Golf Drill: Spikes and String for Better Putting

Using these simple tools available at your local home improvement store, you can now actually practice breaking putts.

I have always felt that every putt is a straight putt; however, the tilt of the ground will make the ball move. I don’t have to do anything except start the ball on my desired line, relative to break and speed.

Using two long spikes (the ones I am using are six inches) tie a piece of nylon string (I like the fluorescent type) to the tops of both spikes. Now stretch the string in place by angling the spikes away from each other to make the string as taunt as possible.

You can notice in this photo I am practicing a putt that breaks a little from left to right. The putt needs to be aimed at the left edge, as you can see in the picture, for the ball to break into the middle of the hole.

This drill is great to see where the ball actually needs to start to allow for the break.

Mark Wood is the Executive Director of Golf at the Cornerstone Club in Colorado