Pressure putting from short range

Setup

1. Pick a hole with a gentle slope. Push tees in at 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m along one line to it: roughly 3 to 6 feet, the putts every round is full of.
2. Players work in pairs, one putting and one counting; with more pairs, use a different hole for each pair.

How it runs

1. Putt from 1 m, then 1.5 m, then 2 m. Holing all three in a row banks one set.
2. Miss any of them and collect the balls: the set starts again from 1 m.
3. The partner says the score aloud before every putt ("two sets, last ball") to add a little pressure.
4. Swap after five minutes. The player with more sets wins; then try a new line with more break.
5. Do your full pre-shot routine on every putt, even the 1 m one.

Coaching points

• Pick a spot on the back of the cup and roll the ball firmly enough to finish about 30 cm past if it misses.
• On short putts, firm pace takes out most of the break: aim inside the edge, not outside it.
• Keep the head and eyes still until well after impact; listen for the ball dropping.
• Breathe out before you take the putter back; the same rhythm at every distance.

Common mistakes

• Easing off on the last putt of a set and leaving it short or dying off the line.
• Skipping the routine on the 1 m putt because it looks easy.
• Looking up early to watch the ball.