Sunday, March 29, 2020

Three Effective Putting Drills to Improve Accuracy and Confidence


An alumnus of Baldwin Wallace University, Peter Starr graduated from the Berea, Ohio-based school with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He then attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security in Washington, DC. An avid golfer, Ohio’s Peter Starr was the top-ranked player on his high school team, and has since played at several prominent courses throughout the US.

While it's beneficial to be able to drive the ball a long distance from the tee box, it's equally (if not more) important to have a strong short game. Here are three drills that will help you improve your putting accuracy:

1. Clock drill - Emphasizing short putt accuracy, this drill involves three balls placed at two- to three-foot intervals at lines similar to the 12, three, six, and nine positions on a clock. Try to make 12 putts in a row, and start over from the beginning if you miss a putt.

2. The 1-2-3 drill - This drill improves consistency and rhythm with your stroke. Start by placing three balls in a line at three, six, and nine feet from the hole. The majority of your putts on the course will be within 10 feet of the hole, so work on executing these shots before starting a round.

3. Tiger's gate - Named after Tiger Woods, this drill also focuses on executing short putts. Set two tees slightly wider than the length of your putter head, about four feet from the hole. This creates a small gate through which you have to swing your putter, and should boost putting stability and confidence.