Putting Drills / Games?

[jimbob.someroo]

I've made a promise to myself that I'm going to hole at least 100 putts a week over the winter - not including in actual rounds. As Robobum can testify, it's possible that I'd probably only have to play about 20 holes to achieve that based on yesterday's performance on t'greens.

So tonight I went down to the club and got cracking on some practicing. I've changed my grip (split my hands) and gone for a slightly shorter stroke with a quicker tempo to try and combat some of the deceleration which creeped in yesterday. I ended up putting pretty well and will hopefully now stick with this stroke and just bed it in over the coming months in an attempt to hopefully shave 3 or 4 putts off a round.

I did 2 'games' towards the end to put some pressure on myself. First one was to line up a 15 footer and after a couple of practice goes to get the line, hit 30 putts with the aim of holing 2/3rds. I just about managed it and holed the 30th putt for 20/30.

Second one was something I've read many times about lining up 6 footers and seeing how many you could make in a row. In the end, I managed a best of 33, although had started to get a bit knackered after an hour or so of being out there.

Going to keep doing those drills to see if I can improve over winter but what other drills/games can you guys recommend to keep it interesting whilst actually providing some benefit?

 

[JustOne]

There's nothing interesting about putting practice.... get some headphones

Your putting practice so far already sounds like you make more putts than most pros

 

[jimbob.someroo]

Your putting practice so far already sounds like you make more putts than most pros

Somewhat easier on a pretty much straight put which you can have 40+ goes at though! The 6 footer was dead straight and a touch downhill which meant, all (although it's a big 'all') that was required was keeping the blade straight at impact and the pace would take care of itself.

My problem is that I don't have anything like a repetitive stroke, literally everytime I putt at the moment I have no idea of the path, how far back/thru I'm swinging, using my arms or shoulders (or both), where my weight's supposed to be, where my head's supposed to be etc. Hopefully monotonous repetition (of a stroke I'm happy with) may start to help a tad.

 

[Robobum]

FWIW mate, I think you are a bit short and quick with your stroke and that's why you get the occaisonal right hand coming in with a BANG!!!!!! When your brain kicks in and says "this backstroke isn't long enough for this length of putt.......give it some welly son!!!"

Have you tried that ping putting app? That's good to check tempo and repetition.

 

[jimbob.someroo]

FWIW mate, I think you are a bit short and quick with your stroke and that's why you get the occaisonal right hand coming in with a BANG!!!!!! When your brain kicks in and says "this backstroke isn't long enough for this length of putt.......give it some welly son!!!"

Have you tried that ping putting app? That's good to check tempo and repetition.

Cheers fella, I find it properly hard to see what I'm doing wrong with my swing, but even more so with putting - I'm just thinking about getting the bloody thing in the hole. What you've described is exactly the issue, so hopefully this practice can give me more confidence of actually being able to control distances, rather than trying to shove it through with my hands last minute.

Haven't tried the ping app but a few have said it's good so think I may have to give it a go :thup:

 

[pokerjoke]

FWIW mate, I think you are a bit short and quick with your stroke and that's why you get the occaisonal right hand coming in with a BANG!!!!!! When your brain kicks in and says "this backstroke isn't long enough for this length of putt.......give it some welly son!!!"

Have you tried that ping putting app? That's good to check tempo and repetition.

This is a very good point,short and quick is definitely no the way to go.
Also some players take too long a stroke a for the putt length required,
so they decelerate at impact causing it to come up short.
Consistent length and a smooth stroke imo is best.
I have no drills though,practicing putting is rather tedious so well done,and im
sure it will help.

 

[Robobum]

Cheers fella, I find it properly hard to see what I'm doing wrong with my swing, but even more so with putting - I'm just thinking about getting the bloody thing in the hole. What you've described is exactly the issue, so hopefully this practice can give me more confidence of actually being able to control distances, rather than trying to shove it through with my hands last minute.

Haven't tried the ping app but a few have said it's good so think I may have to give it a go :thup:

If you've got an iPhone 4 ?? I've got a cradle you can have, pm me your address if you want it.

 

[Rooter]

imagine a clock face around a hole, start at 2ft out with a ball at 12,3,6 and 9. putt them all in. Start again same clock positions, but 3ft, putt them all go to 4ft.. etc etc etc... see how far out you can get. when you miss one, you start again.

 

[jimbob.someroo]

imagine a clock face around a hole, start at 2ft out with a ball at 12,3,6 and 9. putt them all in. Start again same clock positions, but 3ft, putt them all go to 4ft.. etc etc etc... see how far out you can get. when you miss one, you start again.

Like it :thup:

 

[woody69]

A good drill for tempo is to line 3 balls up in a line and hit each one with your eyes closed not looking at where they end up. Try and hit all 3 to the same distance. In theory, they should all end up in a line

Another good drill is to place 3 clubs (irons) on the floor around a hole forming an open box. Like a C shape if you like with the hole in the middle of the opening (i.e. in the middle of the line where a 4th club would lay to form a box). Now stand 6 - 10 ft back and putt 5 balls towards the hole. For every ball that ends up hitting one of the clubs, i.e. you hit it too hard you lose a point, likewise for everyone that ends up short of the hole and doesn't get in the box, you also lose a point. If you putt and it ends up between the hole and inside the clubs (i.e. in the box) you score 0. If you hole one it's +1. The idea of the game is to keep your score at 0 after 5 balls, so you're not actually trying to hole every putt, but get used to judging the distance and roll to end up in the box. If however you come up short or go long, you have the opportunity to hole one to get the score back to 0. You can try it over various distances and angles as well and keeps things interesting.

 

[Rooter]

Like it :thup:

My mate DH gave it too me.. works for him..

Oh and it works even better on a hole that gives you variety, so one left to right, one right to left, one uphill and one downhill putt... find a slanty putting green!

 

[JustOne]

...so you're not actually trying to hole every putt

... this is where you lost me

 

[CMAC]

This is a very good point,short and quick is definitely no the way to go.
Also some players take too long a stroke a for the putt length required,
so they decelerate at impact causing it to come up short.
Consistent length and a smooth stroke imo is best.
I have no drills though,practicing putting is rather tedious so well done,and im
sure it will help.

Snedeker

 

[woody69]

... this is where you lost me

You're practicing tempo/roll/speed to try and get the ball to finish within the marked out "box" and not hitting the clubs, but getting past the hole. If you make a mistake you can get it back by sinking a putt (which is obviously harder). It's just a drill that is a little more interesting than trying to sink every putt one after another

 

[pokerjoke]

Snedeker

That's one out of hundreds of pros.
Smooth will always be better than fast imo.

 

[CMAC]

That's one out of hundreds of pros.
Smooth will always be better than fast imo.

well done- top marks:rofl:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Plenty of good drills here http://www.mygripzone.com/

 

[NWJocko]

Plenty of good drills here http://www.mygripzone.com/

You on commission from some of these sites Homer!? You seem to be plugging something almost every post!

Good thread as I'm going to be practising putting a lot this winter. :thup:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

You on commission from some of these sites Homer!? You seem to be plugging something almost every post!

Good thread as I'm going to be practising putting a lot this winter. :thup:

Nope. Only recommending what I find makes interesting and productive practice or something that works for me. No different to anyone else on here