Finally Master Putting: 7 Simple Drills That Help Weekend Golfers Sink More Putts
Standing over that 4-footer with your buddies watching, heart pounding so loud you think they can hear it. We've all been there. What should be a simple tap-in becomes a nightmare when you're already thinking about their reactions if you miss.
After 25 years of weekend golf, I've discovered something that changed everything about my putting. It wasn't expensive lessons or fancy equipment - it was finding the right practice drills that actually work for guys like us who only get out on weekends.
The truth is, most weekend golfers practice putting all wrong. They grab a few balls, putt toward a hole, and hope for the best. But what I learned from studying how tour pros actually practice their putting was a complete game-changer.
Here's what I'm going to share with you: the exact putting drills that transformed my confidence on the greens, helped me eliminate those soul-crushing 3-putts, and finally gave me something to brag about in the clubhouse. These aren't complicated tour-level drills - they're simple, effective exercises you can do on any putting green or even at home.
Why Most Weekend Golfers Struggle With Putting Practice
You know exactly what I'm talking about. You spend hours at the driving range working on your swing, but when you get to the putting green, you just roll a few balls around and call it practice. Sound familiar?
The mental side of putting is just as important as the physical technique. According to PGA Tour statistics, professional golfers average about 1.8 putts per hole and 32 putts per round, while the average male golfer shoots 98-99 and has around 40 putts per round - that's 8 more putts per round that could easily be saved with proper practice.
Phil Kenyon (specialist putting coach to Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, 70+ PGA and European Tour wins, 4 Major Championships) explains that most amateur golfers practice putting without any structure or specific goals. They're just hoping to get better instead of working on the skills that actually matter.
The problem isn't that you can't putt - it's that you don't know how to practice putting effectively. Every drill I'm about to show you has a specific purpose and targets the exact skills you need to lower your scores.
🎯 Weekend Golfer Putting Reality Check
- ⭐ Amateur golfers average 40+ putts per round vs. 32 for pros
- 💡 90% of weekend golfers never practice with specific drills
- 🔧 Simple structured practice can save 6-8 strokes per round
- 📊 Most improvement comes from putts 3-8 feet, not long putts
The Gate Drill: Your Foundation for Straight Putts
This is where everything starts. I learned this drill from watching tour players, and it's probably the most effective putting drill ever created for weekend golfers. It's kinda like learning to throw a football through a tire - once you can do it consistently, hitting the broader target becomes automatic.
The gate drill teaches you to start the ball on your intended line every single time. According to Golf Digest research, 80% of amateur golfers lose strokes due to poor course management rather than swing mechanics, but putting accuracy is where you can make immediate improvements.
How to Set Up the Gate Drill:
Set up two golf tees or alignment sticks just wider than your putter head, about 12 inches in front of your ball. Your goal is simple: putt the ball through the "gate" without touching either tee.
Why This Works:
This drill forces you to make solid contact with the center of your putter face. Consistency is everything in golf, and putting is no different. When you can consistently send the ball through a narrow gate, hitting the much wider hole becomes significantly easier.
Start from 3 feet and gradually work your way back to 6 feet as you get more confident. I spend at least 10 minutes on this drill every time I practice, and it's transformed my confidence on short putts.
Here's what happened when I first tried this drill: I was missing the gate constantly. But after about 15 minutes of focused practice, something clicked. My stroke became smoother, and I started hitting the sweet spot more consistently. The next round, I made putts I'd been missing for months.
🔧 Gate Drill Quick Setup
- ⭐ Place tees 1/4 inch wider than putter head
- 💡 Start 12 inches from ball, work back to hole
- 🎯 Make 5 putts in a row before moving distances
- 📊 Practice this drill 10 minutes every session
The Clock Drill: Master Putts From Every Angle
This is probably the most common drill I see PGA Tour players practicing, and for good reason. It's incredibly simple but wickedly effective for building confidence from short range.
Setting Up the Clock Drill:
Place 4 balls around a hole at 3 feet, positioned like the numbers on a clock - 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock. Your goal is to make all 4 putts in sequence. If you miss one, start over.
