4th edition of the Science&Motion Voices of Putting series
Welcome to the fourth edition of Voices of Putting – our ongoing series featuring insights from top SAM Ambassadorsaround the world. In this issue, we asked: What’s your favorite putting drill of all time? From visualization exercises to data-driven routines, these drills are designed to sharpen skills and build confidence.
Expert Insights from the Field
David Orr: Chalk Line with Ball Gates
“I’m not big on drills, but the chalk line with ball gates remains a solid classic for working on direction and start line. Simple, clean, and effective.”
Rolf Kinkel: SAM PuttStudio Live Aim
“One of my favorites is using SAM PuttStudio projection overlays. I let the student go through their routine, then reveal their actual aim line visually on the green. It’s a powerful tool for awareness and real-time correction.”
SAM PuttStudio – Projected live aim:
Tyrus York: Gauntlet & 3-6-9 Drill
“My favorite is the Gauntlet: nine 3’ putts from different locations, six 20’–50’ putts inside a 3’ circle, and one 8’ money putt. Miss at any point, and you start over. Another I love is the 3-6-9 Drill – make three consecutive putts from 3, 6, and 9 feet. Miss one? Back to the beginning. It really builds pressure tolerance.”
James Jankowski: Slope Reading & Laser Drills
“I wouldn’t say I have a single favorite drill, but I often use Visual Cue Drills on slopes to help players match line and speed with the green’s shape. It provides great feedback on whether the issue lies with the read, start line, or speed. I also love using Laser-Based Awareness Drills: a shaft laser helps players see face rotation and out-of-plane motion, while a chest laser improves body control during setup and stroke. That live feedback is gold.”
Rob Mouwen: SAM PuttStudio Alignment & Target Drill
“I focus on both technical and performance drills. Technically, my favorite is an alignment drill using SAM PuttStudioprojection to refine aim and setup – the feedback is instant and clear. On the performance side, I love the Target Drill in SAM PuttStudio. You have to stop the ball inside a tight circle. It’s fantastic for speed control and handling pressure.”
SAM PuttStudio – Target Drill:
Nick Iacono: Goldilocks Drill & Pen Drill
“One of my go-to drills is the Goldilocks Speed & Read Drill. Grab three golf balls and putt to a hole with noticeable break (2–3% slope). With the first ball, intentionally under-read the break, which forces you to hit it too hard (“too hot”). With the second ball, over-read the break, forcing a dying speed (“too cold”). With the third ball, choose a line between the first two for the ideal speed and line (“just right”). Repeat this drill on holes of varying lengths and slopes. It helps students develop awareness of green speed while improving green reading, direction, and speed control.
I also use the Pen Drill: Grab a pen and attach a rubber band to the front part of your grip, making it perpendicular to the putter shaft. This is a great drill to help keep the putter on plane, as well as give the student awareness when it comes to rotation/relative rotation of the putter.
Mark Officer: Wall-Head Drill
“I use the wall-head drill for stroke path and posture. Set the putter and your head just short of a wall, then make practice strokes while keeping your head steady and the putter off the wall. It builds a neutral stroke path and solid posture – and gives players a new reference point they can return to.”
Dylan Ross: SAM PuttStudio Ideal Aim & Ideal Putt
“Once a player trusts their stroke, I turn to visualization drills. I adjust slope on our moving platform, then ask students to mark their predicted start line. Most are surprised how far off they are. Then I activate the SAM PuttStudio ideal aim and ideal putt projections to show the correct path and reinforce it with a gate drill at the hole. This sharpens their read-speed-line connection.”
SAM PuttStudio – Projected objects (foot line, putting template, optimal corridor, ideal putt):
Charles Sandison-Woods: Face Control & Speed Drills
“I use two simple but powerful drills. First, the Face Awareness Drill: hole three straight putts from 10 feet – one entering the left side of the cup, one the right, and one dead center. It shows players how slight variations in face angle affect launch. Second, a Speed Control Drill using a ghost hole: three balls at different speeds – dead weight, 1ft past, 2ft past. All must go in. It lets players discover their ideal roll-out and speed preferences.”
Leon Marks: 3 Ball Cluster Drill
“My go-to is the 3 Ball Cluster Drill. Hit three putts (first must pass 10 meters), then measure the two balls furthest apart. Do this on four slope directions. Add the four distances for your score. It challenges consistency and adds a scoring element that builds focus.”
Christian Marquardt: SAM PuttStudio Corridor Drill
“There is no single correct solution for a breaking putt. SAM PuttStudio can project both an ideal putt and an ideal corridor for any break. Place a coin at the apex of the ideal putt and then switch off the feedback. Then by experimenting with different amounts of break, you can discover the combination of break and speed that works best for you – the putt that provides the clearest visual picture, that you can already feel before you make the putt, and that you can play most intuitively.”
SAM PuttStudio – Ideal putt and ideal corridor:
Jef Carr (SAM Sales team): Hover Drill
“One of my go-to drills is the Hover Drill. By slightly lifting the putter off the ground before starting the stroke, you eliminate the friction between the putter and the grass. This promotes a smoother, tension-free takeaway, reduces the risk of jerky first movements, and encourages a more consistent, pendulum-like motion. It’s especially effective for improving rhythm, distance control, and overall stroke flow.”
Want to Learn More?
Discover how SAM PuttLab and SAM PuttStudio can elevate your putting instruction to the highest level. Contact our sales team at sales@scienceandmotion.com or visit www.scienceandmotion.com to get started.
Missed the Last Episodes?
Catch up on Voices of Putting Episode 1 (What’s the one putting skill you focus on most with elite players?), Episode 2 (What SAM technology feature do you rely on most?), and Episode 3 (How do you use data to simplify putting for your students?), now available on GolfWire:
https://thegolfwire.com/science-and-motion-teaching-ambassadors/
https://thegolfwire.com/science-and-motion-voices-of-putting/
https://thegolfwire.com/voices-of-putting-podcast/
About Science&Motion:
Science&Motion is renowned for its cutting-edge technology in the golf industry, especially in putting. For over 20 years, SAM PuttLab has been the industry standard for professional putt analysis, training, and putter fitting. SAM PuttStudio is a comprehensive ball tracking and projection system for sensor-free putt training, performance drills, and games, including integration with tilting platforms. SAM PuttStudio+ adds SAM PuttLab into the ultimate solution for teaching and coaching putting, with options of adding high-speed video, balance analysis, and more.
Media Contact: Jef Carr, jef.carr@scienceandmotion.com
