When was the last time you went to the practice putting green first ? Do you ever go to putt before you hit range balls ? Have you ever spent over an hour practicing putting ? Most golfers we know hit too many range balls and get themselves worn out . Because of this fatigue , they then forgo the practice putting green . But putting is how you score . The men and women on tour beat one another with their putters . Most amateur golfers say they “ should practice putting ” but don ’ t . My advice is to go to the practice putting

green first . Park your golf bag next to the practice putting green and make the putter the first club you hit , every day .

Ben Hogan called putting , “ the game within the game .” Getting comfortable and simply thinking of putting as the game within the game , will be enlightening for you . Make putting something you enjoy , not a chore , because comfort and confidence on the greens is the ultimate goal .

Here are some of my favorite drills for how you should approach your practice on the putting green :

The 12-Pack Drill Struggling with three-putting ? Hit 12 putts from 30 feet and try to get them as close to the hole as you can . You ’ re not trying

to make these putts , you want to get them near the hole and create an easy two-putt .

Place 12 golf balls on the practice green , 30 feet from the cup . Mark your starting point with a golf tee . For each putt , go through your pre-shot putting routine . Roll all twelve putts to the cup , one at a time , doing your pre-shot routine first . Take your time watching each putt roll to the hole , and after 12 putts , judge whether you hit them too long , too short or off-line .

Go back to the starting point that you marked with a golf tee and reset the 12 balls . Aim at the same hole , go through the same process and roll 12 more putts . After 24 putts , evaluate again . Note that you did better the second time !

ADAM SMITH