holes. First you atempt to sink the putt. If you fall short of the hole, then you move the ball back one club length and then putt again. But there is a "safety zone" behind the hole in the form of a semi-circle with a one club length diameter. If the ball stops in that zone then you putt out, otherwise you drawback a club length. This coincides with Pelz's theory that you should strike a putt so that if you miss it will go 17 inches past the hole. There are some who favor just hitting it hard enough to reach the back of the cup--especially for downhill putts.
I have a 50 inch putter so my safety zone is large but my "drawbacks" are penal!
Right hand only varying speed/distance.
Left hand only for direction.
Putting with your eyes closed from varying distances.
Putting from a half foam roller for balance is also a great way to establish a balanced address.
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Golf can never be considered an enigma. ~HK
Making lots and lots of short must make putts on the practice green. This is something I never used to do and I had short putting issues. By making tons of short putts you get used to the ball going in and develop a just get on with it attitude with a high level of expectation instead of conscious manual thinking which can set you up for a nervy time and the yips.
We have a really tiny hole cut on our practice green. The drill is to make 2 putts in a row from 1ft, 2ft, 3ft, 4ft, and 5ft. If you fail to make 2 in a row at each distance you have to go back to the beginning.
Setting the putting arc up from six feet and standing there for an hour making everything I look at is one of my favorite. When the sun is just right I can see the shadow of my shaft trace a straight line back and through, I can see the arc of approach Mr. Kelley saw so long ago, and I can get the feeling of the "no roll" angled hinge action which is brought on by the rotation of my shoulders in an angle plane.
There is just something about great practice. Thanks for starting this thread.
Worst putt- play 9-holes with two balls and start from outside 20-50 feet. Play your worst putt until you hole out. For more of a challenge, add a third ball or even a fourth.
This is a great distance control drill and will really work on your short putts.
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Golf can never be considered an enigma. ~HK
I stick a tee in the putting green and use that for a target. usually from 6 to nine feet. If the practice area is crowded, this is a very good way get out of traffic.
I always roll 20-30 right hand only putts to warm up and establish the proper working of the right hand.
I also like to lay a club on the ground 30 or so feet away (you can do this at any length) and perpendicular to the roll path. You need a pile of balls for this. Putt the first ball as close as you can to the club on the ground without touching it. Putt the next ball as close to the first as you can without touching it or going past it. Continue in that manner and see how many balls you can fit in that 30 ft space (i don't count the first 3 feet in front of me). If you roll a putt past your previous putt, start over. Keep score and try to beat your personal best each time you do the drill. When you have more balls in your grid than you have feet in your grid, you're touch will be pretty solid.
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"90% of all putts that don't make it to the hole don't go in".
Hybrid Mode
