As we explained in the last blog post, putting is a very important part of golf, which you should practice a lot. Of course, one could argue that instead of putting, you could also practice your long game, so that you always get the golf ball so close to the flag that you don't have to practice long putts anymore. But it will take a very long time until you have implemented the changes in your golf swing so that you can apply them correctly at every shot. It is much easier and more effective to develop your putting skills and to work more on those.
In the last blog post, we introduced you to the “Clock Drill” exercise. With this exercise, you can practice short putts with different breaks.
Today we are going to explain the exercise “1-2-3 Drill”. It is a good exercise to find your rhythm when putting. Whether you practice it before a golf round or at the end of a practice day, the exercise will help you get a confident and consistent putt movement. That way you will have more confidence on the course to achieve more birdies and lower results.
How does the 1-2-3 putting drill work?
Find a hole on the practice green where you will have a putt that is as straight and even as possible. Now measure three different distances from the hole and mark them with tees. The tees should be on a straight line and also be at the same distance from each other. For example, at a distance of one, two and three meters from the hole. These are good distances to start with this exercise. After a few successful rounds, you can of course extend those distances. Now it's about putting three or five golf balls from the shortest tee. If you make all three or five putts, you can switch to the next tee. Repeat the process at this distance. Putt all the golf balls again, then switch to the last tee. If the ball doesn’t go in, start again from the first tee.
You can of course also modify the exercise and, for example, set up in between distances, e.g. putt from 1.5 and 2.5 meters, as well. Or you could challenge your training partner by trying the exercise and seeing who needs the fewest attempts to master the exercise.
If you are able to master the exercise perfectly, you can also close your eyes when doing it, as the next step. Get ready to putt first and then close your eyes and try to make the putt. You should only try this version of the exercise when you are already very familiar and confident with your putting movement and have found your rhythm.
The exercise should give you a feeling for different distances and help you adapt the rhythm of your putt movement to the respective distances. Just like the “Clock Drill” exercise, the exercise should also build up your self-confidence so that you don't lose your nerve in competition situations.
With putting drills it is particularly important to repeat them over and over again. Set them up in roughly the same place every week and do a few repetitions. This is how you can measure your progress and build up your confidence.
With putting drills, it is important that you try out many drills and choose a few that will best help you. In the next few blogs we will introduce some other drills to you so you can make the best choice for yourself.
We hope you will enjoy trying them out!
