Best way to practice putting at home?

[moptop]

As the title says, how can I most improve my putting at home?  Any particular drills or training aids?  

[Curmudg3on]

A metal yard stick works wonders for the starting line.

[Kuuuch]

Visio putting arc, reps with eyeline putting pendulum 

[DShepley]

Build a green in your yard.

[moptop]

8 hours ago, DShepley said:

Build a green in your yard.

That is awesome!  Not so functional during winter though .

[bluedot]

Practice 4’ putts on a putting mat until you KNOW that your stroke is solid.  Then practice 4’ putts some more.  if you aren’t PERFECT on 4 footers in a pristine environment, then nothing else really matters much.
 

If you don’t have one already, get a sleeve of the two color Srixon balls to get a visual of the quality of contact you are making.

[Ri_Redneck]

I have a Birdie Ball 10/11 12' x 3' mat that I was putting on every night up till I made the mistake of selling my house. That was 8 months ago and I'm STILL looking! Anyway, when I was using it regularly, short putts were never a worry. Now that I've been in an apartment and don't have room, I can see the difference in my scores.

 

IMHO, at home practice should be totally focused on mechanics, stroke and line. If you have a mat that mirrors the typical speed of the greens you play regularly, then you can work pace in there a little. You have to remember that no house is perfectly level. I bought one of those little levels with the bubble and oriented my mat so that it was perfectly with the slope of the floor so the ball would roll true when putted true. 

 

I like the Birdie Ball product because the cup is only 1/2" deep and that keeps your pace under control. Too hard and it rolls right through the cup.

 

BT

[moptop]

I purchased a 48 inch metal ruler, should arrive tomorrow.  I have a 36 inch one, but it honestly seemed a little too easy

[Anthony Stevens]

Delta Putt. Instant feedback on face and path. I initially got the longer Dueler version, but the shorter model with the starting strip and "cone of goodness" makes it so much easier to drill repetitions.

[teddyironboy]

If you have a good launch monitor you can practice lag putting. Use a yardstick, figure out how far putts go depending on how far back you take it.

[AntLockyer]

I use a 12 foot putting mat. To the side I have the Visio Mi putting template. I use this before anything else to check my arc (especially symmetry) and face angle in the backswing. I then use the Visio putting gate and roll 9 foot putts until I get 5 in a row to travel between 9 and 10ft and pass through the hardest gate.

 

I find the combination of these 2 quickly lets me home in on the feeling I need to make, and gets me started on distance control. After that I select random distances and putt still using the gate until I'm bored. I'll do this 5 times a day at least. It's absolutely addictive.

[Hawkeye77]

PuttOUT

Edited May 2, 2023 by Hawkeye77

[golfinbrad]

Inside is a great place to work on setup (posture & alignment) and solid routine. 

[Righty to Lefty]

On 4/30/2023 at 8:34 PM, Curmudg3on said:

A metal yard stick works wonders for the starting line.

^^^^This^^^ 100% is all you need when working on putting at home. I have done this alone for the past 2 months at the house while watchin TV and it is amazing how much it has done for my putting because it is calibrating my eye to see a straight line which is huge.  I was growing very frustrated with my putting until I happened to pick one up in WalMart on a whim, well really out of desperation, and I quickly noticed that it was all my fault and that I wasn't getting my putts started on the line that I saw, because my eyes were tricking me while standing over the ball. Keeping the ball on the yardstick for those first three feet is everything and it will very quickly translate into your putting on the course I assure you because I quickly found out that my read was good, but I was missing my intended start line. 

 

So that covers your putts inside of 3 feet, which you will want to work up to at least being 95% make at 3 feet, and doing the Mickelson drill on the nastiest slope you can find on your practice putting green will greatly help you out I assure you and nothing feels better than banging home those short putts.  The final aspect that you will want to give attention to is lag putting.  I always finish off my putting practice with lagging putts inside of the 3 foot circle that I created using the Mickelson drill.  The quick and dirty of it is that lag putting is all a reflection of how heavy your putter is as it's weight should be talking to your "mind's eye" and so if your putts are coming up short, add weight, and if they are consistently long you may need to explore lighter options.  I calibrated my putter on a 50 foot putt and you know that you are close when you can lag 3 to 5 balls into a tight grouping without looking up and going strictly off feel.  I calibrated my putter on a practice green at my home course because then I would develop  a reference from which to go from and I only need a few putts on the greens at a new course to recalibrate that reference.  