Why Weekend Golfers Need This:
According to TrackMan data, improving your success rate from 3-4 feet by just 20% can save you 4-6 strokes per round. Most of us face putts from different angles and slopes, and this drill prepares you for every situation you'll encounter on the course.
Dave Pelz (short game expert, former NASA scientist, instructor to multiple tour winners) discovered that golfers who practice from multiple angles around the hole perform significantly better under pressure than those who only practice straight putts.
Regular putting practice with this drill has completely changed my approach to short putts. Instead of hoping they'll go in, I now expect them to drop. That confidence shift alone has saved me dozens of strokes.
When you can consistently make all 4 putts, expand the circle to 4 feet, then 5 feet. But honestly, if you can nail this drill from 3 feet consistently, you'll never worry about those knee-knockers again.
The Coin Drill: Perfect Your Contact Point
Here's a drill that costs 25 cents and might be the best putting investment you'll ever make. It's designed to improve your accuracy and ensure you're hitting the ball with the sweet spot of your putter every time.
How to Execute the Coin Drill:
Place a coin (quarter works best) on the putting green about 6 feet from a hole. Your goal is to putt the coin into the hole with your putter. This forces you to make precise contact and maintain a steady stroke.
Brad Faxon (Golf Digest's former #1 instructor, renowned for one of the smoothest putting strokes in golf history) uses a similar drill to help golfers develop touch and feel. The small target demands precision that translates to much better performance with a golf ball.
What Makes This So Effective:
The coin provides instant feedback - you'll hear it when you make solid contact, and you'll know immediately if your stroke was off-line. It's kinda like learning to thread a needle - once you can consistently hit the small target, the larger one becomes much easier.
Training aids don't need to be expensive to be effective. Some of my biggest improvements have come from simple tools like coins, tees, and alignment sticks.
After practicing this drill, regular golf balls will feel huge by comparison. I remember the first time I went back to putting regular balls after 15 minutes with a coin - it was like the hole had grown twice as big.
Distance Control Ladder Drill: Stop 3-Putting Forever
This drill has saved me more strokes than any other putting practice I've ever done. If you're tired of leaving long putts short or blowing them way past the hole, this is your solution.
Setting Up the Ladder Drill:
Place tees or markers at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 feet from a hole. Start at 10 feet and putt to get the ball within a 3-foot circle around the hole. Only move to the next distance when you can consistently get it close.
According to PGA Tour statistics, professional golfers make only 40% of 10-foot putts, which means distance control and leaving yourself manageable second putts is crucial for scoring.
The Secret Most Amateurs Miss:
Smart course management on the greens is about two-putting consistently, not trying to make everything. Tiger Woods' putting coach always emphasized that lag putting isn't about making putts - it's about never 3-putting.
Sean Foley (PGA Tour instructor, former coach to Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, worked with 15+ tour winners) explains that most amateur golfers practice lag putting incorrectly by aiming for the hole instead of focusing on speed control.
The goal isn't to make these long putts - it's to give yourself an easy second putt every time. When I started focusing on speed control instead of trying to hole everything, my 3-putts dropped from 4-5 per round to less than 1.
📊 3-Putt Prevention Stats
- ⭐ Average golfer 3-putts every 9.7 holes
- 💡 Pros average only 1.8 putts per hole total
- 🎯 Getting within 3 feet eliminates 90% of 3-putts
- 📈 Better lag putting can save 6+ strokes per round
The One-Handed Drill: Develop Natural Feel
This might sound strange, but hitting putts with just one hand is one of the most effective ways to develop feel and tempo. It's Tiger Woods-approved, so there's no excuse not to try it.
How to Practice One-Handed Putting:
Start with just your dominant hand on the putter, making smooth strokes from 3-4 feet. Focus on maintaining control and a steady tempo. Then try it with your non-dominant hand for balance.
Why This Drill Works:
When you can't rely on power from both hands, you're forced to develop a smooth, rhythmic stroke. It's kinda like learning to dribble a basketball with your weak hand - it makes you more coordinated overall.
Butch Harmon (former coach to Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Golf Digest's #1 instructor) often uses single-handed drills to help golfers understand how each hand contributes to the putting stroke.
