Essential Drills to Use with a Putting Mirror for Better Accuracy and Consistency
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A putting mirror is one of the most effective tools for improving your putting game. By helping you visually check your alignment, posture, and stroke path, a putting mirror can help you fine-tune your mechanics and increase consistency on the greens. Here are some drills to maximize the benefits of a putting mirror and elevate your putting skills:
1. Alignment Check Drill
Purpose: To ensure that your eyes, shoulders, and putter face are aligned properly.
How to Perform:
- Place the putting mirror on the ground about 3-5 feet from the hole.
- Stand over the mirror and look down to check your reflection.
- Make sure your eyes are directly over the line on the mirror, and your shoulders are parallel to that line.
- Place the ball in front of the mirror and ensure that the putter face is square to the target line.
- Practice putting with this setup, ensuring that your alignment remains consistent.
Why it Helps: Proper alignment is the foundation of a great putting stroke. This drill helps you check that your body and putter are properly positioned before every putt, helping you avoid misaligned strokes.
2. Gate Drill
Purpose: To improve your stroke path and ensure the putter travels along a straight line.
How to Perform:
- Set up the putting mirror as usual.
- Place two tees in the holes provided on the mirror, creating a “gate” for your putter to travel through.
- Stand over the mirror and make a few strokes without hitting the tees.
- Once you’re comfortable, add a ball and practice putting while ensuring your stroke passes through the gate without striking the tees.
Why it Helps: This drill focuses on developing a straight and consistent stroke. By avoiding contact with the tees, you ensure that your putter follows a straight-back and straight-through path, leading to more accurate putts.
3. Eyes Over the Ball Drill
Purpose: To ensure your eyes are positioned directly over the ball, improving your ability to see the line properly.
How to Perform:
- Place the putting mirror on the ground and stand over it.
- Adjust your stance and posture so that your eyes are directly over the reflection of the ball on the mirror.
- Perform your regular putting stroke, making sure your eyes stay over the ball throughout the stroke.
- Take multiple putts, checking your eye position after each stroke.
Why it Helps: Having your eyes directly over the ball ensures that you’re seeing the line accurately. If your eyes are too far inside or outside the line, you might misread putts or struggle with consistent aim.
4. Gate and Shoulder Alignment Drill
Purpose: To ensure that your shoulders stay aligned and square throughout the stroke, promoting a more controlled movement.
How to Perform:
- Set the putting mirror down and check your eye alignment.
- Use the lines on the mirror to ensure your shoulders are square to the target line.
- Perform a few practice strokes, focusing on keeping your shoulders aligned while passing the putter through the gate.
- Once your shoulders feel stable, add a ball and work on maintaining the same shoulder alignment during your stroke.
Why it Helps: Shoulder alignment plays a crucial role in controlling the putter. This drill helps build muscle memory to keep your shoulders square, which leads to more consistent, controlled putts.
5. Distance Control Drill
Purpose: To develop feel for controlling the length of your putts while maintaining proper alignment.
How to Perform:
- Place the mirror about 5 feet from the hole, ensuring that your eyes and body are aligned properly.
- Putt the ball toward the hole, focusing on controlling the speed and distance.
- Move the mirror back to 10 feet, and repeat the drill.
- Keep moving back incrementally, focusing on speed control while maintaining your alignment and stroke path.
Why it Helps: While the mirror is great for working on alignment and mechanics, this drill also helps you develop touch and feel. By practicing putts of different lengths, you’ll learn how to control distance while still maintaining proper fundamentals.
6. Straight Back, Straight Through Drill
Purpose: To improve the straightness of your stroke and ensure a square putter face at impact.
How to Perform:
- Set up the putting mirror so the target line is aimed directly at the hole.
- Using the lines on the mirror, ensure your stroke follows a straight-back and straight-through path.
- Take a few strokes without a ball to get a feel for the motion.
- After that, place a ball in front of the mirror and practice your stroke, ensuring the putter head moves straight along the lines of the mirror.
Why it Helps: Keeping your stroke on a straight line ensures that your putter face remains square to the target at impact, leading to more accurate putts and reducing the chance of pushing or pulling the ball.
7. Stroke Length Drill
Purpose: To develop control over the length of your stroke for consistent distance control.
How to Perform:
- Set up the mirror as you normally would for alignment.
- Use the markings on the mirror to guide the length of your backswing and follow-through.
- Practice shorter strokes for close putts and gradually longer strokes for longer putts, all while maintaining alignment and stroke control.
- Ensure that the length of your follow-through matches your backswing to maintain rhythm.
Why it Helps: This drill helps you get a better feel for how the length of your stroke affects the distance the ball travels. Consistent stroke length helps you control the speed of your putts, reducing the chance of leaving them short or running them long.
Conclusion
A putting mirror is an excellent tool for improving your fundamentals and overall putting consistency. By incorporating these drills into your practice routine, you can refine your alignment, stroke path, and distance control. Regular practice with a putting mirror will lead to more confidence on the greens and ultimately lower your scores.
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