Improve your speed on sloping putts with this top teacher’s drill

You’ve likely felt the frustration of reading a putt perfectly only to miss it because your pace was off. Whether you’re chronically lipping putts out due to your hammer hands or your birdie opportunities stop short, speed control is a skill you can train just like everything else in golf. And this two-tee drill from Cameron McCormick, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, can help. 

To set up McCormick’s putting drill, find a relatively straight putt on a slope. Place two tees about an inch apart in the middle of the cup’s edge, as McCormick demonstrates in the video below.

Drip on downhill putts

When practicing downhill putts, be sure the tees are on the side closest to you. Then, place a ball five feet away and hit it. Your goal for downhill putts is to have your ball make its final revolution as it’s falling into the hole.

This might be different from what you’re used to doing, as some players think that hitting a downhill slider hard removes break and increases your chances of making the putt. We all know the saying, “Any putt is straight if you hit it hard enough.”

But according to McCormick, this strategy actually reduces the effective size of the hole, lowers your chances of making the putt and leaves you a long one on the way back. Instead, he says to think drip. If you’ve done it right, your ball will balance on the two tees you’ve set up.

Drive on uphill putts

On uphill putts, the tees should be on the far side of the cup. Again, place a ball five feet away and hit it. This time, your objective is to get the ball to the back of the cup. For uphill putts, McCormick says to think drive. You’ll know you’ve nailed it when your ball crashes into the two tees on the back side of the cup. 

As you get comfortable with this drill and can consistently complete the uphill and downhill objectives, gradually move your ball back. Maybe a couple of feet at first, then a few more as you improve, and before you know it, you’ll be able to drain these tricky putts on the course.

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