In 1981, when my Florida Southern team arrived at Hop Meadow in Simsbury, Conn. – just outside of Hartford – we were greeted by a long, tight golf course with deep, rough and fast, heavily undulating greens. During our team dinner after the first round of practice, one of my teammates turned to me and said, “Well, TP, it looks like this isn’t going to be your week.”
I knew he had it in for me, so I asked, “Yes? Why is that?”
He replied, “It’s taking way too long for you, and the rough is hard.”
Understand this: I have never been blessed with the gift of speed. Distance was never in my favor. All my teammates were tall and strong. I wasn’t.
But I explained – very matter-of-factly – that those were exactly the reasons why I believed I would play well that week. First, the course was tight and I rode straighter than the average bear. Second, I could chip, pitch and play bunker shots at a high level. And more than anything, I could put my rock down like it was no one’s business.
I just told my teammate that I hoped he could keep up. They all laughed. But I’m sure most of them thought he was right and that I was fantasizing.
By the end of the week, we had won the 1981 NCAA Division II National Team Championship by a whopping 35 strokes. My teammates all played well. And “Mr. Short Ball” – yours truly – captured the individual national championship with an extraordinary putting week.
Exactly as predicted.
To this day, usually early, before my day starts, I make time to putt for at least 30 minutes. Remember: putting is primarily about feeling. And without repetition, that most essential skill simply cannot be developed.
Below are a few of my favorite putting drills, drills that I have learned and used for myself and my students over the past 36 years. At age 60, I continue to perform at a fairly high level most days.
2 great putting exercises
The lag exercise
I place four tees on the green to form a four-foot by four-foot square. Then I take 10 normal steps away – about 30 feet – and place another tee in the ground.
From there I putt in three ball increments towards the square. The goal is to get 18 balls in a row (18 holes) and finish inside the square. If even one misses, you go back to zero and start over.
Keep this in mind: if the hole were in the center of that square, the longest second putt you’ll encounter would be about two feet. If you can keep it within that square on a consistent basis, you will dramatically reduce your three-putts.
The Gate Drill
While the Lag Drill develops speed control, the Gate Drill is all about starting the ball online. For a ball to start online, the face-to-path relationship at impact must be flawless.
Place two tees slightly wider than a putter head. Place the ball in the center between them and practice firm contact with the center plane. Once that becomes consistent, build a second gate – slightly wider – halfway between your first gate and a five-foot gap away.
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