Putting · Drill
The Leapfrog Speed Drill
Part of our putting programs for three-putts, missing short putts. Build a program with it
This drill sharpens fine speed control. Put one tee next to you. Put another five feet away. Put a third 20 feet away. Roll your first putt just past the five-foot tee. Every putt after that has to finish a little past the last one. But none can go past the 20-foot tee. How many can you fit in the gap? Count them. Then try to beat your score.
The drill
- Place tees at your feet, at 5 feet and at 20 feet.
- Roll the first putt just past 5 feet.
- Make each putt go a bit farther.
- Stop if one passes 20 feet.
- Count and try to beat it.
Why it works
Distance control comes from matching the length of your stroke to the distance you want the ball to roll. Asking for small, steady increases in roll forces you to make tiny changes to stroke length and tempo. That sharpens your feel for pace, which is what keeps long first putts close enough to avoid a three-putt.
Common mistakes
- You change your tempo to get more distance instead of changing stroke length.Keep the same smooth rhythm and lengthen the backswing a small amount for each putt.
- You make big jumps in distance, so you run out of room before the 20-foot tee.Aim for each ball to finish only a few inches past the last one.
- You watch the ball instead of judging the roll as you go, then hit the next putt without a plan.Pick a target spot past the last ball before each stroke and picture the roll to it.
How you'll know it's working
- Your putts finish in a clear, increasing line with small gaps between the balls.
- Your count goes up over several rounds of the drill.
- You strike the ball in the middle of the face, so the same stroke length gives a similar roll each time.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Move the far tee in to 15 feet and allow yourself larger gaps between putts.
Harder: Bring the far tee in closer to 10 feet or use a count target, such as 8 putts, where each ball must finish past the last.
Common questions
How do I improve distance control in putting?
Practice rolling putts to set distances and learn how long your stroke needs to be for each one. Keep your tempo the same and change only the length of the stroke.
Why do I keep three-putting?
Most three-putts come from a poor first putt that leaves a long second putt. Better speed control on long putts leaves you with short, easy second putts.
