The Par-2 Game
Practice putting that doesn't survive first-tee pressure.
Set up
Pick 9 'holes' of different lengths and breaks around the practice green. Every hole is a par 2.
The reps
Play the 9-hole course with one ball. Holed first putt = birdie, two putts = par, three = bogey. Keep score every session.
How you know it's working
Even par (18) or better for 9 holes. Track your score over weeks — it should trend down.
Why it works
One ball, one chance, a running score — it recreates the consequence of real putting instead of the false comfort of raking five balls from the same spot.
The evidence
A randomized golf-putting study (Frontiers in Psychology / systematic review, 2024) found random, consequence-style practice produced better retention and mental representations of the skill than blocked repetition. Scoring every session also gives the measurable feedback loop that separates deliberate practice from rehearsal.
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