Putting Series/Part 3: Train Your Putting Stroke: Build Consistency, Control Distance, and Make More Putts

Stuart Lambert

Sep 8

12 min read

Fit the putter. Build the setup. Train the stroke. Control the distance. Make more putts.

In our previous discussion about putter fitting, we established an important principle:

The golfer should not have to fit the putter. The putter should fit the golfer.

We started with posture, natural arm hang, eye position, ball position, distance from the ball, and the relationship between the forearms and putter shaft. Once we establish a comfortable and repeatable setup, we can determine the appropriate putter length, lie angle, loft, head design, alignment system, grip, and other specifications.

Now we have a golfer in a good setup with a putter that fits. So, what comes next?

Train the stroke.

And for most amateur golfers, I believe one of the best places to begin is distance control.

You can have a beautiful-looking putting stroke, but if you consistently leave 30-foot putts eight feet short or roll 20-foot putts six feet past the hole, you are going to struggle.

Putting is ultimately about controlling two things: Direction and distance.

The putter face plays a major role in where the ball starts. Your stroke and impact conditions influence how the ball rolls. But once you can consistently start the ball reasonably close to your intended line, speed becomes enormously important.

That is why good putting practice should not simply be about making putts.

It should be about learning to control the golf ball.

Stop Trying to Build the "Perfect" Putting Stroke

Watch enough professional golf and you will quickly notice something interesting. Great putters do not all look alike.

They use different putters.
They use different grips.
They have different postures.
They have different tempos.

Some strokes appear more straight back and through. Others have a more noticeable arc.

Some golfers stand taller. Others bend more.

There is no single putting stroke that every golfer needs to copy. What great putters tend to have, however, is repeatability.

They can consistently:

Return the putter to the ball
Control the putter face
Strike the ball solidly
Start the ball near their intended line
Control the speed
Predict how the ball will react

That should be our goal.

We are not trying to make your putting stroke look perfect. We are trying to make it predictable.

Predictability creates confidence.

Build a Consistent Stroke

Once we have established the setup, I want the golfer to make a stroke without unnecessary manipulation.

The shoulders, arms, hands, and putter should work together. The wrists should generally remain quiet rather than actively flipping the putter through impact. The head and lower body should remain relatively stable. The putter should move back and through with a natural rhythm.

One of my favorite thoughts is simply: Let the putter swing.

We do not need to hit the ball. We need to roll it.

That sounds simple, but many amateur golfers become extremely "hit-oriented" with the putter. They take the putter back, then accelerate the hands at the ball. That can make distance control difficult because the golfer is constantly changing how much force is applied through impact.

Instead, we want to develop a stroke with a consistent rhythm and predictable relationship between stroke length and distance.

Distance Control: Learn How Far the Ball Rolls

Here is where putting practice becomes interesting.

Ask a golfer:

"How far does your 7-iron go?"

They may immediately say:

"About 155 yards."

Ask:

"How far does your driver go?"

Maybe the answer is 240, 260, or 280 yards.

Now ask:

"How big of a putting stroke do you need to roll the ball 30 feet?"

Most golfers have no idea. They rely almost entirely on feel.

Feel is important, but feel becomes more reliable when it is trained.

Think about wedge play.

A golfer may learn that a particular length backswing produces approximately 50 yards, another produces 75 yards, and another produces 100 yards.

We can develop a similar relationship in putting. Not because we want the golfer standing over a 27-foot putt calculating inches of backswing. We don't.

Instead, practice teaches the brain what different distances feel like.

The objective is to develop a library of experiences:

This is what 10 feet feels like.
This is 20.
This is 30.
This is 40.

The more often you practice different distances, the better your brain becomes at matching stroke length and energy to the putt in front of you.

The Lambert Golf Academy Distance-Control Principle

When practicing long putts, I want golfers to change the definition of success.

From 30 or 40 feet, success should not be measured only by whether the ball goes into the hole.

Instead, ask:

Did I control the distance well enough to give myself a reasonable second putt?

