Article by: Nicholas Steiner | Founder of Back 2 Basics Golf

Precision in putting is more than just a skill; it's an art that differentiates the good golfers from the great ones. Minor adjustments in alignment, stroke length, and club angle can drastically influence the success of each putt. The ability to consistently direct the golf ball with precision not only improves your score but enhances your confidence on the green.

For golfers aiming to refine their putting technique, training aids like the Pro Path Putting Mirror and accompanying gates are indispensable. These tools are designed to provide immediate visual and physical feedback, enabling golfers to make precise adjustments to their putting stance and stroke. The Pro Path Putting Mirror helps align the eyes and shoulders correctly, while the gates challenge players to execute putts with strict accuracy, ensuring the ball travels on the intended path.

For further reference watch our YouTube video on proper Starting on the Right Path.

The Pro Path Putting Mirror is an essential tool designed to aid golfers in achieving perfect alignment during their putting practice. This mirror is strategically crafted to provide visual feedback, allowing golfers to see their eyes, shoulders, putter face, and the ball's alignment in real time. By practicing with this mirror, players can immediately correct their stance, ensuring that everything is squared and aligned with the intended target line.

In addition to the putting mirror, the concept of gates plays a crucial role in enhancing a golfer’s putting accuracy. Gates are small barriers set up on the putting green that the ball must pass through. These are positioned a specific distance from the ball, challenging the golfer to strike the putt with enough precision to pass through without contact. This setup serves as an effective feedback mechanism, instantly informing the player if the putt deviates from the intended path. By using gates, golfers can refine their stroke's direction and power to better control their putts' trajectory and pace.

The value of these visual aids in golf training cannot be overstated. They provide direct, real-time corrections that are indispensable for making immediate improvements. For golfers looking to enhance their putting skills, integrating the Pro Path Putting Mirror and gates into regular practice sessions offers a practical approach to developing a more reliable and accurate putting stroke.

To maximize the effectiveness of your putting practice using the Pro Path Putting Mirror, proper setup is crucial. Here's a comprehensive guide to configuring your practice setup to enhance precision and consistency in your putting stroke.

Positioning the Putting Mirror: Begin by placing the Pro Path Putting Mirror on the ground where you will be practicing your putts. Ensure the mirror is aligned with your typical putting stance. The mirror should allow you to see the alignment of your eyes, shoulders, and putter face in relation to the ball. This alignment is critical as it ensures that all elements are directed towards your target.

Choosing and Positioning the Gates: Select the appropriate gate size based on your skill level and the specific aspect of your putt you wish to improve. For beginners, larger gates placed closer to the ball help in building confidence. More advanced golfers should challenge themselves with smaller gates placed further from the ball to fine-tune precision. Position the gate a foot to two feet in front of the ball, depending on the challenge level you're aiming for. The gate acts as a visual guide to ensure the putt starts on the intended line.

Adjusting for Skill Level and Goals: If you're focusing on improving your accuracy for longer putts, gradually increase the distance between the ball and the gate as your accuracy improves. This progressive difficulty helps in developing a better feel for distance and speed control.

Always start your practice with a few putts using a larger gate to establish a rhythm and gain confidence. As you progress, switch to smaller gates and increase the distance to push your skills further. This setup not only hones your alignment and accuracy but also provides immediate feedback on your putting trajectory, enabling quick adjustments and steady improvement.

Drill 1: Gate Passing Exercise

Mastering precision in putting begins with the ability to consistently start the ball on your intended line. A fundamental drill to develop this skill utilizes the smallest gate available with the Pro Path Putting Mirror.

Here’s how to implement this effective training exercise:

Setup: Place the Pro Path Putting Mirror on a flat surface where you will be practicing. Position the smallest gate, typically labelled as gate number zero, about a foot to a foot and a half in front of where the ball rests. This distance is ideal as it challenges your ability to start the putt accurately without being so far as to introduce other variables like break or speed changes too early in your practice.

