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The off-season is when my putting either quietly improves or slowly slips if I’m not intentional. Right now, I’d describe my putting as solid but inconsistent. I can roll it well for stretches, then suddenly struggle with speed control or confidence on short putts. Instead of hoping that it fixes itself once the season starts, I’ve learned winter is where the foundation gets built.
That’s why my off-season focus is putting. Strokes are gained and lost on the green year-round, and putting is the one part of the game I can train every single day indoors. This routine isn’t a quick fix. It’s a process built around repetition, feedback, and confidence.
For amateur golfers, putting is also the easiest place to improve without hitting full shots. No range, no perfect weather, just structure and consistency.
My Putting Goals This Off-Season
My goals this winter are obvious:
- Build confidence over every putt.
- Improve consistency in setup and strike.
- Match speed to my read
- Trust my start line
- Develop a repeatable routine that holds up under pressure.
My biggest weakness has been speed control, specifically, hitting putts too hard with inconsistent strikes. When that happens, even a good read doesn’t matter.
I can measure progress in two ways:
- How confident does the stroke feel
- How often I’m making putts compared to PGA Tour make percentages from similar distances (up to 12 feet)
My Indoor Putting Setup (Where & How I Practice)
All of my winter putting work happens indoors in my basement, where I built a 12’ x 7’ BirdieBall putting green. Living in the Midwest, winter limits outdoor practice, so I lean fully into working on the details that actually lower scores, speed control, setup, and solid contact.
Equipment I Use
- BirdieBall putting green
- EasyWedge inflatable air shims (for slope changes)
- Alignment mirror
- Dave Pelz Putting Track
- Eyeline Golf Stroke Meter
- Metronome (for tempo)
One of the most significant advantages of this setup is adjustability. I can create right-to-left and left-to-right breaking putts, and even change green speed by sweeping the grain of the mat. It’s not real grass, but it’s consistent, and consistency is what matters most indoors.
I practice almost every day, usually between work meetings since I work from home. Dedicated sessions run about 45 minutes, focused and intentional.
How I Structure My Off-Season Putting Sessions
Each session unfolds in stations, so nothing feels rushed or random.
Start Line & Face Control (Top Priority)
If I’m confident in my start line, everything else gets easier. When speed and reads are close, starting the ball where I intend it to go builds trust, and confidence is everything in putting.
What I work on:
- Eyeline Stroke Meter
- Metronome for tempo
- Gate drills
- Line drills
- Laser work
Primary distance: 6 feet
The goal is simple: start the ball on line, over and over, until it feels automatic.
Speed Control & Distance Feel (Indoor Focus)
Indoors, speed control matters more than reading putts. I can’t recreate every break, but I can train how far the ball rolls based on stroke length.
I work from 5, 8, and 12 feet, using the stroke meter to understand how far the putter moves back and through. I focus on a shorter backstroke and longer follow-through, roughly 40% back, 60% through, to fight my tendency to decelerate.
One of my favorite drills is a Jason Day–style speed drill:
- Hit three 10-foot putts, ten times.
- 2 points for a make
- 1 point for finishing within one foot past the hole
- 0 points for short or long
My BirdieBall mat rolls around 10–11 on the stimp, which quickly exposes speed mistakes, and that’s precisely the point.
Short Putt Confidence
Missing short putts changes everything in a round. It affects decision-making, pace, and confidence almost immediately.
I use pressure drills and must-make sequences to build familiarity instead of fear. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s comfort when the putt matters.
Routine & Repetition
Every putt goes through the same process:
- Same setup
- Same routine
- Same tempo
Practicing my routine matters just as much as the putts themselves. When the routine becomes second nature, it carries directly to the course, especially under pressure.
How Long Do My Putting Sessions Take
A full session lasts about 45 minutes, four times per week. On other days, I’ll still roll putts during short breaks to maintain feel.
I intentionally changed the order of my stations. Some days I spend more time on setup, other days on breaking putts or speed control. Mixing it up keeps me engaged and prevents going through the motions.
What I’m Not Working On (And Why)
I don’t spend much time worrying about reading putts indoors. Every green is different, and no indoor setup can replicate that. Instead, I focus on making the fundamentals second nature so I can commit fully to reading in the course.
I also avoid mechanical overload. Putting still requires feel and athleticism. If you get too robotic, you lose touch. Structure matters, but thinking has to develop naturally.
How This Work Shows Up in the Course
When the season starts, I expect:
- Better distance control on longer putts
- More confidence inside 10 feet
- Less second-guessing under pressure
When pressure hits, muscle memory should take over. That’s the payoff of winter work.
Once I’m back on real greens, practice changes, I’ll hit putts to different holes, different breaks, rarely repeating the same look. Practice becomes more like playing, reacting, adjusting, and committing.
Final Thoughts: Consistency Beats Perfection
This off-season putting routine works because it’s repeatable. Discipline matters more than perfection. You don’t need my exact setup; you need your version of consistency.
Winter is where confidence is built quietly. When the season arrives, it shows up when it matters most.
Your Turn
What are you working on this off-season: putting, wedges, or the mental game?
Please drop a comment or send me a message. More posts coming soon on complete swing work, wedge play, and the mental side of scoring.