 

I see putts in reference to how the ball will have to roll, and by that I mean: 

Flat putts: Ball accelerates 50% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

Downhill putts: Ball accelerates 25% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

Uphill putts: Ball accelerates 75% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

This means you must know without a doubt whether every putt that you hit is uphill, downhill, or roughly flat and this isn't' always easy to discern as some putt have a combination in them but you have to figure out if it is net overall uphill, downhill, or flat and the course designers are always trying to trick your eyes.  

 

So in conclusion in my opinion the best way to attack putting is to: 

1. Get metal yardstick and hit putts on it daily to calibrate your eye to straight and your "warm up" should consist of using the yardstick while putting to nothing, just making sure that the balls stays on the yardstick for the first 3 feet.  

2. Do the Mickelson drill starting at 2 feet ( You will be shocked how many 2 foot putts you will miss on a nasty slope at first I assure you) moving out 1 foot only after attaining 95 makes out of 100.  It will take years probably to even make it to 5 foot. 

3. Calibrate your putter to your minds eye until your putt dispersion is at least within 1 foot of each other hitting at least 3 to 5 putts without looking up.  

4. Only practice holing putts at your current Mickelson distance, and anything else outside of that distance is lag putting practice because you will miss more than you make.  

 

This is my take on things but I am certain that you will find improvement if you stick to it as I was an atrocious putter but have seen the value in coming up with a plan on how to approach putting and that is the main thing that is needed if you want to improve.  

Edited May 2, 2023 by Righty to Lefty

[iacas]

40 minutes ago, Righty to Lefty said:

I see putts in reference to how the ball will have to roll, and by that I mean: 

Flat putts: Ball accelerates 50% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

Downhill putts: Ball accelerates 25% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

Uphill putts: Ball accelerates 75% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

This means you must know without a doubt whether every putt that you hit is uphill, downhill, or roughly flat is this isn't' always easy to discern as some putt have a combination in them but you have to figure out if it is net overall uphill, downhill, or flat and the course designers are always trying to trick your eyes.

 

[RoyalTroon]

 

[DaveLeeNC]

1 hour ago, Righty to Lefty said:

I see putts in reference to how the ball will have to roll, and by that I mean: 

Flat putts: Ball accelerates 50% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

Downhill putts: Ball accelerates 25% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

Uphill putts: Ball accelerates 75% of the way then decelerates the rest of the way to the hole. 

This means you must know without a doubt whether every putt that you hit is uphill, downhill, or roughly flat is this isn't' always easy to discern as some putt have a combination in them but you have to figure out if it is net overall uphill, downhill, or flat and the course designers are always trying to trick your eyes.  

 

Where does this come from? The situation is not simple since the ball is skipping and rolling early on. But this sounds like a flat putt actually gains energy (without any being supplied) for 50% of the distance. Seems unlikely. 

 

dave

 

ps. Some of the suggestions seem useful, BTW. 

[riddyl]

Exputt. Honestly, this is a relatively pricey item but its taken my putting to another level. 

[iacas]

7 minutes ago, DaveLeeNC said:

Where does this come from? The situation is not simple since the ball is skipping and rolling early on. But this sounds like a flat putt actually gains energy (without any being supplied) for 50% of the distance. Seems unlikely. 

 

It's entirely bogus.

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

 

It's entirely bogus.

Do tell.  It’s very close to a drill I was given where you take a 5 foot putt and work out how many in a row you can make. Set that PR mark and daily try to beat it under 30 minutes.   It’s an amazingly good drill for start line and speed.  
 

And for what it’s worth. I too see putts as a movie image of the balls path.  I get what he’s saying completely.  One of the greatest putters alive describes a very similar mindset. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by bladehunter

[Anthony Stevens]

2 hours ago, BALLYBUNION said:

 

I'm curious about the theory/thinking behind "if it's a target above ground, it's easier to hit". The comments on the YouTube video didn't shed any light on it. What do you all make of it?

[RoyalTroon]

11 minutes ago, Anthony Stevens said:

I'm curious about the theory/thinking behind "if it's a target above ground, it's easier to hit". The comments on the YouTube video didn't shed any light on it. What do you all make of it?

 

Don't think Azinger is quite sure either when he says "for some reason", but I found more makes leaving the pin in instead of trying to fit a ball into a hole below the ground, speaks a lot to releasing the putter like he says. 

