Putting · Drill
Stop Your Putts in a Small Zone Near the Fringe
Part of our putting programs for three-putts. Build a program with it
Most three-putts come from bad speed, not a bad line. So take the hole away. Find a flat spot on the green near the fringe. The fringe is your back wall. Put a tee a few feet in front of it. That gap is your zone. Then pick a short, medium and long starting spot. From each one, try to stop five putts in a row in the zone. Beyond the tee, before the fringe. Raise the number as you improve.
The drill
- Use the fringe as a back wall.
- Put a tee a few feet in front of it.
- Pick short, medium and long starting spots.
- Stop five in a row in the zone.
- Raise the target as you improve.
Why it works
Three-putts usually start with a first putt that finishes too far from the hole, so distance control matters more than line. A hole is a small target, but a zone with a back wall gives you a clear window for speed: past the tee, short of the fringe. Repeating this from different distances trains you to match the length of your stroke to the distance, so you learn to judge pace by feel.
Common mistakes
- Aiming at a spot and ignoring the length of the stroke.Pick the stopping point first, then make a stroke length that matches that distance.
- Hitting the ball hard because the fringe will stop it.Treat the fringe as a limit, not a help, and count a putt that touches it as a miss.
- Moving on after one good putt and not counting the misses.Keep a running count and start again at zero when a putt finishes outside the zone.
How you'll know it's working
- Your putts finish inside the zone at all three starting spots, not just the short one.
- Your misses are spread evenly short and long instead of all on one side.
- You reach five in a row in fewer attempts than in your earlier sessions.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Make the zone wider by moving the tee further from the fringe, or use only the short and medium starting spots.
Harder: Make the zone narrower by moving the tee closer to the fringe, or ask for more putts in a row from each spot.
Common questions
Why do I keep three-putting even when my line is good?
Most three-putts come from the first putt finishing too far from the hole, which is a speed problem. Practising distance control with a target zone helps you leave the ball closer.
How do I improve distance control on the putting green?
Practise stopping the ball in a defined zone from several different distances. This links stroke length to distance and builds your sense of pace.
