A really essential skill for scoring well is controlling the distance on the green and getting your first putt close enough to tap in.
Distance control starts with solid technique and a simple principle: the length of your backstroke should be your primary distance control, with as few moving parts as possible. Your head and lower body should remain still until the stroke is complete.
Here are some of my favorite exercises to improve your distance control.
Place the balls three feet away from the hole, starting short and working your way back gradually. The only goal is to roll the ball the right distance and end up close to the cup. Don’t worry about braking or aiming; concentrate solely on speed.
If you are unable to roll the ball the correct distance, stay in that spot until you succeed before returning. As the distance increases, train yourself to lengthen the backstroke slightly. With this exercise you will learn how to accurately adjust the backstroke length.
2. Putt to 10, 20, 30 and 40 feet
Place targets at each of these distances on a relatively flat area of the green. I like to use alignment sticks to clearly define each target. Putt at any distance, with an emphasis on matching stroke size to putt length.
This exercise also allows you to calibrate your backstroke length, which can immediately translate into better distance control on the course. Remember to add length for uphill putts and subtract length for downhill putts.
3. Drill back and forth
This is one of my favorites because it forces you to adapt your stroke to changing conditions – even if the putt length remains the same.
Choose two holes on the practice green that create contrasting conditions (uphill/downhill or sideways). Putt back and forth between them, with the goal of making two putts or better a certain number of times in a row – start with five and build from there. If you three-putt, the count resets to zero.
4. Putting with eyes closed
To improve the feeling, putt toward a target with your eyes closed. At impact you decide whether you think the ball will end up short or long of the goal. Then open your eyes and assess the result.
This exercise strengthens your speed awareness and helps develop instinctive distance control over time.
5. Withdrawal game
This exercise works great as a two-person competition. Play match play putting around the green with the aim of completing your first putt within three feet of the hole – approximately the length of your putter.
If your first putt does not finish within that range, pull the ball back from the hole one putter length and putt again. This game rewards great speed control and reduces the pressure on the second putt.
Whether you’re doing drills or competing with a partner, the time you spend on the practice putting green will be worth it. There are few skills that translate more directly into lower scores than controlling your distance on the green.
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