The 5 Best Indoor Putting Drills to Improve Your Golf Game
Any golfer, be they professional or amateur, knows that putting is one of the most crucial parts of the game. It’s also one common area that many golfers struggle to improve on, with many golfing enthusiasts prone to mistakes on the putting green.
On average, putting makes up a sizeable percentage of total strokes during any given round, and many experts recommend that more golfers practise putting over straight strokes. Despite the importance of putting, practising it properly often gets neglected, with some golfers trusting luck as a way for them to get strokes down.
On the flip side, practising golf putts is on the agenda of many golfers, but they rarely have the infrastructure, facilities, time, and golf training aids to make it worthwhile.
How Can Golf Putting Simulations Help Refine Practice?
Between trips to the driving range to dial in your swing, and chipping stations to sharpen your short game, squeezing in time at the putting green often falls by the wayside.
Luckily, with the right golfing equipment and technology, you can bring realistic putting practice into the convenience of your own home. Not only that but your putting training can be put to effective use with the help of an advanced golf simulation system, which can allow golfers (of all experience levels) to recreate authentic putting experiences of varying difficulty.
This can be done with the help of a projector and screen setup in a living room, or a custom, purpose-built garden studio for the ultimate golf practice simulation. With the help of precise sensors, advanced analytics, and high-definition graphics, you can master green reading, stroke mechanics, and distance control accurately while enjoying ultimate home convenience.To help you make the most of your at-home golf simulator for putting, here are five of the best indoor putting drills to try. Integrating these challenging and engaging exercises into your routine will have you draining clutch putts like a pro when you return to the course.
5 Indoor Golf Putting Drills to Try
1 – The Ladder Drill
The ladder drill helps ingrain proper speed and pace control, one of the trickiest parts of putting.
To set it up:
- Place a series of tees or markers at 1-foot intervals leading up to the hole.
- Start by attempting to sink a putt from the first tee.
- Leave the ball where it stops and putt from there to the next tee.
- Continue “laddering” up until you reach the hole.
The key is to match distance control to get the ball to stop by each subsequent tee. This drill trains your feel for green speeds, teaching you to gauge putt strength based on distance. Dial in shot power settings on your golf simulator to increase or decrease difficulty.
2 – The Clock Drill
Work on putting from all angles around the hole with the circular clock drill.
- Imagine the hole is the centre of a clock face
- Place a tee/ball marker at each hour from 3 o’clock to 9 o’clock
- Make 10 putts in a row from each tee station
- Focus on precise distance and directional control to get to the hole
This drill improves aiming, alignment and green reading by forcing you to sink putts from different sides. Pre-set custom shot shaping on your simulator to replicate breaking putts.
3 – Obstacle Putting
One of the most effective ways to refine putting shots is to make sure that the putterhead is moving on its intended, straightest path.
Pro golfers often practice their putts by making each ball traverse through a series of obstacles, or by assembling a series of items to keep shots even and maintain distance control.
These can include:
- Placing tees outside the heel and toe of putters or in front of the hole
- Putting coins on putterheads to refine accuracy and stability
- Refining lag control by placing flagsticks or clubs behind the hole and not letting the ball touch it
- Erecting a string over the putter, hole, ball, and line to straighten shots
- Positioning an alignment rod or club against the heel of your putterhead
- Drawing chalk lines or track marks for straight-stroke practice
Navigating a homemade golf course with small refinements trains creativity, accuracy and touch.
4 – One-Handed Drilling
The one-handed putting drill Tiger Woods favours builds a better feel and stability through the stroke.
To integrate it:
- Perform a set of 10 one-handed putts with your dominant hand only
- Then do a set of 10 traditional putts with both hands
- Focus on clean contact and straight follow-through
- Alternate between one and two-handed sets
Locking sensors on golf simulation systems can precisely track face angle and path data to reveal if you’re losing alignment.
5 – Mirror Drilling
Align your eyes, grip, posture and more using mirror feedback:
- Position a mirror behind the ball facing you
- Assume your normal address position
- Check for proper setup elements in the reflection
- Adjust and realign until posture looks correct
With time, your alignment will be ingrained in your muscle memory. Using a simulator for these types of drills can help you flag any positioning and posture issues.
Golf Simulation Systems for Next-Level Putting Practice
Golf Swing Systems offers premium golf simulators designed specifically for skills training at home. Cutting-edge software and high-precision tracking mean you can work on every finesse of your putting game without guesswork. Programmable shot shaping lets you rehearse breaks, slopes and obstacles, allowing you to practice on a wide range of world-renowned courses and putting greens.
Invest in your purpose-built golf studio equipped with a professional-grade simulator to gain a competitive advantage over your golf buddies, and begin training like the pros. Contact Golf Swing Systems to explore bespoke golf simulation cabin designs and premium technology tailored to your space and budget.