Putting Technique Drills
Must try drills to improving your putting technique
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to Golf Monthly Newsletter Newsletter

Golf Monthly created this content as part of a paid partnership with TaylorMade. The contents of this article are entirely independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Golf Monthly.
In this video on putting technique drills, Dan Grieve, Head Professional at Woburn Golf Club, offers some fantastic advice on how to improve your stroke
Putting Technique Drills
In this video on putting technique drills, Dan Grieve, Head Professional at Woburn Golf Club, offers some fantastic advice on how to improve your stroke.
Putting Technique Drills
Setup
It’s important that your eyes are over the ball - or somewhere in the region of the boundaries of the ball - so that when you tilt your head at address to see the line, they are tracking down the line of your putt. If you are standing too far away, then you will tend to have your eyeline pointing to the right. If you’re too far over the ball, your eyes will start to track to the left.
So, try this: get into your address position and drop a ball from your eyes. If it lands on or around the ball on the ground, then you know you’re in the right position.
Another factor is making sure you have a hip-width stance - really imagine that your lower body is encased in concrete. It should be really solid because we don’t want a lot of excessive hip movement during the stroke.
Related: Beginners Guide To Chipping
Different Putting Grips
There's no right or wrong grip - it's about personal preference. However, I would not recommend adopting the same grip you use in the long game, as this is designed to create wrist hinge and speed through the shot whereas, with putting, it’s about locking your wrists for maximum control.
Reverse Overlap
The reverse overlap, shown here, is the most commonly used putting grip. The great thing about this grip is that it locks your left hand, meaning you’ll get good control of the club face through the stroke.
Left Hand Below Right
One of the reasons why some players opt for this grip is that it gives a little bit of an arch in the left wrist. It can level up the shoulders and encourages a lower, stronger follow through; it’s a grip that will help you if you are pulling your putts.
Claw
Here, the fingers of your right-hand rest on top of the grip with your thumb underneath. Players like this because it feels like it takes a little bit of right hand out of the grip.
Start lines
Try this simple drill to establish whether you're able to consistently start the ball on line.
Place two tee pegs a foot in front of you at address, a ball to a ball-and-a-half’s width apart, creating a gate.
Hit 10 putts and see how many you can get through the gate. Most golfers have a pattern. If you're consistently hitting the ball through the middle, then you're starting the ball on line.
However, if, for example, you're hitting the right peg three or four times, that should trigger an alarm. It may be something to do with your setup or your stroke, but at least you have diagnosed it and you can go about fixing what would be a push.
Technology Can Help
Alignment is arguably the most important factor when it comes to putting and, if there’s any advantage you can get, you should definitely consider it.
The TaylorMade Pix golf balls feature a ClearPath Alignment that not only helps with aim, but it shows how well you're rolling the ball end over end.
Related: TaylorMade TP5 Pix Balls
I'm using them in the video above (also pictured), and I can recommend giving them a go.
-
-
How Many Tours Does The PGA Tour Run?
The PGA Tour runs a number of different professional golf tours, from feeder circuits to its over-50s PGA Tour Champions
By Ross Kilvington • Published
-
Padraig Harrington Reveals 'Most Impressive Driver I've Played With'
Padraig Harrington has praised Denmark Nicolai Hojgaard as the "most impressive driver" he's played with
By Ross Kilvington • Published
-
How To Plumb Bob A Putt
Learning how to plumb bob a putt could help you better identify subtle breaks, but only if done correctly
By Fergus Bisset • Last updated
-
How To Grip A Putter
We run through some of the options when it comes to how to grip a putter
By Jeremy Ellwood • Last updated
-
Putting Drills For Distance Control
In this video, PGA pro Katie Dawkins shares some tips that will lead to more consistency on the greens
By Katie Dawkins • Last updated
-
Strong And Slight Arc Putting Tips
Understanding your arc can help you to groove a better stroke
By Golf Monthly • Last updated
-
Which Hand Leads In Putting?
Dan Grieve, head pro at Woburn Golf Club, answers the question
By Golf Monthly • Last updated
-
How To Stop 3-Putting!
By Neil Tappin • Published