Mastering the Setup: How to Improve Your Putting Game

When it comes to lowering your golf scores, few areas offer as much potential for easy gains as putting. While driving the ball 300 yards might feel more exciting, it’s the short game — and especially putting — where consistency truly separates average players from great ones. And it all starts with setup.

The Foundation: A Reliable Putting Setup

A proper setup creates the conditions for a smooth, repeatable stroke. Without it, even the most expensive putter can’t save you.

Here’s a simple breakdown for setting up to putt:

1. Feet and Alignment:
   Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, forming a stable but relaxed base. Your toes, knees, hips, and shoulders should all be square and parallel to your target line. Imagine railroad tracks: your body is on one rail, the ball is on the other.
2. Ball Position:
   For most golfers, the ball should be positioned slightly forward of center — usually just inside your lead foot. This allows you to strike the ball with a slight upward motion, which helps it roll cleanly rather than skid or bounce.
3. Eye Position:
   A key fundamental: your eyes should be directly over, or slightly inside, the ball. A helpful check is to drop a ball from the bridge of your nose — it should land on or very close to your target ball. If it doesn’t, adjust your stance or posture until it does.
4. Grip Pressure:
   Light grip pressure is essential. Think about holding a tube of toothpaste without squeezing any out. Tension in your hands travels into your forearms and shoulders, which can wreck your stroke’s smoothness.
5. Posture and Stroke:
   Your back should be straight, with a slight tilt from the hips. Let your arms hang naturally, with your elbows slightly bent. From here, your stroke should feel like a simple rocking motion with your shoulders, not a hands-and-wrists affair.

Simple Strategies to Practice Putting

Once you’ve got your setup dialed in, practice is where real confidence is built. Here are a few practical drills and habits that will sharpen your putting:

1. The Gate Drill:
   Place two tees in the ground just slightly wider than your putter head. Set up and stroke the ball through the "gate" without hitting the tees. This builds both face control and consistency. For an extra challenge, place a second gate about a foot ahead to check your start line.
2. Distance Control Ladder:
   Place a few markers (coins, tees, or ball markers) at 3, 6, 9, and 12 feet. Putt one ball to each marker, trying to stop it as close as possible without going past. This sharpens feel and touch — especially critical for lag putting.
3. One-Handed Putting:
   Practice hitting putts with only your trail hand (right hand for right-handed golfers) on the grip. This isolates your stroke and prevents excessive hand manipulation. Once you add your lead hand back in, the stroke often feels more stable and natural.
4. Routine Repetition:
   The best players have a pre-putt routine that’s identical every time, whether it’s for a 2-footer or a 30-footer. Practicing your routine during practice — not just your stroke — locks in mental calmness under pressure.

Final Thoughts

Putting is as much about confidence as it is mechanics. A great setup builds trust, and smart, structured practice turns that trust into performance. The next time you step onto the practice green, spend five minutes refining your setup and another ten focused on drills. You’ll likely find that not only will your putts start rolling truer, but your scores will drop without needing to overhaul your entire swing.