Putting · Drill
Putting Basics Plus a Points Game
Part of our putting programs for three-putts, reading greens. Build a program with it
Start with the basics. Walk around your putt and read the slope from more than one side. Keep your tempo steady. A metronome helps. Before you set up, picture the speed and the line. Focus on your through-stroke and finish toward your target. Then make practice a game. Mark zones at 5, 10 and 15 feet. Score more points for longer makes. Or give each hole on the practice green a point value based on how hard it is.
The drill
- Read the putt from several angles.
- Practice tempo with a metronome.
- See speed and line before you set up.
- Finish toward your target.
- Play a points game.
Why it works
Reading the slope from more than one side shows you the real high and low points, so your line and speed match the green. A steady tempo keeps the stroke length and pace repeatable, which controls how far the ball rolls. Finishing toward the target keeps the putter moving along your line through impact, and a points game adds pressure that makes you commit to each putt.
Common mistakes
- You read the putt only from behind the ball and miss the slope near the hole.Walk to the low side and the hole side as well, then pick one line and stay with it.
- You rush the stroke when you feel pressure, so the pace changes from putt to putt.Keep the same backswing-to-through-stroke rhythm every time and use the metronome to hold it.
- You stop the putter at impact and the ball starts off line or comes up short.Let the putter keep moving after the ball leaves and hold your finish toward the target until it stops.
How you'll know it's working
- Your first putts from 5 feet start on your chosen line and roll at a steady pace.
- Your misses from 10 and 15 feet finish close to the hole and not well short or long.
- Your finish position looks the same on every putt, with the putter pointing toward the target.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Play the game with only the 5-foot zone and a 10-foot zone, and skip the metronome until your stroke feels steady.
Harder: Add a rule that you lose points for a miss, or require a made putt at each distance before you move to the next zone.
Common questions
How do you read the slope of a putt?
Walk around the ball and hole and look at the putt from behind, from the low side and from the hole side. The ball will curve toward the lowest point, so aim above it and match your speed to the slope.
Does a metronome help your putting tempo?
Yes. It gives you a fixed beat, so your backswing and through-stroke take the same time on every putt. This makes your distance control more consistent.
