A Few Tips on Putting

Here are a few drills that you can try to help with both your technique and your concentration under pressure.

1. If you are someone who putts the ball past the hole a considerable distance each time, try this "lag" drill. Begin with a distance of 4 feet and with three golf balls try to putt each ball just short of the hole. Gradually working your way further from the hole, you should start to "feel" the distance.

2. The ladder drill is a favorite of mine. You will need four golf tees and four golf balls for this exercise. Place the first tee approximately 2 feet from the hole and spread out the second through the fourth tees another 1 foot each. Place the four golf balls about 3 inches from each tee in the line. Make sure the tees don't interfere with the line of your putt. The purpose of the tees is for the distance. Begin with the first tee and progress to the next tee with each ball you make. If you miss one along the ladder, you must begin back with No. 1. Your goal will be to make eight putts on the ladder (1-4 and 4-1).

3. The next drill will work on your distance control as well as those putts from 12 feet and in. Take three golf balls and choose a putt of at least 25 feet. Putting all three golf balls to your target hole, your goal is to not leave yourself a very long putt. You will choose which of the three golf balls is farthest from the hole and bring the other three golf balls back to that point. Now the hard part: You must make two out of the three putts from that distance.

All of these are great drills to do with a friend, or your husband or wife.