Putting Drills and Techniques for a Better Short Game

← Golf Instruction & Improvement | Short Game Mastery

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Quick Answer

• Dial in a consistent, repeatable stroke with a focus on smooth tempo.
• Practice drills that mimic on-course pressure to build confidence.
• Master green reading to nail your speed and line, turning three-putts into tap-ins.

Who This Is For

• Golfers who are tired of watching pars turn into bogeys (or worse) on the green. This is for anyone ready to shave strokes off their scorecard.
• Beginners looking to build a solid foundation in putting, avoiding bad habits from the get-go. It’s easier to learn it right the first time.

What to Check First for How to Putt

• Your Grip: Is it too tight? Too loose? Your hands should feel connected but relaxed. A death grip kills feel. I like to imagine I’m holding a fragile bird – firm enough so it doesn’t fly away, but not so tight I crush it.
• Your Stance: Are you balanced and athletic? Knees slightly bent, weight centered. Your eyes should be directly over the ball. No hunching over like you’re looking for loose change.
• Your Alignment: Are your shoulders, hips, and putter face aimed square to your target line? This is non-negotiable. If you’re not aimed correctly, you’re fighting the golf gods from the start.
• Your Setup: Is the putter shaft vertical or leaning slightly forward? Most pros have it pretty neutral. A big forward lean can change the loft and make the ball skid.
• Your Ball Position: Is it in the right spot for your stroke? Generally, it’s slightly forward of the center of your stance, but this can depend on your arc.

Step-by-Step Plan: Mastering the Putt

Let’s get down to business. Putting isn’t magic, it’s mechanics and practice. Here’s how to build a better stroke.

1. Establish a Consistent Grip.

• Action: Place your hands on the putter grip.
• What to look for: A relaxed, yet firm connection. Your hands should feel like they’re working together, not fighting each other. Avoid tension in your wrists and forearms. The pressure should be even across your palms and fingers. Many golfers find success with the reverse overlap, cross-handed, or a standard interlocking grip. The key is finding what feels natural and repeatable for you.
• Mistake to avoid: Squeezing the putter too tightly. This is probably the number one culprit for a jerky, inconsistent stroke. It kills feel and makes it impossible to get a smooth acceleration through the ball.

2. Set Up Your Stance.

• Action: Get into your putting posture.
• What to look for: An athletic stance with a slight bend in your knees. Your weight should be balanced, not leaning heavily on your toes or heels. Crucially, your eyes need to be directly over the ball. You can check this by holding the putter out in front of you and seeing if the ball is directly beneath the shaft. A good setup promotes a consistent swing arc.
• Mistake to avoid: Slouching or leaning too far forward or backward. This alters your eye position relative to the ball and can lead to inconsistent contact and misreads of the green. Also, avoid having your feet too far apart or too close together; aim for a comfortable width that allows for balance.

3. Check Your Alignment.

• Action: Aim your putter face and body at your intended target line.
• What to look for: The putter face should be square to your line before you take your stance. Then, ensure your shoulders, hips, and feet are parallel to that line. Many putters have alignment lines; use them! I often practice with a string line set up to my intended putt.
• Mistake to avoid: Aiming your putter face but not your body, or vice-versa. This forces you to make compensations during your stroke, leading to pulls or pushes. It’s like trying to drive a car with the steering wheel pointed one way and the wheels another.

4. Develop Your Stroke.

• Action: Make a smooth, pendulum-like putting stroke.
• What to look for: Your shoulders should be the primary movers. Your wrists and forearms should remain relatively still. Think about rotating your shoulders back and then through the ball. The length of your backstroke and follow-through should be roughly equal, creating a balanced tempo.
• Mistake to avoid: Using your hands and wrists to “hit” or “scoop” the ball. This is a major cause of inconsistent putts and the dreaded yips. Keep the stroke controlled and driven from the bigger muscles.

5. Find Your Tempo.

• Action: Practice your stroke with a consistent, rhythmic pace.
• What to look for: A smooth, unhurried acceleration through the ball. A good way to think about tempo is a “one-two” count: one for the backstroke, two for the follow-through. The backstroke should not be significantly longer or shorter than the follow-through. This rhythm is key for distance control.
• Mistake to avoid: Rushing the backstroke or decelerating through impact. Decelerating is particularly bad, as it kills distance control and can lead to the putter face closing or opening unintentionally.

6. Read the Greens Like a Pro.

• Action: Study the slope and break of the green before you putt.
• What to look for: Observe from multiple angles: behind your ball, behind the hole, and from the side. Look at the overall contour of the green. Where would water drain off? This gives you clues about the break. Visualize the path the ball will take.
• Mistake to avoid: Only looking at the ball or the line directly in front of it. You need to see the entire putt, from ball to hole, to accurately predict how the slope will affect the ball’s speed and direction.

7. Commit and Execute.

• Action: Once you’ve read the green and practiced your stroke, commit to your line and speed, then make the putt.
• What to look for: Confidence in your decision. Trust the practice you’ve put in. Visualize the ball rolling into the hole.
• Mistake to avoid: Second-guessing yourself over the ball. If you keep changing your mind, your stroke will become hesitant and uncertain. Make your decision, take your practice strokes, and go for it.

