PUTTING DRILLS
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #1
Commentary: This simple
drill eliminates all thoughts
Name of Game or Drill: Eye on the Prize of how to stroke the ball,
Submitted by: Dennis Murray and inserts a positive image
Profession: Golf Teacher at The Ridge at Castle Pines in its place
City: Castle Rock, CO
Goal: Become focused on an exact target, and let your hand-
eye coordination take over your putting stroke.
Activity: Put a tee just behind the cup. This is your target for the
putt – not the entire hole.
Putt from 3 feet while looking at the tee. Try to make 10 in a row.
If you miss, start over.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #2
Name of Game or Drill: Putting Edge Commentary: This
Submitted by: Nancy Quarcelino develops a great feel for
Profession: Top 100 Teacher from Nancy Quarcelino School of one time putts, just like on
Golf the golf course
City: Franklin, TN
Goal: Develop great touch on longer lag type putts.
Activity: Stand at any point on a green. Putt one ball to the edge
of the green without going over. Change your putt length each
time by going to a different edge of the green.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #3
Name of Game or Drill: Bank Shot Commentary: This drill
Submitted by: Dennis Murray does two things well. It
Profession: Golf Teacher at The Ridge at Castle Pines teaches you to make a firm
City: Castle Rock, CO stroke that seldom comes
up short and it makes your
Goal: Learn to hit shorter putts firmly eyes focus on a smaller
target. This smaller target
Activity: Insert a tee in the back of the hole, just above the plastic cup, will lead you to greater
and below the surface of the green. Slant it toward the center of the cup. accuracy
Hit putts from 3-6 feet. There are two goals:
1. Learn to focus on an exact target instead of the entire hole. The
tee is the target.
2. Learn to hit putts firmly. Stroke putts firmly enough for the ball to
hit the tee and bank into the cup.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #4
Name of Game or Drill: Be Decisive Commentary: If you wait until you
Submitted by: Lynn Marriott are standing over the ball to decide
Profession: Coaching for the Future Inc on the target and shot you want to
City: Phoenix, AZ hit, you give your body a chance to
get tense. You also have a better
Goal: Shape and commit to the shot before set up chance of getting distracted and
making last second changes.
Activity: The next time you tune into a Tour event, watch the pros’ pre-
shot routines. Note the pace of each routine, how it starts slowly and
methodically, and ends quickly. That’s the opposite of most amateur’s
routines. They waste very little time getting to the ball, but take forever to
hit it. Why? Because they don’t prepare until they’re standing over the
ball. By that point, the Tour player has a clear idea of the target line and
the shot he or she wants to hit.
If you don’t have a pre-shot routine, develop one now. Then, practice
planning the shot before you step up to the ball. For example, I have
students practice their routines in what we call the “Think Box.” In this
box you should be gathering information about the shot: What is my
target? What kind of shot do I want? Which club should I use? Once
you’ve stepped over the “Decision Line”, commit to the shot and your
aim. That way, once you reach the “Play” portion of the box, you’re
ready to go. There’s no turning back now; all the information has been
processed, and you’re ready to swing.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #5
Name of Game or Drill: Intention and Attention Commentary: It is easy to lose
Submitted by: Pia Nilsson focus when you are playing or
Profession: Coaching for the Future Inc practicing. This mantra is great to
City: Phoenix, AZ use for golf and life
Goal: Match up your attention with your intention
Activity: To do anything well in life, it’s important to match up your
attention with your intention. Pinpoint what it is you want to accomplish
with each move and focus only on that. It’s easy to lose sight of what
your goal is on the golf course and instead get distracted by the wrong
things, especially if you’re not playing very well. But if you keep the
mantra “attention on intention” in your mind, you’ll see better results. For
example, if your intention is to get the ball in the hole, focus all your
attention on the hole, not the slope behind it. If your intention is to carry
the ball over water to land on the fairway, focus your attention on that
part of the fairway, not the water. And if your intention is simply to have
fun while playing, concentrate on the scenery, the company and the
comedy, not the bad shots or the slow group in front of you.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #6
Name of Game or Drill: Worst Ball Commentary: It is easy to lose
Submitted by: EyeLine Staff interest when practicing. This is a
Profession: Putting Fanatics great game because it takes a
City: Denver, CO short period of time, it has an end,
it has a score, and it demands
Goal: Concentration and competition concentration
Activity: Putt or chip 18 holes using 2 balls. Your score is your worst
ball’s score. For instance, if you sink your first putt with the first ball, and
you 3 putt your second ball, your score is 3.
Completion: Play 18 holes. If you can shoot Even Par (2 per hole),
you WIN!
Variation: Play a competitive game with a friend. This will keep you
interested on every putt!