Tempo is crucial in every golf shot, but it's especially important in putting. This drill teaches you to trust your natural rhythm instead of trying to guide or steer the ball.
I was skeptical about this drill at first, but after trying it for a few weeks, I noticed my regular putting stroke became much smoother. The tension in my hands and arms disappeared, and I started rolling the ball better than ever.
The 3-6-9 Progression: Build Confidence Step by Step
This drill is putting practice supreme. It builds your confidence systematically and ensures you're solid from the distances that matter most for your scorecard.
Setting Up the 3-6-9 Drill:
Place tees at 3 feet, 6 feet, and 9 feet from the hole. Start by making 3 consecutive putts from 3 feet, then move to 6 feet for 3 more, then 9 feet. If you miss, start over from the beginning.
The Psychology Behind This Drill:
According to Golf Digest research, amateur golfers make approximately 75% of 3-foot putts, 50% of 6-foot putts, and 25% of 9-foot putts. This drill targets the exact distances where you can make the biggest improvement.
Building confidence on the golf course starts with mastering the fundamentals under pressure. This drill creates pressure by forcing you to start over when you miss.
The beauty of this drill is that it mirrors real golf. You rarely get multiple attempts at the same putt during a round, so this drill teaches you to make it count when it matters.
I love this drill because it gives you clear goals and immediate feedback. When you can complete the entire sequence without missing, you know your putting is dialed in for that day.
The Pressure Putt Challenge: Simulate Real Course Conditions
Here's where we take everything you've practiced and add the pressure you'll face when it really counts. This drill mimics the exact feeling you get when you're standing over a putt that matters.
Creating Pressure in Practice:
Set up a simple challenge: make 5 consecutive 4-foot putts from different angles. If you miss one, start over. To add more pressure, do this drill at the end of your practice session when you're getting tired.
Why Pressure Practice Matters:
The difference between practice and playing is pressure. According to sports psychology research, golfers who practice under simulated pressure perform significantly better in real playing situations.
Phil Kenyon (specialist putting coach to Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose) emphasizes that great putters aren't just technically sound - they're mentally tough. They can perform their best stroke when it matters most.
🎪 Pressure Training Benefits
- 💡 Simulates real course pressure situations
- 🎯 Builds mental toughness for crucial putts
- ⭐ Improves performance when playing with buddies
- 📊 Creates consequences that mirror actual golf
How to Structure Your Putting Practice Session
Now that you know the drills, here's how to put them together into a practice session that actually improves your putting. This is the exact routine I use every time I hit the practice green.
The 20-Minute Weekend Warrior Putting Session:
- 5 minutes: Gate Drill (build solid contact and stroke path)
- 5 minutes: Clock Drill (confidence from multiple angles)
- 5 minutes: Distance Control Ladder (eliminate 3-putts)
- 5 minutes: Pressure Challenge (simulate course conditions)
Having a structured practice routine is what separates weekend golfers who improve from those who stay stuck at the same level year after year.
The Key to Improvement:
Consistency beats intensity. Spending 20 focused minutes once a week will improve your putting more than randomly rolling balls around for an hour. Trust me on this - I've tried both approaches.
The pros practice with purpose, and that's exactly what these drills give you. Each one targets a specific aspect of putting that directly translates to lower scores on the course.
Common Putting Mistakes These Drills Fix
Let me share the biggest putting mistakes I see weekend golfers make, and how these drills solve each one:
Mistake #1: Inconsistent Contact The gate drill forces you to hit the sweet spot consistently. According to PGA Tour data, center contact improves distance control by up to 40%.
Mistake #2: Poor Speed Control
The ladder drill teaches you proper pace. As renowned putting coach David Orr explains, speed control accounts for 70% of putting success.
Mistake #3: Lack of Confidence on Short Putts The clock drill and 3-6-9 progression build systematic confidence from the distances that matter most.
The mental side of putting is just as important as technique. These drills address both the physical and psychological aspects of becoming a better putter.
Mistake #4: No Practice Structure Following a structured routine with specific drills gives you measurable improvement instead of hoping for the best.