 

 

[me05501]

8 hours ago, AntLockyer said:

I use a 12 foot putting mat. To the side I have the Visio Mi putting template. I use this before anything else to check my arc (especially symmetry) and face angle in the backswing. I then use the Visio putting gate and roll 9 foot putts until I get 5 in a row to travel between 9 and 10ft and pass through the hardest gate.

 

I find the combination of these 2 quickly lets me home in on the feeling I need to make, and gets me started on distance control. After that I select random distances and putt still using the gate until I'm bored. I'll do this 5 times a day at least. It's absolutely addictive.

 

I don't know how you make anything with the face that closed. 

 

 

🙂

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, Anthony Stevens said:

I'm curious about the theory/thinking behind "if it's a target above ground, it's easier to hit". The comments on the YouTube video didn't shed any light on it. What do you all make of it?

Covid golf taught me that.  Banging it off the pin on short putts is much easier if you focus on the pin as a target.  It’s a better aim point in my opinion.   Aim small miss small.  
 

and I’m a former “ never leave it in “ guy.  

[Righty to Lefty]

3 hours ago, DaveLeeNC said:

 

Where does this come from? The situation is not simple since the ball is skipping and rolling early on. But this sounds like a flat putt actually gains energy (without any being supplied) for 50% of the distance. Seems unlikely. 

 

dave

 

ps. Some of the suggestions seem useful, BTW. 

There is an exact amount of speed required to hit a putt a given distance depending on how fast or slow the greens are and that is what I calibrated my mind to see whether or not that is exactly happening or not. In my mind I see the ball accelerating to a certain point and then decelerating the rest of the way to the hole and I always find that point along a putt's given line of travel as I am tracing it from the hole back to my ball before I hit a the putt. I noticed that anytime a putt came up dreadfully short or long it was because I was tricked by what I saw often from not looking at the putt from both sides.  

 

3 hours ago, iacas said:

 

It's entirely bogus.

We have had this discussion on your other website and you banned me, but if on this site you can't see what I am saying then you should move on because it wasn't meant for you as I don't agree with much of what you teach, but I didn't / don't call your teachings "bogus," I just stated what I came up with from having played the game both right and left handed and how I learned how to get it done and I feel that it can be a benefit. I came up with a technique that helped me to visualize how I expected the ball to roll and it has done wonders for my putting regardless of whether it fits exactly into the math of a putt or not but I don't see how you can disagree with me stating that a golf ball has a different acceleration and deceleration phase depending on whether or not it is uphill, downhill, or flat. A 10 foot flat putt may need to actually accelerate to 6 feet before it decelerates due to friction but I would be willing to bet it is somewhere in the 5 foot ball park for all but the fastest or slowest greens. It is no different than an initial ball speed requirement to hit a shot a given distance and how we account for the wind's effect.    

 

1 hour ago, bladehunter said:

Do tell.  It’s very close to a drill I was given where you take a 5 foot putt and work out how many in a row you can make. Set that PR mark and daily try to beat it under 30 minutes.   It’s an amazingly good drill for start line and speed.  
 

And for what it’s worth. I too see putts as a movie image of the balls path.  I get what he’s saying completely.  One of the greatest putters alive describes a very similar mindset. 

Much appreciated as all I was trying to do was put out the process that actually made me a competent putter and some may get it and some may not, but it has done wonders for me, and I was a terrible putter.  Regardless of the actual math of the putt, I see it as an acceleration, which I control, and a deceleration, which is out of my control, and it gave me a plan and a reference that travels to any course.  My only concern is with the part of the putt that I am in control of which is getting the ball to my "acceleration point" so I don't see a 10 foot putt on flat ground as a 10 foot putt, I see it as a 5 foot putt on my reference greens, but it may be 3 feet on fast greens, or 7 feet on slow greens but I work that out within a few putts when I play a different course.  Even if the 10 foot putt has break in it, it is 10 feet and straight, it just means that the aim point of the putt is outside of the hole some amount in order to get ball to roll over the apex of the putt. In the putt below I wouldn't even see the actual hole that the ball will roll into, I would see a point roughly half way along the aim point line that I would need to accelerate my ball to and then I have done my job and the rest of the putt is out of my control and this greatly helped me with my distance control. I hope I am making sense but if not just let me know and I will gladly clarify further but the main thing is that it gave me a plan and a reference to work from which is the main purpose of my post.  