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #7
Name of Game or Drill: Best Ball Commentary: When you have
Submitted by: EyeLine Staff always have the chance to hit a
Profession: Putting Fanatics “mulligan”, then there is very little
City: Denver, CO pressure on the first shot. This
game/drill gives the player a
Goal: Demonstrate the results of being relaxed when playing. demonstration of the results of
being relaxed in competition. The
Activity: Putt or chip 18 holes using 2 balls. Your score is your best goal is to be relaxed when you only
have a single attempt; this is the
ball’s score. For instance, if you sink your first putt with the first ball, and
first step.
you 3 putt your second ball, your score is 1.
Completion: Play 18 holes, 2 strokes per hole is a par. If you can
shoot 4 under Par, you WIN!
Variation: Play a “scramble” by yourself.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #8
Name of Game or Drill: 3 Speed Commentary: This drill teaches
Submitted by: Butch Liebler the importance of proper speed
Profession: Putting Instructor when reading a putt. It also shows
City: Virginia Beach, VA the player how to “take the break
out of the putt”. This is a great
Goal: Teach the player to read the proper break with the proper speed opportunity to use the Green
Reading Level, and learn the Fall
Activity: Set up to a significantly breaking putt of 4-10 feet. Hit a putt Line and the severity of the slope.
that dies in the hole. Sink a putt that, if missed, would go by the cup 1
foot, and hit a putt that would go by the hole 2 feet.
Completion: When you sink 3 in a row, all different speeds, then
change to a new putt. Play 18 “holes”. If you make all three, give
yourself a “birdie”. If you make 2 putts, give yourself a “par”. If you
make just one, it is a “bogie”.
Variation: To use this game as a drill, make 3 in a row from the same
spot at the same speed. Change the speed, and make 3 in a row. Etc.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #9
Name of Game or Drill: 21 Commentary: This is a great
Submitted by: Unknown game because it forces the player
to concentrate on getting the
Goal: Teach speed control and concentration proper speed to stop the ball close
to the cup; but it also gives
Activity: This is a game for 2 or more players. Each player will hit 2 incentive to make the putt. This is
putts to the designated hole. If a player sinks the putt, he gets 3 points. exactly what he is trying to do on
If his ball is closest to the hole, he gets 1 point. If his ball is furthest from the course
the cup, he loses a point.
Completion: When a player reaches 21 points, he is the winner.
Variation: With several players, you can play with a single ball and/or
reduce the total points needed to 13.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #10
Name of Game or Drill: Putting concentration Commentary: The aim of this drill
Submitted by: Dr. Farnsworth is to teach your mind to get out of
Profession: Putting Instructor the way of executing the shot.
City: Palm Desert, CA When you focus your attention on
a sound, it cannot focus on “the
Goal: Teach in importance of concentration focus on execution position of your hands” or “whether
your head is moving” or any one of
Activity: Use the EyeLine Golf Metronome while putting or chipping. a thousand other hindering
Concentrate on the sound of the beep. This activity will show you if you thoughts you might have
are thinking too much of your technique while trying to execute the shot.
Completion: While concentrating of the “beep”, hit 18 putts to various
targets. Pay attention to how your body executes when your mind is
focused, but not analyzing your movements.
Variation: Change the speed of the Metronome to very fast or very
slow. This will force you to pay closer attention to the beep, and less to
your swing.
Use other distractions: Sing a song, chew your gum, make “tic, tic, tic”
noises with your tongue …
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #11
Name of Game or Drill: High Side Only Commentary: Most players miss
Submitted by: David Emerick putts on the low side – the
Profession: Golf Learning Center Instructor “amateur” side of the hole. This
City: San Diego, CA drill is designed to make the player
aware of this problem. I want to hit
Goal: Develop awareness of proper speed and break in a putt. putts that “keep my interest.”
When I look up and see a putt that
Activity: Find a 15’ putt with significant break. Put a tee in the ground is on the low side of the hole, it has
no chance of going in, and it
18” behind the hole. This is your maximum distance marker.
doesn’t hold my interest. Putts on
the high side at least make me
Hit putts that roll the proper distance – past the hole, and short of the watch!
tee. The goal is to either make the putt, or miss on the high side. If a
putt misses on the low side or rolls past the tee, then you have to begin
the drill again.
Completion: You are finished with this drill when you stroke 18 putts
the correct distance and on line.
Variation: Make this drill a competitive game with another player.
Lengthen the putt.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #12
Name of Game or Drill: Blind Speed Commentary: This drill forces
Submitted by: Dr. Charles Blanchard your mind’s eye to “see” and feel
Profession: Sports Psychologist the putt. It eliminates all conscious
City: Las Cruces, N. M. effort to make a putt, and lets your
“touch muscles” do their best
Goal: Connect your mind’s eye to your putting touch. without distraction.
