You should be putting with a purpose while you practice. I'm going to explain the 4 keys to successful putting, and give a drill or two for each to help you out.
1. Striking the center of the putter consistently: Striking the putt in a different place on the putter face will make the putt go a different distance each time, and as you will learn in #3, distance control is pretty important.
Drill 1: Wrap two rubber bands about 3/4" to an inch apart around the sweet spot of the putter. The closer the rubber bands are, the more precise your contact will have to be. If you don't contact the putt in the sweet spot you will get immediate feedback from the rubber bands that you didn't.
Drill 2: The Gate Drill- Put two tees in the ground at address position, one just outside the toe of the putter and another just outside the heel of the putter. The closer the tees are to the putter, the more precise your strike will have to be. Hit putts making sure you do not clip the tees as you strike the put.
2. Starting the putt on its intended line: If you cant start the ball on your intended line, you have no chance at making a putt, this key is critical to putting well.
Drill: The two gate drill- The first part is set up the same way as drill 2 of Key #1, but in addition to the gate surrounding your putter, you need another gate no more than half way to the hole that is about 3 inches apart. Your goal is to stroke the putt without hitting the first gate, and make the ball go through the second gate without touching the tees. That way you know the ball started online.
3. Distance control: This is the most important part of good putting! There are hundreds of drills for distance control, but ill give you my favorite two.
Drill 1: From about 30 feet, place a club or flag stick about 18 inches behind the hole. But at the hole, but not necessarily trying to make the putt. Instead, just try to stop the ball between the back of the hole and the club/flag. You will be surprised how many putts actually end up going in!
Drill 2: Using 8 tees, put one in the ground about 15 feet from the hole, then put one on the exact opposite side of the hole at the same distance. From each side, in a straight line going away from the hole, place another tee in the ground every 3-4 feet. Start at the first tee on either side, and the goal is to putt the ball and make it stop no more than 18 inches past the hole. Once you do that, you circle to the other side of the hole and the first tee there, and putt to 18 inches. If completed, circle back around to the first side and putt from the second tee.. keep doing that until you have completed all 8 putts in a row. If you ever hit a putt and it does not rest between the front edge of the hole and 18 inches past, you must restart from the first front tee.
Competition Tip: The best tip I have received about distance control in competition is from Mitch Lowe (PGA), he told me: When you are getting ready for competition, make sure you will be ready if you are faced with a 40 foot birdie putt on the first hole.
4. Reading the green: Green reading is an art, you must train your eye in order to learn how to read greens correctly.
Drill: For 15 minutes while you practice, use only one ball, and pick a different putt each time. Before you putt, read the green as you would in competition and place a tee or a coin at your "aimpoint" or the high point of the break of the putt. After you putt, whether make or miss, evaluate the actual line and break point of the putt versus what you decided your aimpoint would be. This will help train your eye to reading greens better.
Combining these keys to putting with focused practice will knock strokes off your score in a hurry, guaranteed!
Good Luck!
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