Imagine a three-foot circle around the hole.
From longer distances, that circle becomes our performance zone.
The goal is simple:

Get the first putt inside the circle.

Now we are practicing the skill that helps eliminate three-putts.
A putt that finishes 18 inches from the hole is an excellent putt whether it finishes short, long, left, or right.
A putt that finishes eight feet away is not even if it happened to cross directly over the center of the hole along the way.
That distinction changes how you practice.

Drill #1: The Ladder Drill

This is one of my favorite distance-control drills because it is simple and requires very little equipment.

Place markers at approximately (see chart below):

10 feet – 20 feet – 30 feet – 40 feet
Start at 10 feet.
Roll one ball toward the target.
Then move to 20 feet.
Then 30.
Then 40.
Your objective is not necessarily to make every putt.
Your objective is to finish each ball as close to the target distance as possible.

Once you reach 40 feet, work your way back:

40 – 30 – 20 – 10
Why go backward?
Because golf does not allow you to gradually work your way into every distance.
You might have a 40-footer on one hole and an eight-footer on the next.
The ability to adjust quickly is an important putting skill.

Make It Harder

Once you become proficient, stop using perfectly even distances.

Try: 12 feet – 27 feet – 18 feet – 36 feet – 9 feet – 42 feet

Now you are practicing distance recognition rather than memorizing a sequence.

Drill #2: The Three-Foot Circle

Place tees approximately three feet around the hole to create a circle.

Now hit putts from (see chart below):

20 feet30 feet40 feet50 feet
Hit three balls from each distance.

Give yourself:

1 point for every ball that finishes inside the circle.
Your maximum score is 12.
Record your score.
Next time you practice, try to beat it.

This is important because now practice becomes measurable.

Instead of saying"I putted pretty well today." You can say "I scored 8 out of 12 from 20–50 feet."

Then next week "I scored 10."

Now we can see improvement.

Drill #3: Leapfrog

Place one ball approximately 10 feet away.

Your next putt must finish past the first ball, but as close to it as possible.

Then hit another ball that must finish past the second. Continue "leapfrogging" the balls.

This drill teaches extremely fine speed control because there is no hole involved. That is intentional. Sometimes golfers become so focused on making the putt that they stop paying attention to how the ball is rolling.

Remove the hole and the objective becomes purely: Control the distance.

This is an excellent drill for developing touch (you got it, see chart below).

Drill #4: Putt to the Fringe

This may be the simplest distance-control drill in the entire article. Forget the hole.

Stand approximately 20–40 feet from the edge of the putting green and roll balls toward the fringe.

Your goal is to have the ball stop as close to the edge as possible without reaching the fringe.

Why do I like this drill? Because it completely removes line and green reading.

There is only one question: Can you control the speed?

Try five balls.
Then change your distance and try again.
You will quickly learn whether you tend to leave putts short or send them too far.

Drill #5: One Ball, Different Distances

This may be one of the most important drills for transferring practice to the golf course.

Take one golf ball. Not five. Not ten. One.

Pick a hole approximately 15 feet away.
Go through your complete routine and putt.
Then walk to another location—perhaps 35 feet away.
Putt again.
Then 8 feet.
Then 25.
Then 45.
Every putt should be different.
Why?

Because this is how golf works.

On the course, you do not get five attempts at a 30-footer. You get one. You have to read it, determine the speed, commit, and execute.

Block practice: hitting several balls repeatedly from the same location is useful when developing a skill.

But eventually we need random practice that looks more like playing golf.

Drill #6: The Gate Drill for Start Direction

Distance control is our primary focus, but we cannot ignore start direction.

Place two tees slightly wider than your putter head and create a "gate."

Position the ball in the center.
Make strokes without touching either tee.
Once that becomes comfortable, create another gate a short distance in front of the golf ball using two tees slightly wider than the ball.

Now the challenge becomes:

Can you start the ball through the gate?
Start from approximately three to five feet.
You do not even need a hole.
The objective is simply to start the ball through your intended window.
This gives you immediate feedback.

