Golf Tips: Pre-Round Putting Drill

Looking for some putting tips to help improve your game? PGA Professional Shanon Hoyt has the perfect drill to work on your putting skills.

“Your pre-round putting routine should differ a little from your practice routine. When you come out to the golf course prior to your round, what you’re really trying to do is get a feel for the greens that day,” Hoyt says.

For this warm up drill, start in your natural putting stance. Look down at your feet and gauge how far apart they are; this is how long your putt stroke should be. In other words, do not make your stroke longer or shorter than the width of your stance.

Practice putting five balls using this stroke technique and be sure to use the same tempo each time.

After you’ve putted the five balls, you should have a good understanding of how far the ball rolls with this consistent stroke. From there, you can determine what your stroke should look and feel like based upon what distance putt you have out on the course.

Green speed and conditions can change on any course from day to day, so understanding how they’re rolling before you tee off is crucial to your score.