Is there a more gut-wrenching moment in golf than landing on the green with an eagle or birdie chance, only to see it evaporate thanks to a two or three-putt disaster?
Putting is widely considered the most difficult part of golf to master, with good reason.
Everything from the distance to the hole, the incline or decline of the green, to even the humidity can all affect whether we land the ball in the hole or not - and that’s before we get to how good your putting stroke is.
Golfers spend 41.3% of their time on the course using a putter, according to Game Golf. So it pays to practice putting as much as possible.
There are plenty of ways to fit in some good putting practice, beyond just knocking balls around on a putting green all day.
Some of them can get quite inventive. Some of them are even used regularly by the most iconic name in golf.
So if you’re sick of having great games spoiled by poor putting, here are 5 of the best putting drills you should try to shoot lower scores and land the most frustrating putts.
The Tiger Woods gate putting drill
This great putting drill was made famous by Tiger Woods and is still used by amateurs, pros and golf teachers today.
Simple yet effective, the Tiger Woods gate putting drill consists of lining up a putt and placing tees at the toe and heel of the putter head, to create a ‘gate.’
The idea is for you to practice taking a putting stroke, without catching the two tees on the way through.
Not only does this help you keep your club head on the correct line as they hit putts, but Tiger claims it forces players to keep the putter face square and hit the ball at the centre of the club face.
This is great for improving long putts and short putts, while staying on the same line consistently.
If you’re worried your putting motion isn’t up to scratch and your swing isn’t as straight as it should be, this putting drill will help you out.
The coin putting drill
A lot of golfers struggle with an inconsistent putting backswing.
One impressive coin trick you can use to improve your putting is to place a small coin on top of your putter before you take your stroke while on the practice green. The aim is to throw the coin from the club during your backswing.
This encourages you to generate more power in the transition between the backswing and contact with the ball.
Some players try to place too much force into their contact while taking too much time to move the club away from the ball in the backswing.
This could create an uneven putt and throw the putter off your intended trajectory. A good put should look like the pendulum on a clock, with even motion both forward and backwards.
Plus, depending where the coin lands, you’ll get a good indication of how straight your line is.
The coin will likely be thrown off course a little. But if it ends up several inches away from your desired putting line, it could be a sign you need to straighten your putting.
The club-behind-the-hole putting drill
Many golfers struggle to gauge precisely how much power they need to use for a putt to land the ball in the hole, or at least leave it close.
You could hit the ball relatively straight. But even if you miss the hole by a centimetre, you’ll struggle to make the follow-up putt if your ball stops twenty feet away from the hole.
A great drill is to place a club on the ground a couple of yards behind the hole, horizontal to the line of the ball (as if creating a barrier).
Instead of just aiming to drop the ball in the hole, try to control the distance of your shot by barely touching your club with the ball should you miss. Or, even better, landing the ball short of the club and as close to the hole as possible.
With time, this will train your mind to only use as much power as necessary and will help prevent over-hitting shots on the green.
Putting with a wedge
Another one of Tiger’s favourites, putting with a wedge might sound strange but it’s a drill used by golfers everywhere.
The drill forces you to strike the ball at the very centre, using the bottom edge of the wedge club face, to create pinpoint accuracy in your putts.
It’s an excellent drill because there’s no room for error. If you miss hit the ball or don’t catch it in the centre with the wedge, it’ll likely bounce or roll off-line.
Do this drill regularly if you struggle with consistent contact in your putts.
Putting one-handed
A lot of golfers tend to overthink their putts. If you’re one of them, this drill will simplify everything.
Putting one-handed may sound like showing off, but it’s actually incredibly useful if you’re trying to get a ‘feel’ for a putt.
By placing all your focus into one hand, you lose some of the control you’d have if you were putting normally. This forces you to strip away any other techniques you may be thinking about and focus only on the simple movement of your swing.
Try these putting drills at home or at Clarkes Golf
With plenty of practice, these putting drills will hopefully help you putt consistently and lower your scores.
If you’d like somewhere to truly get to grips with these putting drills, why not pay us a visit at Clarkes Golf in Rainford? Our dedicated putting green offers you plenty of space to go through your drills and perfect your putts.
Plus, if you’re on the lookout for a new putter, we’ve got a huge range of world-class putters from some of the biggest golf brands you know and love.
Take a look at our golf putters here, or head down to Clarkes Golf and see our collection in person. We’d be happy to help find the perfect putter for you.