Putting · Drill
Putt Around the Hole Before You Play
Part of our putting programs for reading greens. Build a program with it
Before you tee off, learn how the greens break. Set four balls around a hole, at the top, bottom and both sides. Begin close, about a yard out. Go clockwise and hole every one. Then reset and go the other way. You'll feel uphill, downhill and both side slopes in a couple of minutes. Move back a foot once you can make them all.
The drill
- Place four balls around the hole.
- Begin about a yard away.
- Make them going clockwise.
- Reset and go counterclockwise.
- Move back as you improve.
Why it works
Putts from four points around the hole show you how the slope changes the roll. The uphill putt needs more pace, the downhill putt needs less, and the side putts show which way the ball turns. Short putts let you see the break clearly because pace stays steady, so you can match what you see to what you feel before you play.
Common mistakes
- You rush from ball to ball and stop reading each putt.Take a few seconds to look at the slope and pick a start line before every putt.
- You change your stroke length or speed to force the ball in, so you learn nothing about the break.Keep one smooth stroke and let the slope move the ball, then adjust only your aim.
- You start too far back and miss often, which hides the differences between the four spots.Go back to about a yard and only move back a foot after you hole all four.
How you'll know it's working
- You hole all four balls in one direction without a miss.
- You can say before each putt whether it will break left, break right, run fast or run slow, and the ball does it.
- Your uphill and downhill putts finish a similar short distance past the hole when they miss.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Start closer than a yard, such as two feet, until you hole all four balls on both rounds.
Harder: Move back a foot at a time, or go back to the first ball and start over if you miss any putt.
Common questions
How long should I putt on the practice green before a round?
This drill takes about 10 minutes, which is enough to feel the slopes and pace. Spend any extra time on a few longer putts to check your speed.
Why do I miss short putts on the course?
Often the cause is a misread of the break or an uneven pace. Putting from all four sides around a hole teaches you to read slope and keep your speed steady.