If you repeatedly miss the gate, something is happening with your face control, path, strike, or setup.

Drill #7: The Clock Drill

Place balls around the hole at approximately three feet:

12 o'clock3 o'clock6 o'clock9 o'clock
Make all four.
Then move to four feet.
Then five feet.

The objective is to develop confidence on short putts while experiencing different slopes and breaks around the same hole.

For a more difficult version, place eight balls around the hole.

Do not leave the station until you make every putt.
Now we have introduced consequence.
And consequence creates pressure.

Drill #8: The Two-Putt Challenge

Take one golf ball and choose nine different holes around the practice green.

Your first putt should ideally be at least 20 feet. Play every hole as if you were on the golf course.

Your objective:

Two-putt every hole.
Keep score.
A two-putt is par.
A one-putt is birdie.
A three-putt is bogey.
Nine holes gives you a putting par of 18.
Try to shoot 18 or better.

This is one of my favorite ways to finish a practice session because suddenly you are no longer doing a drill.

You are playing golf.

Short Putts: Train Start Direction and Confidence

When we move closer to the hole, the emphasis changes.

From three or four feet, distance control becomes less important than starting the ball where you intend. This is where I like gate drills, chalk lines, alignment strings, and straight putts.

Find a relatively straight three- or four-foot putt.

Pick your line.
Set the putter.
Make the stroke.
Listen for the ball to fall into the cup.
Do not make major mechanical adjustments after every miss.
Instead, look for patterns.
Are you consistently missing left?
Consistently right?
Are you striking the toe?
The heel?
Are you changing your setup?

Patterns provide information. One miss does not.

Medium Putts: Combine Line and Speed

From approximately 8–15 feet, putting becomes a combination of:

Read + Start Direction + Speed
This is an excellent range for practicing complete putts.
Pick a putt.
Read it.
Choose your starting line.
Visualize the speed.
Make one stroke.
Then move somewhere else.

Again, resist the temptation to rake five balls into the same spot and keep trying until you make one.

That can make us feel successful without necessarily making us better.

Long Putts: Stop Trying to Make Everything

This is particularly important for amateur golfers. From 30, 40, or 50 feet, your primary objective should usually be distance control. Of course we would love to make the putt. But we should not become so aggressive trying to hole a long putt that we create a difficult second putt.

Think: Give it a chance. Control the speed. Leave a manageable second putt. If we can turn a 40-foot putt into a routine two-putt, we have accomplished something valuable.

Practice With Your Eyes

Here is another excellent distance-control exercise.

Hit a few long putts while looking at the target rather than the golf ball.
This is a practice drill, not necessarily a recommendation for how you should putt on the course.
The objective is to connect your visual perception of distance with the movement required to roll the ball that distance.

You can also make your normal stroke and, immediately after impact, guess where the ball finished before looking up.

Short?
Long?
Inside three feet?
Then look.
This develops awareness.

Over time, I want the golfer to know from the feel of the strike and stroke whether the speed was good.

Build a Pre-Putt Routine

A consistent stroke also benefits from a consistent routine. Your routine does not need to be complicated.

It might look something like this:

1. Read the putt.

Determine the overall slope and break.

2. Determine the speed.

Ask yourself where the ball needs to finish and how quickly it should be moving as it approaches the hole.

3. Pick a starting line.

Give yourself a clear target.

4. Make a rehearsal stroke.

Feel the distance.

5. Address the ball.

Set the putter, establish your setup, and look at the target.

6. Commit.

Once you are over the ball, stop solving the problem.

7. Roll it.

Trust the read and the stroke.

A routine helps separate planning from execution.

Do your thinking before you address the ball. Once you are standing over it, your job is to execute.

A 20-Minute Lambert Golf Academy Putting Practice

You do not need to spend two hours on the putting green. A focused 20-minute session can accomplish a lot.

