Putting

Distance ladder

Putting to progressively longer and shorter targets with a consistent rhythm builds the pace judgment behind reliable lag putting.

intermediateOne full ladder up and down per session, 3 times a weekTees, coins or towels as markersA practice green with varied length

How to perform it

  1. 1.Set targets — tees, coins or towels — at several distances, such as 10, 20, 30 and 40 feet.
  2. 2.Putt to the nearest target first, then work your way up to the farthest.
  3. 3.Keep the same stroke tempo at every distance, varying only the length of the stroke to control pace.
  4. 4.Reverse direction, from far to near, to reinforce feel from both ends of the ladder.

What you should learn

  • How stroke length, not stroke speed, should be your main tool for controlling distance.
  • A consistent tempo that holds up regardless of putt length.

After a few weeks of practice

Putts from distance finish within a tighter radius of the hole, and three-putts from long range drop off noticeably.