The proper alignment putt is the difference between sinking the ball confidently or creating extra strokes for your score. Whether you're a beginner golfer or pro, control of putting alignment is essential to achieve a consistent and reliable stroke. In this guide, we're going to analyze the best putting drills for alignment and provide putting stroke tips for improving your putting stroke and 2 putt or less consistently.

Why Alignment Putting Matters

Most golfers focus on distance and speed, but alignment is the secret to a good putting game. If your putter face is off by a degree or two, the ball will be off target. Alignment is what guarantees that:

• Your golf balls when putted start on the right track to the hole.
• You strike the ball with a square putter face for optimal roll.
• You develop muscle memory for consistent putting performance.

Improving alignment is a score-reducing game-changer. Let's have a look at the top drills to develop accuracy, control, and precision.

1. The Gate Drill for Perfect Alignment

The Gate Drill is a tried-and-true technique used by professional golfers to ensure perfect alignment. It trains your eye-hand coordination and makes sure you align the ball rolls directly into the hole.

How to Do the Gate Drill:

1. Place two tees on the ground, slightly wider than the width of your putter head.

2. Place a putting golf ball between the tees.

3. Line up the ball and ensure your putter face is square to your target line.

4. Putt through the gate without making contact with the tees.

✅ Why It Works: The immediate feedback is that if your stroke is off-center, this drill will give you immediate feedback. When you strike the tees, that is a sign you have an alignment issue and need to adjust.

2. The Chalk Line Drill for a Consistent Stroke

This drill demonstrates you the line if you are struggling with making adjustments to the putting stroke.

How to Do the Chalk Line Drill

1. Mark a straight line to the hole with a chalk line (or alignment stick).

2. Position a putting ball on the line and align your putter perpendicular to the line.

3. Strike the ball along the line at impact as you roll it to the hole.

4. Practice at various distances in order to feel confident and consistent.

✅ Why It Works: With the aid of a visual alignment device, you can maintain your putter face squared to the target.

3. The Mirror Drill for Eye Positioning

Most golfers have misaligned eye position, and this causes unaligned putter face at impact. The drill is applied in aligning your eyes directly above the ball.

How to Perform the Mirror Drill:

1. Position a putting alignment mirror on the green.

2. Stand with your eyes directly over the ball's reflection.

3. Make short putts with your head still and in line.

✅ Why It Works: If your eyes are more inside or outside the target line than they need to be, your putting stroke may be compromised. A mirror can help sharpen your alignment.

4. The String Line Drill for Green Reading

Even if your putting stroke is perfect, bad green reading will still result in missed putts. The String Line Drill makes it easier to visualize the correct putting line.

How to do the String Line Drill:

1. Set up a string line between the hole and ball, suspended by two sticks.

2. Place a putting ball underneath the string.

3. Set your putter face perpendicular to the string line at the beginning of every stroke.

✅ Why It Works: This drill provides you with a visual reminder to read the slope and line up properly.

5. The One-Handed Putting Drill for Putter Face Control

A solid putter face is vital for 2-putt reliability. Practicing one-handed helps you feel the stroke without relying too heavily on the arms.

How to Do the One-Handed Drill:

1. Place a putting ball about 4–6 feet from the hole.

2. Hold the putter with your dominant hand alone.

3. Use smooth strokes, with a focus on a relaxed grip and a controlled stroke.

✅ Why It Works: This drill reduces tension and enhances wrist stability, promoting a repeatable stroke path.

6. The Coin Drill for Sweet Spot Contact

Hitting the center of the putter face ensures the ball rolls in a straight line. This drill enhances contact accuracy.

How to Do the Coin Drill:

1. Place a coin on the back of a flat putting ball.

2. Putt the ball keeping the coin balanced.

3. If the coin gets displaced, your off-center stroke.

✅ Why It Works: It allows pure contact and eliminates off-center hits that cause misalignment.

7. The 2-Putt Distance Control Drill

In order to become a 2 putt consistency pro, you have to be capable of controlling direction and speed. This drill is used to practice lag putting for eliminating unnecessary strokes.

How to Do the 2-Putt Drill:

1. Set up a target area (circle of tees or coins) around the hole.

2. Putt from different distances, having your first putt stop inside the zone.

3. Attempt to leave putts short or long to avoid tap-in second putts.

✅ Why It Works: Lag putting is essential in minimizing three-putts and building your putting confidence.

Final Thoughts: Build Consistency and Confidence

Mastering putting alignment requires practice and precision, but through these putting alignment drills, you are able to practice your stroke and become a more consistent putter. Through the use of flat putting golf balls or regular putting golf balls, the aim is the same—to achieve better alignment, consistency of stroke, and ultimately less putts per hole.

Ready to take your putting alignment training to the next level? Start incorporating these drills into your routine today and look forward to better putting on the course. ⛳