Minutes 1–5: Start Direction
- Use the Gate Drill from three to five feet.
- Focus on setup, center contact, and starting the ball through your intended window.
Minutes 6–10: Distance Ladder
- Putt to 10, 20, 30, and 40 feet.
- Change distances with every ball.
- Focus entirely on speed.
Minutes 11–15: Three-Foot Circle
- Hit long putts from different locations and try to finish every ball within three feet of the hole.
- Keep score.
Minutes 16–20: Play Nine Holes
- One ball.
- Nine different locations.
- Putt everything out.
- Par is 18.
- Record your score.

Now you have practiced (in 20 minutes): Start direction. Distance control. Green reading. Short putts.Long putts. Pressure. Routine.

Do Not Practice Until You Get It Right

There is an old expression: "Practice until you can't get it wrong."

For putting, I would add something else: Practice until you understand your tendencies.

Good practice gives you information.
Maybe you consistently leave uphill putts short.
Maybe downhill putts make you tentative.
Maybe your speed control becomes worse outside 30 feet.
Maybe you are excellent from three feet but uncomfortable from five.
Maybe your start direction is good, but your distance control is costing you strokes.
Those patterns tell us what to practice next.

That is much more valuable than standing in one spot and hitting the same putt for 30 minutes.

Keep Score When You Practice

One of the easiest ways to improve the quality of your practice is to keep score.

Record:

Gate Drill success percentage
Three-foot-circle score
Ladder Drill performance
Three-putts
Short-putt percentage
Nine-hole putting score

You do not need sophisticated technology.

A scorecard or the Notes app on your phone works perfectly. The important thing is creating a baseline.

What gets measured can be improved.

Instead of saying:

"I need to work on my putting."

You can identify the actual problem:

"My start direction from four feet is good, but from 30–50 feet I am only getting 5 of 12 balls inside three feet."

Now we know what to practice.

Take It to the Golf Course

Ultimately, the practice green is not the goal. The golf course is. When you play, pay attention to your first-putt distance and the distance remaining after your first putt. You do not need to track everything forever, but doing this for several rounds can reveal a lot.

If you repeatedly have four-, five-, and six-foot second putts from long range, distance control deserves attention. If your long-putt distance control is excellent but you miss several three-footers, we have a different problem. Your statistics should help determine your practice.

“Practice with a purpose. Let your performance on the course tell you what needs your attention, and build your practice around it.”

— Stuart Lambert, PGA

The Lambert Golf Academy Putting Progression

Putting improvement should follow a logical progression.

1. Build the Setup

Establish a comfortable, balanced, repeatable position.

2. Fit the Putter

Fit length, lie, loft, head design, alignment, grip, and other specifications to the golfer.

3. Train the Stroke

Develop repeatable movement, face control, center contact, and rhythm.

4. Control the Distance

Learn how stroke length and rhythm produce different distances.

5. Make More Putts

Combine read, line, speed, routine, and confidence.

That is the progression for building a better putting game: Build the setup. Fit the putter. Train the stroke. Control the distance. Make more putts.

The Bottom Line

Better putting does not require a perfect stroke. It requires a repeatable stroke and predictable results. Start with a setup that allows you to move comfortably. Make sure your putter fits that setup. Then train your stroke.

Learn to start the ball where you intend.
Learn what 10, 20, 30, and 40 feet feel like.
Practice different distances.
Create consequences.
Keep score.
And make your practice look more like golf.
Most importantly, remember that a good long putt does not have to go in.
Sometimes the best 40-foot putt you hit all day is the one that finishes 12 inches from the hole.
Tap it in.
Take your par.
Move to the next hole.

That is good putting.

Ready to Improve Your Putting?

At Lambert Golf Academy, putting instruction goes beyond simply telling a golfer to "keep your head down" or "take the putter straight back."

We look at the golfer.
We evaluate the setup.
We evaluate the equipment.
We identify tendencies.

And then we build practice around the skills that can actually improve performance on the golf course.

Build the setup. Fit the putter. Train the stroke. Control the distance. Make more putts.

Stuart Lambert, PGALambert Golf Academy