Top Tips for Putting Practice at Home Like a Pro

According to the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), in 2023 alone, 26.6 million people in the United States played on a golf course. Of these players, 3.4 million played on an actual golf course for the first time.

If you're also planning to try golf, one of the most crucial shots you need to learn and master is putting. Luckily, it's easy to do putting practice at home, considering it doesn't involve full swings.

Practicing with home golf drills and exercise can improve putting accuracy, help lower scores, and set you up for success in future games.

If you're unsure where to start, don't worry. Our team at Northland Country Club in Duluth, MN, put together this guide so you can learn how to practice putting at home.

Establish a Space for Putting Practice at Home

A study published on Springer Link noted that about 70% of shots played in golf are for those made in and around a putting green. So, putting is undoubtedly a critical aspect of golf that plays a significant role in driving or lowering scores.

For that reason, it pays to have a practice area at home where you can develop and hone proper putting skills.

Ideally, it should resemble an on-course putting green's smooth, level ground with short grass. A spacious outdoor area at home with these features, preferably with a fence to prevent the ball from going too far, would make for excellent practice. If you don't have this, you can use your basement or garage and set up a putting mat.

Adopt a Deliberate Practice Mindset

According to Psychology Today, deliberate practice is imperative to achieving expertise. It involves attention, rehearsal, and repetition. On the other hand, regular practice can just be mindless repetition, the results of which could be negligible or short-lived.

So, when you practice putting at home (or the golf course, for that matter), you want to have the right golf mindset with a clear goal in mind. For example, you can start by deliberately practicing 3-foot putts; once you've nailed them ten times in a row, you can move on to 6-foot putts. Do the same deliberate practice with 6-foot putts before moving on to 9-foot putts, 12-foot putts, etc.

Practice With a Mirror

One of the putting drills at home that you'll read about later involves using a putting mirror. It's an inexpensive training aid that:

• Features a reflective surface
• Provides instant feedback on your eye position and head and body movements
• Allows you to check and correct the alignment of your putting face

A putting mirror is also portable, letting you practice with it at home and on the course. It's an excellent investment if you're serious about getting more effective putting practice and lower, better golf scores.

Include These Drills and Exercises in Your Routine

Developing a routine with drills and exercises is one of the most effective at-home or indoor putting tips. If your routine includes deliberate practice, it can soon become second nature, making you likelier to practice even more.

Here are some top golf putting exercises and drills to add to your practice routine.

Putting Mirror Practice Drills

If you watch tour players putt, you'll see their eyes are usually directly above, slightly inside, or just right behind the ball. It's the same eye position you want to mimic, as it lets you see and look down the line straight to the cup.

If your eyes are too far forward, it can look like your aim is toward the left when it's not. If they're too far inside, you may think you're aiming right, but again, you're not.

So, to improve your putting accuracy, practice with a mirror. With this on the ground, you'll see where your eyes are at, and you can improve your alignment. The more you practice this, the more consistent you can become in placing your eyes on the right spot to see the line.

Yardstick Drill

The yardstick drill can help improve your putting accuracy and speed.

First, put a flat yardstick on your practice area or putting mat, with one end close to the edge of the cup. Next, position the ball on the other end of the yardstick. Now, try putting the ball.

Your goal should be for the ball to stay on the yardstick before finally dropping down the hole.

A slightly open putter face will cause the ball to fall off the yardstick and roll to the right. Conversely, a putter face that's too close to the line of impact can force the ball to roll toward the left of the stick.

If you hit the ball with too much force and speed, it'll likely roll above and past the hole. If you hit it too lightly, it won't reach the cup and may roll to the left or right. But if you focus on returning the face to square on the line, your path and speed should improve until you can make the ball:

• Roll straight
• Stay on top of the yardstick
• Fall into the hole

Aim to get five correct putts for a 3-foot putt in a row for your first challenge. Once you achieve this, keep challenging yourself by moving the yardstick farther from the cup.

Four Corners Exercise

Place a golf ball on four corners at least four feet away from the cup, using the hole as the middle mark. Move in a clockwise direction, putting each ball toward the cup.

If you have enough time, try to do about 20 practice putts. What's important is to do this exercise every day, if possible, to help you gain a sense of confidently judging short putts.

Putt Away With More Confidence

Devoting enough time to putting practice at home can help you sharpen and strengthen your short game on the course. So, keep our tips and strategies in mind, and you'll be on your way to lowering your scores.

If you want to improve your game with expert instruction, the seasoned golf pros at Northland Country Club in Duluth, MN, will gladly help.

Reach out to us today to book your golf lessons! You'll surely love our practice range, which has state-of-the-art facilities and boasts incredible views of Lake Superior.