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Righty to Lefty

[bladehunter]

14 minutes ago, Righty to Lefty said:

There is an exact amount of speed required to hit a putt a given distance depending on how fast or slow the greens are and that is what I calibrated my mind to see whether or not that is exactly happening or not. In my mind I see the ball accelerating to a certain point and then decelerating the rest of the way to the hole and I always find that point along a putt's given line of travel as I am tracing it from the hole back to my ball. I noticed that anytime a putt came up dreadfully short or long it was because I was tricked by what I saw often from not looking at the putt from both sides.  

 

We have had this discussion on your other website and you banned me, but if on this site you can't see what I am saying then you should move on because it wasn't meant for you as I don't agree with much of what you teach, but I didn't / don't call your teachings "bogus," I just stated what I came up with from having played the game both right and left handed and how I learned how to get it done and I feel that it can be a benefit. I came up with a technique that helped me to visualize how I expected the ball to roll and it has done wonders for my putting regardless of whether it fits exactly into the math of a putt or not but I don't see how you can disagree with me stating that a golf ball has a different acceleration and deceleration phase depending on whether or not it is uphill, downhill, or flat. A 10 foot flat putt may need to actually accelerate to 6 feet before it decelerates due to friction but I would be willing to bet it is somewhere in the 5 foot ball park for all but the fastest or slowest greens. It is no different than an initial ball speed requirement to hit a shot a given distance and how we account for the wind's effect.    

 

Much appreciated as all I was trying to do was put out the process that actually made me a competent putter and some may get it and some may not, but it has done wonders for me, and I was a terrible putter.  Regardless of the actual math of the putt, I see it as an acceleration, which I control, and a deceleration, which is out of my control, and it gave me a plan and a reference that travels to any course.  My only concern is with the part of the putt that I am in control of which is getting the ball to my "acceleration point" so I don't see a 10 foot putt on flat ground as a 10 foot putt, I see it as a 5 foot putt on my reference greens, but it may be 3 feet on fast greens, or 7 feet on slow greens but I work that out within a few putts when I play a different course.  Even if the 10 foot putt has break in it, it is 10 feet and straight, it just means that the aim point of the putt is outside of the hole some amount in order to get ball to roll over the apex of the putt. In the putt below I wouldn't even see the actual hole that the ball will roll into, I would see a point roughly half way along the aim point line that I would need to accelerate my ball to and then I have done my job and the rest of the putt is out of my control and this greatly helped me with my distance control. I hope I am making sense but if not just let me know and I will gladly clarify further but the main thing is that it gave me a plan and a reference to work from which is the main purpose of my post.  

 

 

 

No I get it. Completely. I see all breaking putts this way. I can see the spot where it will turn. After the turn it’s just a gravity fed decelerating roll.  
 

I don’t think folks who putt flat greens get this because they don’t deal with extreme slope.  I rarely see a truly flat putt.  So it’s always finding the apex and trying to feed it to the hole. 

[Righty to Lefty]

17 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

No I get it. Completely. I see all breaking putts this way. I can see the spot where it will turn. After the turn it’s just a gravity fed decelerating roll.  
 

I don’t think folks who putt flat greens get this because they don’t deal with extreme slope.  I rarely see a truly flat putt.  So it’s always finding the apex and trying to feed it to the hole. 

The thing is just looking for and being aware of that acceleration point alone fixes so many issues because there is a mandatory speed required to roll your ball over the apex of the putt depending on the line that you pick and it is dependent on your putting style and the speed you prefer to make putts at.  I am more tentative so my putter is VERY heavy so that I get extra travel out of my putts while keeping my stroke comfortable for me and that is why I mentioned the weight component of the putter and how it has to speak to your mind's eye because each of the three putts in the photo below require a different speed and aim point to go in and that is very important to understand the speed at which you prefer to make putts. I rarely if ever take break out of putts and bang them home so the read for my putt is much different than a more aggressive type of putter. 

  

Edited May 2, 2023 by Righty to Lefty

[iacas]

Not a fan of debating things that aren't fact by "agreeing" or not. Facts are right or wrong, opinions are different.

 

Spoiler

1 hour ago, Righty to Lefty said:

We have had this discussion on your other website and you banned me

 

That's a complete falsity, but in a world where a ball accelerates for 50% of a putt, it's maybe unsurprising you see it that way?

