Putting Drills at Home
You can practise putting at home with just a putter, a few balls and a stretch of carpet. Indoor drills won't teach you to read real slopes, but they're brilliant for your aim, your stroke and a solid, centred strike.
Ten minutes a few evenings a week adds up quickly. Here are seven drills that need almost nothing.
What you need
- A putter and three to six golf balls
- A strip of carpet or rug, the longer the better
- A few coins, two books or two pencils
- A mug or glass on its side, or a putting cup if you have one
- Optional: a mirror and some tape
A flat, short-pile carpet is best. Thick pile slows the ball and can make it bounce off line.
1. The gate drill
Set two pencils or tees on the carpet, just wider than your putter head, about a foot in front of your ball. Putt through the gap without touching either side. Then make the gate narrower. This trains a square face and a straight start line, which is most of what makes short putts drop.
2. The coin drill
Put a coin on the carpet a few feet away and try to roll the ball over it. A coin is a much smaller target than a hole, so when you go back to a real cup it'll look huge. Try it from 3, 6 and 9 feet.
3. The ladder drill
Lay a book or a stick across the far end of the carpet as a backstop. Putt one ball to stop just short of it, then try to stop each next ball a little shorter than the last without touching the one before. When a ball goes past the previous one, start again. This is one of the best ways to train speed control indoors.
4. The skirting board drill
Put the putter head against a straight skirting board or a wall, with the ball a few centimetres away from it. Make slow strokes keeping the heel of the putter close to the wall without touching it. It shows you instantly if your putter swings wildly off line.
5. The one-handed drill
Hit five short putts holding the putter in your lead hand only, then five with your trail hand only. It sounds odd, but it shows which hand is taking over and helps your hands work together.
6. The mirror check
Stand over a ball in front of a mirror, or put a small mirror on the floor under your eyes. Check that your eyes are over the ball or just inside it, your shoulders are square to the target line and your putter face is aimed straight. Tape a line on the floor to make it easier to see.
7. Eyes-closed putting
Hit a putt with your eyes closed, then guess whether it finished short, long, left or right before you look. It sharpens your feel for how hard you hit the ball, which helps on the course when nerves kick in.
A 10-minute home routine
| Minutes | Drill | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | Mirror check | Setup and aim |
| 2-4 | Gate drill | Start line |
| 4-6 | Coin drill | Precision |
| 6-9 | Ladder drill | Speed control |
| 9-10 | Five putts in a row to the cup | Finish with confidence |
Keep score where you can, so you can see yourself improve week to week. For outdoor practice around the green, our short game practice drills pick up where this leaves off, and how to putt better covers the stroke itself.
Try it in Mashy
Carpet drills are great for your stroke, but they can't give you a sloping green. Mashy can: its greens have mounds and slopes, and the drag-and-release putting stroke trains your sense of pace. In Mashy's practice mode you can replay any hole of the selected course as often as you like, which makes it a handy way to fill a spare few minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really get better at putting at home?
Yes. Home drills improve your aim, stroke path, strike and feel for distance, which are a big part of good putting. What they can't do is teach you to read real slopes and green speeds, so combine them with time on a practice green when you can.
What can I use instead of a putting mat?
A flat, short-pile carpet or a smooth rug works well. Use a mug or glass on its side as a hole, coins as small targets, and books or pencils for gates and backstops. A hard floor is too fast for most drills, so stick to carpet if you can.
How long should I practise putting at home?
Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty, and doing it a few times a week is better than one long session. Short, focused practice keeps your attention sharp. Mix up the drills and keep score so it doesn't become mindless repetition.
Should I practise short or long putts at home?
Mostly short putts, from about 3 to 8 feet, because indoor space is limited and these are the putts that decide your score. Use the ladder drill for speed if you have a long hallway. Save long lag putts for a real practice green, where the speed and slope are realistic.
Can Mashy help with putting practice?
Mashy can help with feel for speed and break, because its greens have real slopes and the putt is a drag-and-release stroke. Practice mode lets you replay any hole as often as you like, for free in your browser. It's a complement to real practice, not a replacement.