String Drill for Proper Putting Technique
This week, Cody Alexander, Bloodline’s 4th generation, demonstrates a putting drill using a string to work on your technique. This drill ensures your stroke is straight back and straight through, so when you hit the ball, it’s square.
This is important, because if you can aim properly using the Bloodline putter, and you know you’re making a square impact with your stroke, then you’ve eliminated two variables. You’ve eliminated your aim, and you’ve eliminated your stroke, so all you have left to work with is read and speed.
To prepare the drill, you need a string about 12 feet long. You can use any length, but this length will help you practice putts that are 10 feet and shorter. You want to have enough room to make your stroke.
Pick a hole that has a fairly straight line. You need to tie the string around a tee and position the tee behind the hole. Stretch the string out to full length and attach the other end to something a little taller, about 8 - 10 inches high. You can use a knitting needle, a skewer, chop sticks, a tent stake, etc.
When you’re doing this drill, you want to focus on making sure your putter is going back and forth along the string. When you set up, you should have the string dissecting the putter head, so your eyes are right over the top of the string.
Just swing the putter back and forth, getting a feel for it before you hit the ball. If there is a slight break to the hole, make sure you line up the string to accommodate that.
To start the drill, set a ball down about 2 feet in from the end of your string. Hit 10 putts from about 10 feet out, with the goal of making the majority of them, and preferably ending on a putt that you make. So, if you get to 10 and you miss it, keep going until you make one. You want to see that ball drop.
An important part of this drill is to make sure you go through your regular routine on every putt. It’s easy to mindlessly hit putts when you’re practicing, but you won’t be doing that on the course, so you want to practice the way you play.
So, take a step back and go through your routine every time you putt. Double check the line, make sure the ball is centered under the string, step up and put your putter down, walk behind it, and make sure you’re aimed right where you want to be. Then come back and stand over the ball, lightly grip the putter, and make a smooth stroke.
This will help you with distance control, getting it to go down the line and speed.
Click here to watch the video.