Activity: Putt with your eyes open to a specific distance, then putt with
your eyes closed to the same distance.
Put a tee in the green and another tee 18” behind it. The first is your
target, and the second tee is your limit. Begin from 3 feet. Putt 3 balls
nd
that roll past the first tee, and stop short of the 2 tee. Then close your
eyes and putt 3 more balls. You are successful if you make 2 of the 3
blind putts.
Completion: Begin at 3 feet. Succeed with 2 of 3 blind balls. Move to
6 feet, then 10, and finally 15 feet.
Variation: Create a competition with a friend. The winner of the hole is
st
the person stopping the blind putt closest to the 1 tee.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #13
Name of Game or Drill: Speed Bumps Commentary: When I coached
Submitted by: Wally Goodwin Tiger Woods at Stanford, he
Profession: College Golf Coach, Hall of Fame wanted to perfect his ability to die
City: Wyoming the longer putts at the hole. This
was a drill we used to help
Activity: Begin by putting a tee in the green, and another tee 1 foot accomplish this goal.
behind it. Pace off 10 feet, and drop 5 balls on the green. Stroke the 5
st nd
balls past the 1 tee, and short of the 2 tee. Gradually move further
away. Use the ratio of 10 to 1 for the distance. Example: a 20 foot putt
has a 2 foot circle, a 40 foot putt has a 4 foot circle, etc.
Completion: A success is 4 of 5 balls in the circle. After succeeding at
a distance, move further away. This is a great competitive game with a
friend.
Variation: When you get better, reduce the ratio. 20 foot putt has an
18” circle, etc.
EyeLine Golf Putting Games and Drills Notebook #14
Name of Game or Drill: Proper stroke length drill
Submitted by: Dr. Craig Farnsworth
Profession: Putting instructor
City: Palm Desert, CA.
Goal: Develop the proper back and through stroke length
Activity:
1. Using the EyeLine Putting Alignment System, place a tee in one of the holes behind the ball,
and 2 tees in the holes the same distance in front of the ball. Commentary:
2. Hit a few putts with this restricted stroke, and note how far the ball rolls, and place a tee in the
ground to mark the distance. This is your target Most players have
back too far and de
3. Place another tee in the green 18” behind the first tee. This is your distance limit.
through the ball an
4. Hit 18 putts attempting to roll the balls the proper distance with this equal distance back and exaggeration leads
through stroke
Deceleration create
Completion: You win if you roll 12 of the 18 balls past the first tee, and short of the second.
The beginning of th
Variation: Take out the back tee or the front tees to work on just one portion of your stroke. transition. This forc
at the start of the fo
If you do not have a Putting Alignment System, create a system of tees to mark the ball position and the shoulders to open t
back and through stroke restrictions.
An equal back and
Change the position of the tees, the length of the stroke and the distance to roll the ball. The result is good s
Putting Tips
Here are some tips for getting the most out of the time you spend
on the practice putting green. Here's How:
1. Use the practice green to guage speed and work on distance
control. Distance control (sometimes called speed control)
should be the focus when practicing putting.
2. Hit your putts at a ball marker, not at a hole, to start with.
Don't immediately try to make putts - simply roll the ball
toward a ball marker you've put down about six feet away.
Think about the stroke and centering the ball on the putter
face.
3. Set down distance markers and alternate putting to different
distances. Set ball markers, clubs or some other markers at
10-foot intervals, out to 30 feet. Alternate hitting balls to the
different distances.
4. Hit from one side of the green to the other to practice long
putts. Making a 70-footer is something we're very unlikely to
do, it doesn't make sense to aim at the cup. You'll only be
disappointed when the ball doesn't go in.
5. Practice making putts, not missing them. Putt from no more
than six feet out, and preferably around four feet out. Even
the pros make only about half their 6-footers. If you're
practicing 15-footers, you're only hurting your confidence.
6. Putt on a flat part of the practice green. On a practice green,
you want to practing making putts. That means putting from a
short distance - and on a flat part of the green. Short, flat
putts are the ones you have to make to get better.
7. Always end your practice session by making short putts. Don't
walk off the green on a miss. Force yourselve to make five or
six putts in a row to end the session - even if you have to putt
from 6 inches to do it.
Tips:
1. Visualize to stay positive. Confidence plays a huge role in
putting. As you stand over putts on the practice green,
visualize a trough leading from your putter to the cup and
imagine hearing the sound of the ball dropping into the cup.
2. Put down a chalk line to practice keeping your putter on-line.
You can find a chalk line in a hardware store - it's that string
carpenters snap to a surface to leave a chalk imprint.
3. Practice keeping your putter on line and hitting the sweet spot
in your living room. Use an alignment tool (a ruler, for
instance) and putting aids you can buy to affix to your putter's
head that will help with centering the stroke.