Five Best Indoor Putting Drills

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In the winter, the snow has started to fall and you’re likely settling in for the holidays with family.  You look outside and think about the empty range and your mind wanders to the golf season past.

Remember that four-footer you missed to win a tournament or bet?

Or that silly three-putt from 20 feet on the last hole when you only needed two putts to break 80 for the first time?

The putter is the great equalizer in golf.  It’s a love-hate relationship that is as old as the game itself.

So here you sit, staring out the window into the abyss wondering what could have been if it weren’t for your lousy putting.  We’ve all been there.

Next season will be here before you know it and you’re bound and determined not to let your putting hold you back.  Next year the putter will become a weapon instead of a crutch.

But how are you going to become a better putter between now and then?  That’s where we come in.  We did the research and asked the experts their opinions on the best ways to improve your putting this winter.

Grab your putter out of your golf bag and read our list of best putting drills you can do at home is below.

Books for Path

You know that old bookcase that’s covered with scores of pages that haven’t seen the light of day since 1992?  Go pick out two hardbacks from that shelf and put them down on the ground.

Take your putter and spread the two books apart so that the putter head can barely fit through the space between them.

Assume your putting stance and make some practice strokes between the books without hitting them on either side.  Feel free to add a ball to this drill once you’re comfortable.

This drill is excellent for developing a repeatable stroke and will help you start the ball on line and make more putts.

Putting Right and Left Handed

This drill is about as simple as they come.

Hitting putts to a specific target one-handed helps you gain a feel for what the putter head is doing during the stroke.  When you do this with both your right and left hands, you’re creating muscle memory that will allow you to repeat your stroke and make more putts.

Putt on a Ruler

Putting well begins with starting the ball on line.  Nothing will help you achieve this more than putting on a ruler.

Lay a 12” ruler down on a flat surface and place a golf at the very end.  Strike the ball watching it roll off the other end of the ruler and you’ll know that you’re starting putts on line.

This drill provides great feedback if you’re pushing or pulling putts and allows you to easily make the necessary adjustments to get the ball rolling consistently toward your target.

Manilla Folder Drill

Speed is the most important aspect in putting.  Just because you can’t get out on a putting green doesn’t mean you can’t work on your speed.

Take a Manilla folder and set it on the floor six to ten feet in front of you.  Take three golf balls and roll them trying to stop them on the manila envelope in front of you.  Even though this sounds simple it is actually quite difficult.

If you’re able to do this drill consistently your three-putts will be greatly diminished next season.

Practice Your Setup

One of the most overlooked aspects of putting is a proper setup.  If your alignment, eye line or ball position are off, putting consistently becomes nearly impossible.

Standing in front of full-length mirror, check your putting posture to make sure your shoulders, forearms and hips are square to the line.

Take note that your eyes are directly over the golf ball and that the ball is placed in the middle of your stance.

Golf is a lot more fun when you’re making putts.  There is no quicker way to shoot lower scores and have more fun than turning your putter into an offensive weapon.  Take just a few minutes each day to work on your putting during the off-season and you’ll be well on your way to shooting lower scores next season.