Putting · Drill
A Ten-Minute Putting Warm-Up
Part of our putting programs for three-putts. Build a program with it
Don't just roll balls around before you play. Use a plan. Start long. Speed changes most from course to course, so learn it first. Hit three putts from about 30 feet to different holes. Think only about speed. Then hit three from 15 feet, thinking about line and speed. Then go to three feet and make five in a row. Use one ball at a time, like on the course. End with a make so you start confident.
The drill
- Three long putts, speed only.
- Three putts from 15 feet.
- Make five in a row from three feet.
- Use one ball at a time.
- Finish with a make.
Why it works
Three-putts usually come from poor distance control, not poor aim. Long putts first lets you read the green speed on the day while the stakes are zero. Moving to 15 feet adds line to a speed you already have, and short putts last give you a clear start line and a successful stroke to carry to the first tee. One ball at a time makes each putt a full routine, as on the course.
Common mistakes
- You think about line on the 30-foot putts.Pick a spot near the hole, look at it, and only judge how far to swing the putter.
- You rake three balls over and putt them quickly one after another.Hit one ball, watch it stop, then set up for the next with a full routine.
- You quit the three-foot test after a miss or leave it unfinished.Keep going until you make five in a row, then stop on a make.
How you'll know it's working
- Your 30-foot putts finish within a couple of feet of the hole, short or long, rather than well past or well short.
- Your 15-foot putts start on your chosen line and leave a tap-in.
- You make five in a row from three feet within a few minutes, with the ball rolling on its starting line.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Move the long putts in to about 20 feet and the short test to two feet until the routine feels familiar.
Harder: Require five in a row from three feet without a single miss, restarting the count after any miss, or add a four-foot test at the end.
Common questions
How long should I warm up on the putting green before a round?
Ten minutes is enough if you follow a plan. Start with long putts for speed, then mid-range, then short putts.
Why practice long putts before short putts?
Green speed changes from course to course, and long putts teach it fastest. Short putts last help you finish with a make and a clear stroke feel.
