Putting can account for around 40% of your shots in a round, yet most golfers spend the least time practicing it. Improving your putting is the fastest, cheapest way to shoot lower scores — no new driver required.
Start with a repeatable setup
Great putting begins before you swing:
- **Eyes over the ball.** Set up so your dominant eye is directly over or just inside the ball. Drop a ball from your eye line to check.
- **Comfortable, athletic posture.** Bend from the hips, let your arms hang naturally, and keep your weight balanced.
- **Consistent ball position.** Play the ball slightly forward of center so you catch it on a slight upstroke for a smooth roll.
Master speed control first
Amateurs obsess over reading the line, but speed is what really controls three-putts. A putt hit with the right speed will finish close even if your read is slightly off. Practice lag putting from 30–40 feet, trying to leave every putt within a three-foot circle.
A great feel drill: putt to the fringe without a hole, trying to stop the ball as close to the edge as possible. This trains distance control without the pressure of a target.
Build a reliable stroke
The best putting strokes are simple and rhythmic:
- **Rock the shoulders, quiet the hands.** Let your shoulders and arms move as a unit like a pendulum. Wristy strokes are inconsistent.
- **Keep tempo even.** The backstroke and through-stroke should take the same amount of time. Count "one-two" to build rhythm.
- **Accelerate smoothly.** Match your stroke length to the putt length so you never decelerate into the ball.
Read greens with a routine
Look at the putt from behind the ball to see the overall slope, and from the low side to feel the break. Water drains to the lowest point, so factor in the general tilt of the green. Then commit — indecision ruins speed and start line.
Three putting drills to practice
The gate drill. Set two tees just wider than your putter head near the ball. Stroking through the gate trains a square face and on-line start.
The clock drill. Place balls at 3, 6, and 9 feet around a hole and make them in a row. Miss one and start over. This builds pressure and short-putt confidence.
The ladder drill. Putt to targets at 10, 20, and 30 feet, then back down. This sharpens distance control across a range of lengths.
Don't neglect the short ones
Most putts lost are inside 10 feet. Dedicate half your putting practice to the 3–8 foot range — these are the scoring putts that keep bogeys off your card.
Track and improve
Recording your putting stats — putts per round, three-putt count, make percentage from key distances — reveals exactly where to focus. Share your practice progress and technique with the JoinSwingClub community to get feedback and stay accountable on your way to becoming a better putter.