Tiger’s Technique (Gate Putting Drill)
Made famous by Tiger Woods, this drill is guaranteed to help you develop confidence in your short putts. When you hit the ball with the sweet spot of your putter, you’re more likely to have a good roll and consistent speed. To practice centering your strikes, use Tiger’s gating technique. He creates a “gate” with two tees pushed into the ground just far enough apart to allow the putter's head to fit through. Your gate should be a yard from the hole.
Alternate hitting 12 putts with your right hand only (switch to the left if you are left-hand dominant), then 6 putts with both hands. Set a number of putts that you need to make in a row before ending the drill.
For Tiger, it was 50 or 100 depending on the day. The key for this drill is to make sure that your putter head is going straight back and straight through to the hole. Seeing the short putts drop over and over will build your confidence and not let you give away any strokes on the course.
Manilla Folder Putting Drill
Do you struggle with speed control on the greens? The Manilla Folder Putting Drill is a great way to perfect this critical skill. To properly execute this golf drill you need your putter, a golf ball, and a manilla folder. You can work on this on an indoor mat, but we recommend you try it on an actual practice putting green.
Place the manilla folder on the green approximately 6-8 feet away. Now roll putts; your only goal is to get the ball to stop on the folder. It’s harder than it sounds. With no hole involved, this putting drill allows you to focus 100% on your speed control. You can try it from further away as you get better at this drill.
1-2-3 Putting Drill
The 1-2-3 Putting Drill is one of the best putting drills when you’re warming up to play a round. You’ll need your putter and 3 golf balls. Set the balls up on the same line, but from 3 different distances. We recommend 3 feet, 6 feet, and 12 feet. Starting with the 3-foot putt, roll the balls in the hole - if you miss one, start over.
We like this one prior to a round because you’ll learn the speed of the greens while watching some putts drop. You always want to head to the first tee with confidence in your putting!
String Over Ball And Line Putting Drill
Our final golf putting drill does require some setup time but is very popular with professional golfers on tour.
First, find a straight putt approximately 8 feet in length. Now erect a string that will be above your ball and goes from behind your location to behind the hole. Place your ball under the string and hit the putt. If done correctly, the ball will roll directly under the string and into the hole.
This putting drill will help you in a couple of ways. First, it helps you visualize the line the ball should roll on and second, it confirms that your eyes are properly over the ball. When you’re doing it correctly, the string will cut through the middle of the ball.
You should probably have one routine for a pre-round warm-up and one for practice sessions. For example, when you get to the course to play, maybe you spend 15 minutes doing the 1-2-3 Drill. That will get you ready to attack the course. If you’re there for a practice session you might want to try the Manilla Folder Drill and finish off with the String Over the Ball Drill.
Find what works for you! That's where you'll see yourself improving & gain confidence on the course.