Execution: Focus on aligning your putt so that the ball passes through the gate. This exercise not only helps in refining your aim but also in ensuring that your putter face is square at the point of impact. The immediate feedback from the gate—whether the ball passes through or knocks the gate—tells you if your alignment needs adjustment.

Progression and Adjustment: Starting with the smallest gate is crucial because it demands high precision and provides clear feedback on your putting accuracy. As your skill improves, you can move to larger gates or increase the distance of the gate from the ball. This progression naturally challenges your ability to maintain accuracy over longer putts or with less restrictive targets.

Drill 2: Correcting Common Errors

Addressing common putting errors, such as pulling or pushing putts, is essential for developing a consistent and reliable stroke. This drill focuses on using tees and gates to provide immediate feedback and encourage smoother, more accurate movements.

Setup: Position the Pro Path Putting Mirror on the ground. Place a gate about a foot in front of the ball. This setup helps in monitoring the putt's starting line and provides instant feedback on accuracy.

Identifying Errors: Start by taking a few putts through the gate. Observe whether the ball consistently hits the gate or passes through it cleanly. If the ball frequently strikes the gate, it indicates alignment or stroke path issues. For instance, hitting the right side of the gate suggests a pull, while hitting the left side indicates a push.

Using Tees for Path Correction: To correct these errors, place a tee slightly outside the ball on the target line for pulls or inside the ball for pushes. This physical barrier helps you adjust your stroke path. If you tend to pull your putts, place a tee on the outside of the ball to prevent the putter from moving too far inside-out. Conversely, if you push your putts, place a tee on the inside to restrict an outside-in stroke.

Practicing with Feedback: Practice putting with these tees in place. The goal is to make smooth, controlled strokes that avoid hitting the tees. This setup encourages a proper arc and helps in developing muscle memory for a more consistent stroke.

Regularly practice this drill to become more aware of your stroke tendencies and make necessary adjustments. By consistently avoiding the tees, you'll develop a more accurate and reliable putting stroke. This drill not only helps in correcting current errors but also in preventing new ones from developing, leading to better overall putting performance.

To elevate your putting practice, integrate advanced techniques by varying distances and angles using the Pro Path Putting Mirror and gates. Start by adjusting the distance between the ball and the gate. Begin with shorter putts, then gradually increase the distance to simulate a variety of real-game scenarios. This method helps you adapt to different putting lengths, improving your control and accuracy over various distances.

Experiment with different angles by positioning the gates at slight variations from the straight line. This adjustment challenges your alignment and stroke consistency, ensuring you can handle off-center putts with precision. Incorporate these variations in your regular practice to develop a versatile putting stroke capable of adapting to any green conditions.

Maintaining focus and consistency during practice sessions is crucial. Set specific goals for each session, such as successfully passing the ball through the smallest gate multiple times in a row. Focus on your alignment and shoulder positioning at address, ensuring that you replicate the same setup for each putt. Consistent setup leads to consistent results.

Practice under different conditions, such as varying light levels or outdoor settings, to simulate real-game situations. This exposure prepares you to maintain your putting technique regardless of external factors, enhancing your overall performance on the course. Integrating these advanced techniques into your practice routine will refine your putting stroke, making you more adaptable and consistent in diverse game scenarios. Regularly challenging yourself with varied distances, angles, and conditions ensures continuous improvement and readiness for any putting challenge.

In conclusion, using the Pro Path Putting Mirror and gates is crucial for refining your putting skills. These tools offer immediate feedback, helping you make necessary adjustments to your stroke. Consistent practice with the mirror and gates will develop a reliable and accurate putting stroke, ensuring better performance on the green. Embrace these technologies and tools, as they provide valuable insights and accelerate your improvement. With regular use, you'll build confidence and precision in your putting game, ultimately leading to better scores and more enjoyable rounds of golf.