Putting Aim Drill: Start Line and Short-Putt Confidence

Why practice aim with one ball at a time

Short putts are often remembered as “almost made,” which tells you very little about the pattern. A consistent right miss, repeated left misses, and putts that reach the line but stop short are different outcomes. Aim putting gives you a target and a place to record that difference after every ball.

One ball per target also removes the immediate second attempt that can flatter a practice score. You place the ball, aim the putter, make the stroke, and accept the result. The next target adapts to the outcomes you enter.

The drill uses configured mat distances in the 3–10-foot range and can vary the start position. That adds a useful setup task: a putt from the top dotted line must be aimed from that line, rather than from the familiar center mark. You practice establishing the start direction as well as moving the putter.

Set up the mat and understand top versus bottom

Open Advanced settings and enter the zones and aim distances printed on your mat. These are shared settings across the putting drills. Stand a tee upside down in the hole as the app instructs, then check which start position is displayed.

Top means the mat edge farthest from your feet when you stand side-on to putt; bottom means the edge closest to your feet. Center means the center line. Keep that interpretation consistent. It is separate from the result pad’s long-at-the-top and short-at-the-bottom layout.

The result pad’s left and right are judged while looking down the putt toward the target. A start from the top line does not automatically mean a Left result. One describes where the ball begins; the other describes where the putt finishes.

Aim putting app tutorial

1. Open and start the drill

   Use the direct link on this page and tap Start session after checking your mat setup. The app presents a distance and start position.

2. Place one ball at the displayed position

   Use the correct distance marker and the stated center, top, or bottom line. Aim from that actual position rather than relocating the ball to a convenient mark.

3. Hit one putt

   Use a short, repeatable setup routine. Observe where the ball finishes relative to the target; do not take an unrecorded second attempt at the same task.

4. Tap the 3×3 result pad

   Choose Made in the center for a successful target result. Otherwise choose the direction: short, long, left, right, or a corner. The top row is long and the bottom row is short.

5. Continue with the next adaptive target

   The default made target is 60%, adjustable from 30% to 90%. The configured bonus target appears after four made in a row; missing a bonus does not break the run.

6. Finish and review the pattern

   Look beyond the overall made percentage. Repeated left or right results are a reason to examine setup and start line; short or long results suggest a separate pace question. The app does not diagnose the mechanical cause.

How to make the stroke practice useful

Set the face carefully before making the stroke, and use a routine you can repeat without excessive rehearsal. A small ball-alignment mark can be a useful reference if you already use one, but the drill does not require it. The purpose is to aim from each new position and deliver an observed result.

If a directional pattern appears, check your aim before trying several stroke changes. A consistent miss can come from initial alignment, face delivery, pace, or the mat itself. Test one question at a time and record the next block. A coach or a simple video can add information the app cannot measure.

When pace dominates the misses, use Distance putting for a separate block. If you want a mixed practice session with three attempts at each target, use Adaptive putting. Keeping the formats distinct makes the record easier to interpret.

Read the score without overstating it

The 60% setting controls the app’s desired challenge difficulty. It is not a PGA Tour comparison or a prediction of your make rate outdoors. A flat mat, a tee target, and a real hole on a sloped green are different tasks.

Compare sessions with the same mat setup and settings. If you move to a different mat or change the target distances, note it before interpreting a rising or falling percentage. More honest information is useful even when the score initially looks worse.

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from Adaptive putting?
This format logs one putt and its direction at each target. Adaptive putting gives three attempts and asks which one succeeded first.

Does the next target adapt?
Yes. The app responds to your recorded makes and misses within the configured target setup.

What if I tap the wrong result?
Use Undo promptly and enter the intended outcome. Correcting an entry keeps the pattern more useful than leaving a known mistake in the session.

Keep practicing

• Distance putting tutorial
• Adaptive putting tutorial

Explore every golf practice drill →