Play Ready Golf · Your drill pack

My 4 favorite putting drills

On the green, strokes leak in two places: the long putt that leaves you too much, and the short one you miss. These four cover both, and every one gives you a score to beat.

Run all four once this week at Level 1. That's your baseline. Then beat it.

How the levels work

Get a baseline

Run each drill once at Level 1 and write your score down.

Two in a row

Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.

Turn one dial

Past Level 3, change one thing: Distance, Diameter or Dice.

01 · Putting

Lag Putt Circle

10 minPractice greenPutter, 3 balls, 8 tees

Nine putts from 20, 30 and 40 feet. One point for every putt that stops within 3 feet of the hole.

Why this drill

Shot Scope's averages: a 20 handicap three-putts on 13% of holes. A scratch golfer does it on 3%. Get your first putt inside 3 feet and most of those go away.

Set it up

  1. 1Push tees in a circle 3 feet from the hole, about one putter length.
  2. 2Mark three spots 20, 30 and 40 feet from the hole. Pace it off: about 7, 10 and 13 big steps.

Play it

  1. 1Putt from 20 feet, then 30, then 40. Repeat that order 3 times for 9 putts.
  2. 2Never hit the same distance twice in a row.
  3. 3Count every putt that stops inside the circle. Made putts count.

Score it

+1Stops inside the circle0Stops outside

Your score is out of 9. Higher is better.

Your target

Level 13 of 920, 30, 40 feet
Level 25 of 920, 30, 40 feet
Level 37 of 920, 30, 40 feet

Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.

After Level 3, make it harder

DistanceMove your spots to 30, 40 and 50 feet.
DiameterThen shrink the circle to 2 feet.

One change at a time. Drop back to the Level 2 target and climb again.

A three-putt starts with the first putt. Lag it close and the second one is easy.

02 · Putting

Make 10

15 minPractice greenPutter, 1 ball

Make ten 3 footers in a row, from a new spot around the hole every time. Count how many tries it takes.

Why this drill

You face a putt this length on most holes. A streak puts a little pressure on every one, the way the course does.

Set it up

  1. 1Place a ball 3 feet from the hole.
  2. 2You'll move to a new spot around the hole after every putt.

Play it

  1. 1Make the putt, then move to a new angle, still 3 feet away.
  2. 2Keep going until you make 10 in a row.
  3. 3Miss one and your count goes back to zero.

Score it

+1Make: the streak grows0Miss: back to zero

Count your total tries to reach 10 in a row. Lower is better.

Your target

Level 120 tries or fewer3 feet
Level 215 or fewer3 feet
Level 312 or fewer3 feet

Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.

After Level 3, make it harder

DistanceMove back to 4 feet.
DiceThen pick a hole with more slope around it.

One change at a time. Drop back to the Level 2 target and climb again.

The 3 footer after a good lag is the putt that keeps a par a par.

03 · Putting

2-Putt or Bust

15 minPractice greenPutter, 3 balls

Ten putts from 40 feet or more, and you putt every one out. Two putts earns a point. Three costs you one.

Why this drill

From long range the goal isn't to make it. It's to never three-putt. This is the one drill here that makes you finish every hole.

Set it up

  1. 1Pick 3 different holes.
  2. 2Find a spot 40 feet or more from each one, about 13 big steps.

Play it

  1. 1Putt from 40 feet or more, switching holes every putt.
  2. 2Putt every ball out.
  3. 3Play 10 holes.

Score it

+1Two putts or fewer−1Three putts or more

Add them up for your net score. Higher is better.

Your target

Level 1+2 or better40 feet and out
Level 2+5 or better40 feet and out
Level 3+8 or better40 feet and out

Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.

After Level 3, make it harder

DistanceMove back to 50 feet.
DiceThen pick holes with more break.

One change at a time. Drop back to the Level 2 target and climb again.

Every long putt on the course is this drill. Two and done.

04 · Putting

9-Hole Putting Course

15 minPractice greenPutter, 1 ball

Nine holes of putting, scored like golf. Par is 2 on every hole.

Why this drill

It's the closest thing to putting on the course: a new distance, a new break and one ball every time.

Set it up

  1. 1Pick 9 putts around the green, from 5 to 40 feet.
  2. 2Mix in uphill, downhill and breaking putts.

Play it

  1. 1Play each hole until the ball is in.
  2. 2One ball, no do-overs.
  3. 3Play all 9 and keep score.

Score it

2Par on every hole

Add up your strokes. Par is 18. Lower is better.

Your target

Level 123 or better5 to 40 feet
Level 220 or better5 to 40 feet
Level 318 or betterPar

Hit your target two sessions in a row, then move up a level.

After Level 3, make it harder

DistanceMake 3 of the 9 holes 40 feet or longer.
DiceThen pick a new set of 9 holes every session.

One change at a time. Drop back to the Level 2 target and climb again.

This is your putting on Saturday. One ball, and every putt counts.

Bonus

the 26 putt test

The test from my video. Three drills, 26 putts, and every putt is a make or a miss.

  1. 1Comebacks: 3 balls each from 3, 4 and 5 feet.
  2. 2Eight 6 footers, all the way around the hole.
  3. 3Nine putts, one from each of 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15, 20 and 25 feet, in a random order.

Add up your makes out of 26. If you're a 15 handicap, your bar is about 14. Run it once a month and see if your number moves.

Bar based on Shot Scope make rates, halfway between a 10 and a 20 handicap.

Want this run for you?

These are 4 of 119

These 4 are from the 119 drills in the Play Ready Golf app. Every one has the score and the levels built in, and the app builds your practice week around your biggest leak, then rebuilds it after every round you log.

Start 30 days free

Rather use the App Store? Start 7 days free there. Code ISAAK takes $20 off a year.

Data: Shot Scope three-putt and make rates by handicap.