Equipment You Need (Spoiler: Almost Nothing)
Here's the best part about putting practice - you don't need expensive equipment to see dramatic improvement. Most of these drills use items you already have or can get for practically nothing.
Essential Items for Putting Drill Practice:
- 6-8 golf balls
- 4-6 tees
- 1 coin (quarter works best)
- A putter you're comfortable with
Optional but Helpful:
- 2 alignment sticks (or use clubs you already have)
- Small towel for marking targets
That's it. For less than $10, you have everything needed to transform your putting. Compare that to the cost of lessons or expensive training aids, and it's no contest.
The most expensive putting aid in the world won't help you if you don't know how to practice effectively. These drills with basic equipment will improve your putting more than any gadget.
Key Takeaways: Your Path to Better Putting
Let me be straight with you - putting is where weekend golfers can make the fastest improvement in their scores. While your buddies are spending hours at the driving range, 20 minutes on the putting green with these drills will drop more strokes from your scorecard.
⚡ Quick Wins for Weekend Golfers
- 🎯 Focus on putts 3-8 feet for biggest score improvement
- 💡 Structured 20-minute practice beats random ball rolling
- ⭐ Master distance control to eliminate 3-putts
- 🔧 Practice under pressure to perform when it matters
Here's what I want you to do: Pick one drill from this article and practice it for 10 minutes before your next round. Just one drill. See how it affects your confidence and performance on the course.
I guarantee you'll notice a difference. Your buddies will notice too. And that feeling of sinking putts consistently? It never gets old.
Creating a systematic improvement plan starts with putting because it's where you can see results fastest. Master these drills, and you'll find yourself looking forward to those crucial putts instead of dreading them.
The best part? You're just one practice session away from better putting. These drills work. I've seen them transform weekend golfers just like us. Now it's your turn.
Frequently Asked Questions About Putting Drills for Beginners
How often should I practice these putting drills?
Practice these putting drills at least once per week for 20 minutes to see consistent improvement. According to putting specialist Phil Kenyon (coach to 70+ tour winners), regular short practice sessions are more effective than occasional long sessions. Consistent practice builds muscle memory and confidence that transfers directly to course performance.
Which putting drill should beginners start with first?
Start with the Gate Drill as your foundation. This drill teaches proper contact and stroke path, which are essential for all other putting skills. Golf instruction expert Dave Pelz recommends mastering straight-line putting before working on distance control or breaking putts. Once you can consistently putt through the gate from 3-4 feet, add the Clock Drill for confidence building.
Can I practice these putting drills at home?
Yes, most of these drills can be adapted for home practice with a putting mat. The Gate Drill, Coin Drill, and One-Handed Drill work perfectly indoors. According to Golf Digest research, golfers who practice putting at home average 4-6 fewer putts per round than those who only practice at the course. Quality putting mats provide consistent practice surfaces for year-round improvement.
How long before I see improvement in my putting?
Most golfers see noticeable improvement within 2-3 practice sessions when following structured drills. Brad Faxon (renowned putting instructor) notes that putting improvement happens faster than full swing changes because the movements are smaller and more controllable. Focus on one drill at a time and track your progress - you should see fewer 3-putts and more confidence on short putts within two weeks.
What's the most important putting drill for eliminating 3-putts?
The Distance Control Ladder Drill is most effective for eliminating 3-putts. This drill teaches speed control, which accounts for 70% of putting success according to putting coach David Orr. PGA Tour statistics show that getting first putts within 3 feet eliminates 90% of 3-putt opportunities. Smart distance control is more valuable than trying to make every long putt.
Do I need expensive equipment for putting drill practice?
No, these putting drills require minimal equipment - just golf balls, tees, and a coin. Professional putting coach Phil Kenyon emphasizes that structured practice with basic tools produces better results than expensive training aids used randomly. The most important investment is your time and consistency, not expensive gadgets. Budget-friendly practice tools are often more effective than costly alternatives.
Master Your Putting With These Essential Resources
Ready to take your putting to the next level? These comprehensive guides will help you build on what you've learned with these beginner drills:
