If there's one area of golf where practice truly pays off, it's putting. Statistics show that putting accounts for roughly 40% of all strokes in a typical round. The good news? With consistent practice and the right drills, significant improvement is achievable for players of all skill levels.

Why Putting Practice Matters

Many golfers spend hours working on their driving distance or iron play while neglecting the component of the game that impacts their score the most. A player who averages 36 putts per round could save 3-5 strokes by developing a more consistent putting stroke and better distance control.

The following five drills address the most critical aspects of putting: alignment, distance control, stroke mechanics, reading greens, and performing under pressure. Incorporate these into your practice routine just 15-20 minutes per session, and you'll start seeing improvements on the course within weeks.

Drill #1: The Gate Drill - Perfect Your Stroke Path

What You'll Need:

• Two golf tees or alignment sticks
• A straight putt of 3-6 feet
• Your putter

How to Set Up:

Place two tees in the ground slightly wider than your putter head, creating a "gate" that your putter must travel through during your stroke. Position this gate about 6 inches in front of your ball on your target line.

How to Practice:

1. Set up to the ball with your putter directly behind it
2. Make your putting stroke, ensuring your putter passes cleanly through the gate without touching either tee
3. Start with a 3-foot putt and gradually increase distance as you gain confidence
4. Complete 10 successful putts in a row before moving to a longer distance

Why It Works:

The gate drill instantly provides feedback on your stroke path. If you're pushing or pulling putts, your putter will hit one of the tees. This drill trains your muscles to deliver the putter on the intended line, promoting a square face at impact and a consistent stroke path.

Pro Tip: Narrowing the Gap

As your skill improves, gradually move the tees closer together to challenge yourself. Pros can often stroke putts through a gate barely wider than their putter head, demonstrating exceptional stroke control. Start with a comfortable width and narrow it as you improve.

Drill #2: The Clock Drill - Master Distance Control

What You'll Need:

• 12 golf balls
• A relatively flat section of a practice green
• Your putter

How to Set Up:

Position yourself in the center of the practice green. Imagine a clock face around you, with 12 o'clock directly in front of you, 6 o'clock behind you, and other hours at their respective positions.

How to Practice:

1. Place a golf ball at your feet (center of the clock)
2. Putt your first ball to the 12 o'clock position, aiming for a distance of about 3 feet
3. With your next ball, putt to 1 o'clock at a distance of 6 feet
4. Continue around the clock, increasing the distance by 3 feet with each hour position (12 o'clock = 3 feet, 1 o'clock = 6 feet, etc.)
5. The final putt (11 o'clock) should be about 36 feet

Why It Works:

Distance control is crucial for reducing three-putts. This drill forces you to adjust your stroke length and power for varying distances, developing your feel and distance judgment. Additionally, putting in different directions helps you adapt to subtle green slopes and grain changes.

Drill #3: The String Line - Improve Your Alignment

What You'll Need:

• A piece of string or chalk line (about 10 feet long)
• Two golf tees or something to secure the string
• Several golf balls
• Your putter

How to Set Up:

Find a straight putt on the practice green. Secure one end of the string at the hole and stretch it back to your putting position. Secure the other end with a tee just behind where you'll place your ball. The string should represent the perfect line to the hole.

How to Practice:

1. Position your ball just in front of the string
2. Set up with your putter face aligned perfectly perpendicular to the string
3. Make your stroke, keeping your eyes on the string line
4. Watch how your ball rolls relative to the string line
5. Complete 20 putts, focusing on keeping the ball rolling directly on the string line

Why It Works:

Many amateur golfers struggle with alignment more than any other aspect of putting. This drill provides a clear visual reference for both putter face alignment and the intended ball path. With consistent practice, you'll develop the ability to see proper lines without needing the string.

Drill #4: The Ladder Drill - Develop Touch and Feel

What You'll Need:

• 9 golf balls
• An open area on the putting green
• Your putter

How to Set Up:

Find a flat area on the practice green with plenty of space in front of you.

How to Practice:

1. Putt your first ball a very short distance, about 1 foot away
2. Putt the second ball so it stops just beyond the first ball (about 2 feet total)
3. Continue with each ball, attempting to create a "ladder" where each ball stops just beyond the previous one
4. The ninth ball should finish about 9 feet from your starting position
5. Challenge yourself to keep the balls in a straight line as well as at progressive distances

Why It Works:

The ladder drill develops your touch and feel for very precise distance control. It trains your brain to make small, incremental adjustments to your stroke length and power. This refined distance control is especially valuable for lag putting and dealing with subtle breaks.

Drill #5: The Pressure Putt Challenge - Simulate On-Course Stress

What You'll Need:

• 3 golf balls
• A challenging putt of about 6-10 feet
• A scorecard or way to track progress
• Your putter

How to Set Up:

Select a moderately challenging putt on the practice green with some break. This should be similar to the types of putts that make you nervous on the course.

How to Practice:

1. Give yourself 3 attempts at the same putt
2. Before each attempt, take a deep breath and go through your full pre-putt routine
3. Award yourself points: 3 points for making on the first attempt, 2 for the second, 1 for the third, 0 if you miss all three
4. Set a target score (e.g., 15 points from 10 different putting locations)
5. If you fall short of your target, give yourself a small penalty (10 push-ups, another 5 minutes of practice, etc.)

Why It Works:

Adding pressure and consequences to practice putts helps simulate the on-course experience. Many golfers practice perfectly well but struggle when a putt actually matters. This drill helps bridge that gap while reinforcing the importance of a consistent pre-putt routine.

Creating an Effective Putting Practice Routine

For maximum improvement, incorporate these drills into a structured practice routine:

• Warm-up (3-5 minutes): Make several short, straight putts to get a feel for the green speed
• Technical work (10 minutes): Focus on one specific drill (rotate through the five drills on different practice days)
• Realistic practice (5-10 minutes): Putt to different holes from various distances, keeping score
• Cool-down (2-3 minutes): Finish with several very makeable putts (3-4 feet) to build confidence

Consistent practice, even for just 15-20 minutes a few times per week, will yield better results than marathon sessions once a month. Focus on quality over quantity, and pay attention to the feedback each drill provides.

Final Thoughts

Remember that putting is both a science and an art. The technical aspects matter—face angle, path, impact spot—but so does the intangible "feel" that comes from experience. These drills help develop both sides of the equation.

Most importantly, bring what you learn from these drills onto the course. Many golfers practice one way but revert to old habits during actual rounds. Before each putt on the course, briefly recall the feeling of your best practice putts and try to replicate that same confidence and stroke.

At Buddies on the Green, we believe even modest improvements in putting can dramatically lower your scores and increase your enjoyment of the game. Give these drills a chance, be patient with your progress, and watch those three-putts turn into two-putts and even one-putts!