Replicate on course pressure with this putting ladder drill

It can be difficult to know how to work on your pressure putting. It’s not easy to replicate the feeling of nerves you might encounter on the course when you’re on the practice green. This putting ladder drill can help.

We know how important holing out from a short distance is. We also know how frustrating it can be when you miss those putts that you know you should be making. This drill is a great way to work on holing out more often, and you can add an element of pressure to it as well.

The putting ladder: How to do it

Set up three tees as I have done in the image above. You want the first to be around three feet, the second to be around five feet, and the third to be around eight feet. The idea is that you can hole all three, consecutively, in order to move up the ladder. If you miss one, then go back to the start. If you really want to add pressure, tell yourself that you can’t leave the putting green until you’ve completed it.

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You might think that this will be straightforward, but it may well be a challenge. In particular, a eight foot putt to complete this drill might get a little nervy. Remember, an eight foot putt is where PGA Tour players will make half of their putts and miss half of their putts. So, don’t beat yourself up if you miss from here.

Add slope for more challenge

If you do find this to be straightforward, then work on doing this on putts with break in them. If you can complete the ladder on a difficult left-to-right or right-to-left slope, then you’re doing very well. You want this to be within reason, but adding upslopes and downslopes to this can really make this a difficult test.

Alistair Kyle is the senior PGA Professional at Turnberry and a member of the bunkered Performance Panel. You can find out more about his coaching HERE.

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor