Shoot 89
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putting

The Gate Drill

Pushed and pulled short putts inside 6 feet.

10 minbeginnerputtingGreen, homeMatWorth ~1 stroke/round
STARTTHE GATE4 FT
Overhead view · start the ball through the gate and the 4-footer takes care of itself

Set up

Set two tees just wider than the putter head, 4 feet from a hole.

The reps

Roll 20 putts through the gate. Reset the count to zero on any miss.

How you know it's working

10 in a row through the gate and into the hole.

Why it works

Inside 6 feet the hole is huge if the ball starts on line. The gate gives you instant, unmissable feedback on your start line — no guesswork about why a putt missed.

The evidence

MyGolfSpy's make-percentage data shows mid-handicappers hole barely half their 4–6 footers while better players approach 80% from 4 feet. The gate is also a classic external-focus constraint: attention on an external target (the gate) measurably outperforms internal swing thoughts in putting studies (Wulf and colleagues).

See the full method & sources →

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