[O.B.Left]

Alternatively, what is your best drill for improving distance putting.

OK this is outside of TGM maybe. But here is something that has helped me with distance control:

-make it as much like throwing darts or a ball is you possibly can. Dont get bogged down in the process or the mechanics , trust your eye to prescribe to your hands the proper amount of lag pressure to apply to the putt.

-dont get caught up in how accurate your practice stroke is weight wise. Its a rehearsal to awaken you pressure points only. If a practice stroke gives you cause to mentally critique its mechanics , its done you a disservice. In this case forego the practice stroke or do it behind the ball instead of beside it.

-when you get over the ball take a long cold look at the hole and "take a picture" of it in your minds eye.

-Keep that "picture" in your mind as you return your gaze to the ball and let er go................. Putt to the picture.

That's it. It works. Tiger does this. With your mind on the target instead of extreaneous mechanics or whatever your brain directs your hands to dole out the proper amount of lag pressure as it does when you're throwing a ball or similar.

As for a drill...... Take a bunch of balls and without any practice strokes to gauge the weight......putt to different holes at various distances. All the while merely "putting to the picture". Turn your conscious weight scrutiny tendencies off and just let er go. You'll notice that your distance control goes awry when you lose the "picture" while making the stroke. So dont. Some days its easier than others........cest la vie.

The eyes, the brain can direct the hands to do amazing things ........if left alone. You couldnt throw a ball a prescribed distance properly if your thoughts turned to something mechanical.......the position of your elbow or the length of your arm travel or whatever.

When Im really putting well the ball and the clubhead disappear........its just a picture of the hole in my minds eye and the pressure points in my hands. The more Im conscious of the putter head's travel the more Im steering it.


Trust your eye. This method works for all shots by the way. Driver to putter.