 

1 hour ago, Righty to Lefty said:

it wasn't meant for you as I don't agree with much of what you teach

 

I can see how, given that what I teach is based in reality. 😉

 

1 hour ago, Righty to Lefty said:

I didn't / don't call your teachings "bogus,"

 

I'm calling your physics bogus… because they are.

 

1 hour ago, Righty to Lefty said:

I don't see how you can disagree with me stating that a golf ball has a different acceleration and deceleration phase depending on whether or not it is uphill, downhill, or flat.

 

Because it's not reality.

 

1 hour ago, Righty to Lefty said:

A 10 foot flat putt may need to actually accelerate to 6 feet before it decelerates due to friction but I would be willing to bet it is somewhere in the 5 foot ball park for all but the fastest or slowest greens.

 

A putted golf ball is, except in the rarest of cases, decelerating from the moment they're struck. They are almost never (rarest of cases) accelerating.

 

Edit to add: I'll make it easy on you — I'm going to add you to my ignore list here, and will not reply to you or your posts unless you directly reply to me, or tag/@mention me. Feel free to add me to your ignore list, and you can continue to enjoy whatever world you exist in where balls going uphill are accelerating 75% of the way to the hole.

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by iacas
Addendum, Hidden

[Anthony Stevens]

43 minutes ago, Righty to Lefty said:

The thing is just looking for and being aware of that acceleration point alone fixes so many issues because there is a mandatory speed required to roll your ball over the apex of the putt depending on the line that you pick and it is dependent on your putting style and the speed you prefer to make putts at.  I am more tentative so my putter is VERY heavy so that I get extra travel out of my putts while keeping my stroke comfortable for me and that is why I mentioned the weight component of the putter and how it has to speak to your mind's eye because each of the three putts in the photo below require a different speed and aim point to go in and that is very important to understand the speed at which you prefer to make putts. I rarely if ever take break out of putts and bang them home so the read for my putt is much different than a more aggressive type of putter. 

  

 

With all due respect to BH, whose posts I really enjoy, I think the notion of "apex" is a squirrelly little bugger. In the image above, if the thick green line is the actual path the ball takes to the hole, then where is the "apex" that you envision when you are running your movie in your head? Is it a single point, as the word "apex" implies?

 

This looks to me like a 16" left-to-right breaker with a more or less constant slope. The aim point is the dotted line.

 

If your aim point is to some "apex" at ANY POINT along that thick green line, save for maybe the first handful of inches, where the aim point and the green line sort of intersect, you will miss the putt low/right.

 

I get that people see putts differently, but I would be careful about the specific language/instruction as some people take it very literally.

 

p.s. as far as the acceleration/deceleration stuff, I agree with others that this is very misleading. All putts decelerate from the instant they start to be impacted by friction from the green (and maybe even the instant they leave the putter face, I don't know). If accelerate/decelerate is a feel that helps with distance control, then so be it, but feel isn't real, etc.

 

 

[Righty to Lefty]

22 minutes ago, iacas said:

 

That's a complete falsity, but in a world where a ball accelerates for 50% of a putt, maybe I can see how you've twisted it to see it that way?

 

 

I can see how, given that what I teach is based in reality. 😉

 

 

I'm calling your physics bogus… because they are.

 

 

Because it's not reality.

 

 

A putted golf ball is, except in the rarest of cases, decelerating from the moment they're struck. They are almost never (rarest of cases) accelerating.

 

Edit to add: I'll make it easy on you — I'm going to add you to my ignore list here, and will not reply to you or your posts unless you directly reply to me, or tag/@mention me. Feel free to add me to your ignore list, and you can continue to enjoy whatever world you exist in where balls going uphill are accelerating 75% of the way to the hole.

@iacas You have got to be kidding me....you often say FEEL ISN'T REAL!! I agree that the physics of things state that the ball's highest velocity will occur just after impact and that putts are decelerating from that point onward, but if I come on here saying it in the proper way which is to "monitor the speed and initial velocity of your putts", how far do you think I will get?  Shoot I mention D plane and ball flight laws and most people's eyes glaze over because they aren't tracking when those principles govern every shot that is ever hit and you banned me from your site for mentioning that understanding impact is orders of magnitude more important than trying make a perfect swing because you teach a swing method, but in this case you just want things to be math driven which I am finding ironic at the moment.