Putting drills are something you can practice just about anywhere. You don't need a lot of room, and basically just a smooth surface with a true roll. We've already covered some other putting drills in past articles, however below are several that will definitely improve your confidence on the green. Once you start becoming a better putter, it really becomes addictive and instead of being unsure about a putt, you'll soon start enjoying the challenge of putting and approach each shot with anticipation instead of uncertainty.
The Wall Drill We've highlighted this one before, but it is really an eye-opener! Stand facing a wall with your feet parallel to the wall. Place the putter so the toe of the club is only about an inch from the wall. Set up a ball and take your normal swing. Does your club move away from the wall on your backswing? Does it brush up against the wall? The correct conventional swing has the club staying the same distance from the wall throughout the entire swing.
Circle Drill This one can be done on an actual green, or on your carpet. Select a target on the floor/green. Now place 8 golf balls around the target. The first one should only be about a foot away from the target. Continue laying down balls, each one about 1/2 to 1 foot further back from the previous. The balls should be placed along a "circular" path around the target. Practice starting with the closest ball and do not take too much time before each putt. Now reverse and start with the one farthest away.
Target Practice This putting drill is similar to darts, only the target is on the floor. Cut out three circles from paper. The smallest one should be about the size of an actual golf hole, the second about 2 to 3 times larger, and the third about 2 to 3 times larger than the second (newspaper can work for the third circle if it gets that large). Place on the floor to create a target, and assign points for each circle. The center circle is 10 points, the middle circle is 5, the outer most ring is 2. Take 10 putts and see if what kind of score you get. 70 - 90 is excellent!
Vertical Target Practice Basically the same as the floor target practice, only this time you are putting at a wall. Cut out three rectangular pieces from cardboard. They should be no higher than the molding on your wall. The first should be about as wide as an actual golf hole, the second 2 to 3 times larger, and the third 2 to 3 times larger than the second. Now place the largest strip against the wall first, thend the second, then the first. It might help to color them to differentiate when putting. Now, take 10 putts from the same spot aiming for the center of the "target". If you hit the center, you get 10 points, 5 points for the middle ring, and 2 points for the outer ring.
Putting drills are something you can practice just about anywhere. You don't need a lot of room, and basically just a smooth surface with a true roll. We've already covered some other putting drills in past articles, however below are several that will definitely improve your confidence on the green. Once you start becoming a better putter, it really becomes addictive and instead of being unsure about a putt, you'll soon start enjoying the challenge of putting and approach each shot with anticipation instead of uncertainty.
