Inside 10 Feet: The Scoring Zone

Drive for show, putt for dough. While the long game is about power, the short game is about precision. Making putts inside 10 feet is the fastest way to lower your handicap. You don't need to be strong or flexible to be a world-class putter; you just need a repeatable routine and a square face.

1. The Golden Rule: Face is King

On a 5-foot putt, the path of your stroke barely matters. The direction the ball starts is determined 90% by the angle of the putter face at impact. If the face is open 1 degree, you miss right. If it is closed 1 degree, you miss left.

The Gate Drill:

• Find a straight 3-foot putt.
• Place two tees in the ground just wider than your putter head (the "gate").
• Practice swinging your putter through this gate without hitting the tees.
• This forces you to hit the center of the face and keeps your stroke pure.

2. The "Listen" Drill (Stop Peeking)

The #1 cause of missed short putts is "peeking." You look up to see if the ball is going in before you have actually hit it. When your eyes move, your shoulders open, and you push the putt to the right.

• The Fix: Commit to keeping your eyes glued to the grass under the ball.
• The Test: Hit a 3-footer and do not look up until you hear the ball rattle in the bottom of the cup. If you see the ball go in, you failed the drill.

3. The Clock Drill (Pressure Practice)

You cannot simulate tournament pressure on the putting green unless you add a consequence.

• Setup: Place 4 balls around the hole like numbers on a clock (12, 3, 6, 9) at a distance of 3 feet.
• The Goal: You must make all 4 in a row.
• The Consequence: If you miss the very last putt, you must start over from the beginning.
• Progression: Once you master 3 feet, move back to 4 feet. This drill builds the mental toughness required to make that 4-footer on the 18th hole to break 90.

4. Use the Line

Most golf balls have a line or text on the side. Use it.

• Crouch down and aim that line exactly at your target.
• When you stand over the ball, trust the line. Do not second-guess your aim from the standing position (your eyes play tricks on you from up there).
• Your only job is to roll the ball end-over-end along that line.

Additional Reading

To turn your putting into a weapon, check out these resources:

• Tiger Woods' Favorite Gate Drill: A look at the simple "two-tee" drill Tiger has used for 20 years to ensure he hits the sweet spot every time.
• Phil Mickelson's "Circle Drill": A variation of the clock drill that Phil uses to dial in his range from 3 to 6 feet before every round.
• The "Quiet Eye" Technique: An article explaining the science behind keeping your eyes still and how it dramatically increases putting percentage.