The first putt’s job is to make the next one manageable. Practice should tell you whether that is happening.
Long putts in the 30–60 foot range have been a clear weakness in my round notes. At Ute Creek on October 4, I estimated that putting cost another three or four strokes on top of the bunker trouble. That estimate helps choose a practice priority. It does not tell me exactly how much a new drill will save.
Three things worth separating
Read, starting line and pace can all leave an awkward second putt. If every attempt is judged only by whether the ball goes in, it is hard to know what changed. This session gives the start line a short check, then spends most of the time on distance and finishing the hole.
Five minutes: a starting-line gate
Choose a fairly straight putt around five to eight feet. Place two tees about a foot in front of the ball, with a ball-width gap and a little clearance. Roll five putts through. Widen the gate if it is too demanding. Remove the tees and roll five more from the same spot.
Record gate passes separately from holed putts. Passing the gate checks the early roll; it does not prove the read or pace was right.
Fifteen minutes: the 30–45–60 ladder
Mark three distances on a quiet part of the practice green. Play one ball from each, always holing out. Repeat three times, changing the order for each circuit. Nine first putts should produce nine complete holes.
| Distance | Second putt left | Total putts |
|---|---|---|
| 30 feet | ___ feet | ___ |
| 45 feet | ___ feet | ___ |
| 60 feet | ___ feet | ___ |
Repeat the three rows for each circuit. Count two-putts or better out of nine, then note the longest second putt. A three-foot circle is a useful practice reference if it suits your ability, but the aim is to improve from your own baseline, not pretend every long putt should finish inside it.
Five minutes: finish short putts from different sides
Put four markers roughly three feet around a hole. Make three circuits, reading and resetting before each attempt. Count makes out of twelve. Different sides introduce different slopes and keep the drill from becoming twelve repetitions of one familiar line.
What to look for next time
Use a similar slope and pace for a practice comparison. Once your distance judgment improves, change slopes deliberately. On the course, record first-putt distance, second-putt distance and total putts in the round notebook. Do not compare only total putts across rounds: the number of greens hit and starting distances matter too.
Session record: gate passes ___ / 5 · two-putts or better ___ / 9 · longest second putt ___ feet · short-putt makes ___ / 12.
The most revealing part is often the second putt you used to rake away. Finish it. That is the stroke you are trying to make easier.