Putting
Complete Putting Guide
Everything You Need to Putt Better — From Basics to Pressure Tests
April 8, 2026 · 5 min read · Stephen Pickering
Everything You Need to Putt Better — From Basics to Pressure Tests
April 8, 2026 · 5 min read · Stephen Pickering
This is a hub page. It links to every putting guide on the site — drills for distance control, pressure tests, green reading, home practice, and the best apps. Bookmark it. Come back whenever you need a putting tune-up.
Putting accounts for roughly 40% of your total strokes. Read that again. Nearly half the shots you take in a round happen on the green — and most golfers spend less than 10% of their practice time there. That’s the gap. That’s where the strokes are hiding.
Tour pros average fewer than 29 putts per round. The typical 15–20 handicapper? Closer to 36. That’s seven strokes — the difference between a good day and a forgettable one — and almost all of it comes down to three things: distance control on lag putts, confidence inside six feet, and a structured way to practise both.
This guide pulls together everything I’ve written about putting into one place. Each section covers a different area of the game, with a short summary and a link to the full article. If you’re serious about dropping strokes, start with whichever section matches your biggest weakness. If you don’t know what that is yet — start with three putts. That’s where the quickest wins live.
No fluff. No theory for the sake of it. Just the drills and techniques that actually move the needle on the practice green and on the course.
Three putts are the fastest strokes to eliminate from your scorecard. They almost always come from the same place: poor distance control on the first putt. You leave it six feet short or blow it four feet past, and suddenly you’re grinding to save par from a distance that should have been a tap-in. Fix lag putting and the three putts disappear.
How to Stop Three Putting: 7 Drills That Work
Seven scored drills targeting distance control and pressure — the two skills that eliminate three putts. Includes the Lag Ladder, Clock Drill, and 100-Putt Challenge.
Read the full guide →How to Improve Putting Distance Control
A deep dive into speed over line — why distance control matters more than aim, and the specific drills that build lag putting feel from 20 to 40 feet.
Read the full guide →On the course there’s consequence. Miss a three-footer and it costs you a stroke, a hole, sometimes the match. On the practice green there’s nothing on the line — which is exactly why most putting practice doesn’t transfer. Pressure drills close that gap by building stakes into every session: restart penalties, consecutive make requirements, and target scores that force you to focus.
Pressure Putting Drills: 6 That Actually Work
Six drills that simulate on-course pressure. The 3-2-1 test, the par-18 challenge, and four more that punish casual practice and reward focus.
Read the full guide →Putting Challenge Games: 7 Pressure Drills
Seven challenge-format games that make putting practice competitive. Play against your own score, a mate, or a target — and watch your short putts tighten up.
Read the full guide →You can have the best stroke in the world and still miss if you’re reading the wrong line. Green reading is a learnable skill, not a talent — and most amateurs get it wrong because they rush it. Walk the full line. Read from below the hole. Factor in grain, moisture, and slope before you set up. The difference between a good green reader and a poor one is process, not instinct.
How to Read Greens in Golf
A step-by-step system for reading any green. Covers slope assessment, grain direction, speed reads, and the common mistakes that add putts to your scorecard.
Read the full guide →You don’t need a practice green to get better at putting. A flat section of carpet, a coin as a target, and 15 minutes a day builds the stroke consistency and focus that transfers directly to the course. It won’t replicate green speed — but that’s not the point. Home practice is about reps, rhythm, and building the habit of structured sessions.
How to Practice Putting at Home: 8 Drills
Eight drills you can do on carpet with zero equipment. Gate drills, ladder drills, and focus exercises that build a repeatable stroke in your living room.
Read the full guide →Tracking your putting data is what separates intentional practice from aimless ball-rolling. The right app tells you exactly where your putting is strong and where it’s costing you strokes — so you know which drills to prioritise next. Scoring Zone was built specifically for this: scored drills, automatic tracking, and a putting performance breakdown that shows you the full picture.
Best App to Improve Putting in 2026
A comparison of the top putting apps available right now — what each one does well, where they fall short, and which one fits your practice style.
Read the full guide →Stephen Pickering
3-handicap golfer with 25 years on the course. Built Scoring Zone to bring structure and pressure to short game practice. Writes about what actually works from the practice green, not the press box.
Scored drills. Automatic tracking. A putting breakdown that tells you exactly where to focus. Try it free.
Download Scoring Zone Free →Full access to all drills, stats, and features. No payment required.
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