PUTTING · DRILL GUIDE
Ladder Putting
Balls on one line from the hole. Hole enough of them to move back a rung, rung by rung, until you clear the last one.
Free in your browser. Also on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
WHY IT WORKS
The problem, and the fix
Holing out from one distance is one thing; doing it as the putts get longer, with every ball counting, is what holds up on the course. Without it, your pace and confidence fade as soon as the putt gets a few feet longer.
The goal: Hole enough from each distance on one line, and climb the ladder out to the last rung.
Staying on one line keeps the read the same, so the only thing that changes is the length. That puts your pace control front and center.
How it works
Five steps from the first rung to the top of the ladder.
- 1Use a hole with a tee or the flagstick in it, or a putting cup. Pick a straight line from the hole and put all your balls at the first rung (2 feet to start).
- 2Putt one ball at a time from the same spot, then tap Made or Missed.
- 3Putt every ball at the rung. Hole enough (3 of 4 to start) and you move back a rung, 2 feet further on the same line.
- 4Miss the rung and the band flashes red, and you try that rung again (or, in Settings, go back one rung or to the start).
- 5Clear every rung (out to 8 feet to start) and you’ve won: the session finishes itself.
SEE IT IN ACTION
On iPad, iPhone and the web
Ladder Putting looks the same everywhere: in your browser on a phone, a tablet or a computer, and in the iPhone and iPad app. On a wide screen it uses two columns, so the buttons stay in reach.
AFTER A MISSED RUNG
Clear a rung, move back
Every ball at the rung is putted before it’s judged. Hole the pass rate (75% to start, so 3 of 4) and the band flashes green and the ladder moves back a rung.
Fall short and it flashes red. You choose what happens next: try the rung again, go back one rung (you lose the last rung you cleared), or go back to the start.
Settings
Settings follow you between your devices when you sign in. Changes start with the next rung; the rung you’re on keeps its rule.
3 to 8 balls (4 to start). Pass rate 25% to 100% in steps of 5 (75% to start); it rounds up, so it stays put when you change the number of balls.
First rung 1 to 10 feet (2 to start), move back 1 to 5 feet after each rung cleared (2 to start), last rung 2 to 20 feet (8 to start).
Try it again (to start), Back one rung or Back to the start. Settings also has Keep the screen awake on the website, and Discard session while one is going.
Progress and badges
The insight box shows your chance of making this putt and of clearing this rung: both estimates, from how far it is and your recent putts from there.
Your make rate over your recent putts, days practiced, ladders climbed, the furthest rung you’ve cleared and your total putts.
For each distance: putts, the share made and how many rungs you cleared there. The graph puts each putt at its distance from the hole, holed or missed, climbing as you clear rungs, with a ✓ or ✕ over each rung. Every session has its own page, putt by putt.
First session, 100 ladder putts, 5 made in a row, Top of the ladder (clear every rung out to the last) and Clean climb (every rung without missing one).
Coaching tips
A straight, gentle line keeps the drill about pace. Try a breaking line once you can climb the ladder.
Aim to have the ball just reach the cup. A putt that races past leaves you nothing to learn about pace.
When the last rung feels easy, push it out, take smaller steps between rungs, or add a ball.
SOUND AND HANDS-FREE
Keep your hands on the club
With Sound on, the app says the rung and ball before each putt (“4 feet, ball 2 of 4.”). Spoken cues are off to start: turn them on in Profile, or with the drill’s Sound button for one session. Results are never read aloud. Turn on Hands-free and it listens for your answer. Things you can say:
Works in browsers with speech recognition, such as Chrome and Safari, and in the iPhone app. You can always tap instead.
Questions
How is it different from Circle Putting?
It’s the same drill on one line: all the balls at each rung go from the same spot, so the read stays the same and only the length changes.
Do I have to putt every ball at a rung?
Yes. A rung is judged only when every ball at it has been putted.
Can I change the distances?
Yes, in Settings: the first rung, how far you move back and the last rung.
Does it work on the Apple Watch?
Yes, with Made and Missed buttons. It also runs on iPhone and iPad, with the same history when you sign in.
Can I turn the animation off?
Yes: Profile ▸ Animations. With it off (or with Reduce Motion on your device) nothing moves, and the next target shows straight away.
Ready for Ladder Putting?
Open it in your browser and start your first climb. Practice as a guest, or sign in to sync with the iPhone app.
By David Golfs · Questions? david@davidgolfs.com