How to Putt Better: Drills and Practice

Getting better at putting isn’t just about technique; it’s about putting that technique to the test. Here are some drills to sharpen your skills.

• The Ladder Drill: This is fantastic for distance control. Place tees or markers at increasing distances from the hole (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20 feet). Putt to each marker, aiming to get the ball to stop just past it without going too far. This helps you feel the difference in stroke length for different distances.
• The Gate Drill: Set up two tees about the width of your putter head, a foot or so in front of the ball on your intended line. The goal is to putt the ball through the gate without hitting either tee. This forces you to focus on your path and keep the putter face square.
• The Clock Drill: Place balls around the hole at various distances (say, 3, 5, and 8 feet) like numbers on a clock face. Putt each ball, focusing on making them all. This builds confidence and works on putts from different angles.
• Putting to a Spot: Instead of aiming for the hole, pick a small spot on your intended line a foot or two in front of the ball. Focus on hitting that spot with the correct speed. This simplifies the process and helps with visualization.
• The “Make or Miss” Game: Play a game with a partner where you both have to make a certain number of putts in a row from a specific distance before moving to the next. This adds pressure and competitive spirit to your practice.

Common Mistakes

• Gripping too tightly — Reduces feel and control, leading to a jerky stroke and a loss of touch on the greens. — Relax your hands, use a lighter grip pressure. Think about holding a delicate object.
• Poor alignment — Your putts will consistently miss the target line, forcing you to chase them with compensations. — Use alignment aids like string, chalk lines, or training aids that show your clubface angle. Practice with your eyes closed to feel your alignment.
• Inconsistent tempo — Leads to inaccurate distance control, resulting in putts that are either too long or too short, and missed putts on both speed and line. — Focus on a smooth, rhythmic stroke. Count “one-and-two” for your backswing and follow-through, or feel a consistent pendulum motion.
• Lifting your head — You lose track of the putter head’s path and your aim, often resulting in a poor strike. — Keep your eyes focused on the ball or a spot just behind it until well after impact. Your head should remain relatively still.
• Jerky wrist action — Causes the putter face to open and close unpredictably during the stroke, leading to off-line putts. — Concentrate on moving the putter head with your shoulders and core, keeping your wrists firm but not tense.
• Decelerating through impact — You slow down as the putter approaches the ball, killing distance control and leading to timid putts. — Focus on a smooth, accelerating stroke through the ball, matching your follow-through to your backstroke.
• Ignoring green reading — You putt with too much or too little speed, or on the wrong line, because you didn’t account for the slope. — Spend time observing the green from all angles. Understand how the break will affect the ball’s speed and trajectory.

FAQ

• What is the ideal putter grip? There’s no single “ideal” grip for everyone, but the most common and effective are the reverse overlap, the cross-handed, and the standard putter grip. The key is that it feels comfortable, allows for relaxed hands, promotes a consistent stroke, and prevents your wrists from breaking down. Experiment to find what works best for you.
• How can I improve my putting tempo? Practice with drills that focus on rhythm and feel. A simple one is to count your backstroke and follow-through (e.g., “one-two”). Also, try to feel a smooth, consistent acceleration through the ball, rather than decelerating. Practicing putting to different distances without looking at the hole, just focusing on the feel of the stroke length, can also help.
• What are the best drills for distance control? The ladder drill, where you putt to markers at increasing distances (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 20 feet) and aim to stop the ball just past each marker, is excellent. Another is the “putting to a spot” drill, where you focus on hitting a specific point on your line with the correct speed. Practicing without looking at the hole, just focusing on the length of the stroke, is also very effective.
• How do I read greens better? Look for the overall slope of the green from the fairway as you approach. Once on the green, observe from behind the ball, behind the hole, and from the sides. Pay attention to subtle breaks, drainage patterns, and how the green undulates. Imagine water flowing on the green to understand the major slopes.
• Should my eyes be over the ball when putting? Generally, yes. Having your eyes directly over the ball helps ensure your putter is traveling on the correct arc and promotes proper alignment. If your eyes are too far inside the ball, you might pull putts because your arc is too flat. If they’re too far outside, you might push them. It’s about finding a balanced setup that allows for a consistent stroke.
• How far back should my backstroke be? The length of your backstroke depends on the distance of the putt and your tempo. For shorter putts, the backstroke will be shorter, and for longer putts, it will be longer. The key is consistency: the backstroke and follow-through should be roughly equal in length for a given putt, and your tempo should remain smooth. It’s less about the exact inches and more about the repeatable rhythm.
• What’s the best way to practice putting? Quality over quantity. Don’t just bang balls aimlessly. Focus on specific drills that target your weaknesses, whether it’s distance control, alignment, or reading greens. Practice with intent, simulate on-course pressure, and always have a goal for your practice session. Even 15-20 minutes of focused putting practice can make a big difference.