We all want to putt better, but let’s be honest. Most of us don’t have hours to spend on the practice green. Between work, family and everything else life throws at us, finding time to work on your game feels impossible.
Here’s the good news: you don’t need hours. You need 15 focused minutes.
I’ve seen players drop three to five strokes off their scores in a matter of weeks by committing to a simple daily putting routine. Not because they discovered some secret technique, but because they practiced the right things consistently. This workout hits every critical aspect of putting without wasting a single minute.
Why 15 Minutes Works
Your brain learns through repetition, not marathon sessions. Fifteen minutes of focused practice every day beats two hours on Sunday. You’re building muscle memory and developing feel, which happens through consistent exposure, not exhaustion.
Plus, you’ll actually do it. A 15-minute commitment is manageable. You can knock this out before work, during lunch or while dinner’s cooking. The key is making it non-negotiable, like brushing your teeth.
The Warm-Up: Three Minutes
Start with three-footers. I know, they seem too easy to bother with, but this is about building confidence and establishing your stroke rhythm.
Place four balls around the hole at three feet, one at each compass point. Make all four, then move them to different positions. Do this for three minutes straight. If you miss, start that set over.
This isn’t just about making short putts. You’re grooving your stroke when there’s no pressure, establishing the tempo and face control that you’ll need for everything else. Think of it like a musician playing scales.
Distance Control: Six Minutes
This is where most amateurs lose strokes. You three-putt not because you can’t make putts, but because you leave yourself impossible second putts.
Set up at 20 feet from the hole. Hit five putts, trying to get each one inside a three-foot circle around the cup. Don’t worry about making them. Focus entirely on speed.
Then move to 30 feet and do the same thing. Then 40 feet if you have room.
Pay attention to how your stroke changes with distance. You’re not hitting the ball harder, you’re making a longer stroke. The tempo stays the same. This is crucial. Most people try to add speed by jabbing at the ball, which destroys consistency.
After each putt, notice where it would have finished. Would you have an easy second putt? This mental feedback is what builds your distance computer.
Breaking Putts: Four Minutes
Real golf happens on slopes. Place three balls at different positions around the hole, each about eight to ten feet away, each with different break.
Hit each putt once, then move to the next position. Repeat this circuit for four minutes.
You’re training your eyes to read break and your hands to match that read. Don’t get frustrated if you’re not making everything. You’re gathering data about how putts break on this green at this speed.
One key thing: commit to your read. Pick your line and trust it. Indecision kills more putts than bad reads.
Pressure Putts: Two Minutes
End with something that matters. Place a ball at six feet. Tell yourself you have to make three in a row before you can leave.
This creates just enough pressure to simulate what you’ll feel on the course. Your heart rate goes up a little. Your hands might get slightly tense. Perfect.
When you make those three in a row, you’re programming your brain to expect success under pressure. You’re building a highlight reel of made putts that you can draw on during your round.
Making It Stick
Do this workout on a real green whenever possible. If you can’t get to the course, a putting mat at home is better than nothing, though you won’t get the same distance control practice.
Track your progress. Keep a simple note on your phone: how many three-footers you made, how many you got inside three feet from distance, how many tries it took to make three six-footers in a row. You’ll see improvement quickly, which keeps you motivated.
The beauty of this routine is its simplicity. No complicated drills. No equipment beyond a putter and some balls. Just 15 minutes of purposeful practice that covers everything you need.
Your playing partners will notice the difference before you do. They’ll see you lagging that 40-footer to tap-in range. They’ll watch you drain the six-footer for par without hesitation. And they’ll ask what you’ve been working on.
Tell them: 15 minutes a day. That’s all it takes.
