RATCHET UP THE PRESSURE
GET USED TO MAKING THE ONES YOU NEED TO MAKE
My mainstay drill on tournament days is the “five-foot-circle drill” ( above ). Place 12 balls down evenly apart in a five-foot-diameter circle around the hole. Use a hole with some slope so that you get 12 putts of the same length. Most of the time I’ll hole all 12, but should I miss one, I’ll go back and sink that putt at the end of the drill – or I have to start over again. I’m often confronted with five-footers on the first two or three holes out on the course, and this exercise gives me the confidence to sink those putts (the ones that can make or break a good round). Because I’ve made a ton already with this drill, I’m relaxed hitting them when I play. This drill also forces you to focus on starting the ball on a good line, which is far more important than speed on these “should make” putts.
This drill is one I’ll frequently end a practice session with – and I won’t allow myself to go home until it’s completed. Set four balls down in a spiral pattern at 5, 10, 15 and 20 feet from a hole. Then hit them ( above ). Add up the total distance of putts made and repeat this four-ball setup three more times to different holes. The goal: Make 75 feet worth of putts in a maximum of 16 tries. Just as if you were playing a tournament or an important match, you want the mind-set of trying to make each putt, for sure, but should you miss, leave the ball as close to the hole as possible. This is great for improving speed control, and, more importantly, getting you comfortable with holing putts when pressure is mounting. Use it, and you’ll soon become a clutch putter. Just don’t tell anyone about this drill. It’s our secret!
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