Drawing the Line: Understanding Practice

After not one, but TWO four putts during the BMW Championship, much has been made regarding a video of Rory McIlroy practicing his putting at the Tour Championship. While 55 in a row is impressive, several thoughts come to mind such as why he completed this exercise and the value of his time spent. However, the real question is should you do the same?

Oftentimes clips such as this appear on TV leading us to believe that putting should be a primary concern. While keeping variables such as distance, speed, and break constant allows you tinker with your mechanics, how much will this tinkering lower your score? Lowest Score Wins, written by Erik Barzeski (@iacas) and David Wedzik (@golfevolution), shows the answer is not much. Tour players make an average of 50% from 8 feet and less than 25% from 15 feet. That said, be mindful of your goals and learn to practice your putting more efficiently.

E-mail me (pcombs@pga.com) to order a copy of Lowest Score Wins, unlock tips for effective practice, and shoot lower scores today!