4 Putting Drills to Perfect Your Short Game

Perfecting your short game can be the most difficult whether you are an amateur golfer or a seasoned player. Even though you’re not hitting the ball very far, they’re not the easiest shots.

The short game requires hitting the ball at the right distance and height and with the right spin to sink your putt. All those little details may make perfecting your short game seem intimidating, but witnessing your ball roll perfectly in the cup will be worth all the time spent practicing!

Just like most things in life, practice makes perfect. That’s why C&C Courts has put together some of the best putting drills to try out on your backyard putting green to help you perfect your short game.

First Things First: Embrace Practice Time

The first thing you need to do is embrace the fact that you need to practice these drills. Don’t just try to get through them to do them– enjoy the process of taking a swing and analyzing what you did right and wrong.

Try to master each of these drills over time while staying consistent with your practice time. Even after the drills are perfected, you can always make it more difficult to keep improving your skills.

1. Clock Putting Drill

This is a simple drill to perfect your putts. Place four tees around the hole at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock about four feet from the hole. The goal is to go around the circle without missing a putt. If you miss one, you have to go back to the beginning and start again.

To make this drill more difficult, you can:

• Increase the distance between the hole and the tee, such as five or even six feet away.

• Add more tees at different points around the hole to increase the number of shots you must take.

Keep track of your success rate so you can see your progress over time.

2. Star Putting Drill

This drill is similar to the Clock Drill. Using the same 12, 3, 6, and 9 points on the “clock,” you place three balls in a line at 2, 3, and 4 feet from the hole. You must make each putt successfully before moving on to the next ball. You are allowed one miss (although if you are a more experienced player, you can do it without missing a putt).

To make this drill more challenging, increase the distance the balls are from the hole and go around the circle without missing a putt.

3. 9 Holes of Drawback

This drill is great for practicing your mid-range and short-putting skills. You don’t need to use the clock formation for this one. Drop your golf balls at various locations around the putting green. Make sure you give yourself different types of putts, such as left to right, right to left, downhill, uphill, etc.

1. Find a mid-range putt, about 8-15 feet

2. Try to make the putt

3. Move to another location if you make it

4. Draw the ball back one putter length (about 3 feet) away from the hole if you miss the first putt and try it from there

5. Score yourself

The score table looks like this:

• One putt = -1

• 2 putts = Par

• 3 putts = +1

• 4 putts = +2

• 5 putts = +3

Record your progress to see how you improve over time.

4. 6-Foot Speed Drill

The 6-foot speed drill is designed to teach you how speed affects break.

• Find a 6ft putt with a lot of break

• Putt your ball into the hole at three different speeds

  • One putt that oes in just over the edge of the hole

  • One putt that goes in the middle

  • One putt that has to hit the back edge of the hole before going in

Practice this often and from different angles to improve your short game.

Get the Practice You Need With a Putting Green by C&C Courts

You would practice your shot game more if you could do it at home. That’s why you should consider a backyard putting green by C&C Courts.

You can completely customize your putting green down to the finest details. Our putting greens require minimal maintenance while maintaining high performance. You’ll be putting like the pros in no time!

Call us today at 414-377-5294 or contact us online for more information.