Putting · Drill
Test Your Distance Feel With Your Eyes Closed
Part of our putting programs for three-putts. Build a program with it
Many golfers don't have a good sense of distance on the greens. Here's a test. On a flat part of the green, stand about 15 feet from a hole. Close your eyes and walk to where you think it is. Then look. Next, putt three balls from one spot. Hit the first normally. Hit the second looking at the hole, not the ball. Hit the third with your eyes closed. Compare where they stopped.
The drill
- Walk to the hole with eyes closed.
- Putt one ball normally.
- Putt one looking at the hole.
- Putt one with eyes closed.
- Compare the results.
Why it works
Distance control on the green comes from feel, and feel comes from how far your body senses the hole is, not from how the ball looks at address. Walking the distance with your eyes closed tests whether your sense of distance is accurate. Putting while looking at the hole or with eyes closed removes the ball as a visual anchor, so the stroke is set by your sense of distance and tempo. This shows how much you rely on feel versus aim, and that is what leads to three-putts.
Common mistakes
- Peeking during the eyes-closed walk or putt.Keep your eyes fully closed until you stop, and have a partner watch if you are tempted to look.
- Changing your stroke length or tempo between the three balls.Use the same setup and the same smooth tempo each time so only the looking changes.
- Testing on a slope, which mixes up distance feel with break and speed.Pick a flat part of the green so the only variable is distance.
How you'll know it's working
- Your eyes-closed walk ends within a few feet of the hole, short or long by a similar amount each time.
- The three putts finish at similar distances from the hole, not scattered short and long.
- Your contact feels the same on all three balls, with the ball rolling off the center of the face.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Start from 8 to 10 feet instead of 15 and allow yourself to open your eyes to check your walk before putting.
Harder: Move to 25 or 30 feet, repeat the test with all numbered balls, and record how far each one finishes from the hole.
Common questions
How do I improve my distance control putting?
Practice judging distance without relying only on sight, such as walking the putt or putting with your eyes on the hole. Then match the length of your stroke to that distance with an even tempo.
Why do I keep three-putting?
Most three-putts come from a poor first putt that leaves the ball too far from the hole, not from missing the short one. Better distance feel on long putts leaves you shorter, easier second putts.
