Everyone has to start somewhere when beginning to learn a new skill or sport, and golf is no exception. In general, there are two main elements that people practice when it comes to golf: the long game and the short game. The long game is any major swing that gains a lot of yards, generally swings like drives and fairway shots. The short game, as the name implies, is for minor shots, most notably those on the putting green. While the only real way to practice the long game is by going to a driving range or actual golf course, putting can be practiced anywhere and is highly recommended to practice for beginners.

The two elements to putting are accuracy and power. Since accuracy is typically the most difficult, it can be easily practiced in the home or anywhere where there is a flat, even surface and a decent amount of room. Place a cup on one side of the room and try to putt a golf ball into it. Lining up this shot will improve your accuracy over time and can even help reinforce power shots by gauging how much the cup moves when hit.

If you find yourself on the practice putting green of an actual golf course, then there are even more drills one can do to improve this aspect of the game. One of the most popular is to place the golf ball only about a few feet away from the hole. You can “eyeball it” or you can use the length of one club as your measuring stick. Trying making that putt in one shot. If you do, place the ball back two club lengths away or more than a few feet and so on. This will help practice both accuracy and power, as well as the inevitable longer putts you’d encounter during a game.

Putting is one of the most important aspects of golf and one that can be easily taken for granted. Remember the old cliché that practice makes perfect and eventually you’ll be making those green shots in one go before you know it. For more useful golf practice drills, please call us at (800) 530-5248.