Having a backyard putting green is like owning your personal mini-golf course, it’s convenient and fun.
More importantly, it can be a game-changer for your golf skills. Being able to practice anytime is one reason many golfers find a home putting green worth it.
The short game (putting and chipping) often makes up the majority of strokes in a round, so incorporating home putting practice tips into your routine can shave strokes off your score. In fact, according to an analysis of thousands of golf rounds, about 60% of shots in a game occur within 100 yards of the green, and roughly 80% of the strokes lost to par happen in this short-game zone. This means refining your putting and chipping isn’t just a small improvement. It’s one of the fastest ways to lower your handicap.
In this post, we’ll share five effective backyard putting green drills that will help you master your short game. These drills are engaging and easy to do on your home turf, especially if you’re practicing on a high-quality artificial putting green turf that mimics real greens. So, whether you’re a casual golfer or a serious enthusiast, incorporating these golf putting drills at home into your routine will build confidence on the greens.
Grab your putter (and a wedge for one drill), head to your backyard green, and let’s get started!
Drill 1: Around the World
Setup: Pick one hole on your putting green. Place 4 to 6 balls in a circle around the hole, each about three feet away, like points on a clock.
How to Do It: Start at one of the balls and try to sink the putt, then move to the next spot. Continue around the circle, putting from each spot in turn. The goal is to make all of them in a row. If you miss any, start over from the first position. This Around the World drill tests your consistency on short putts from all angles of break. (For ideal consistency on your green, it’s highly recommended that a professional putting turf installer is hired).
Skills Improved: This drill builds confidence on those must-make short putts. Putting from all sides lets you practice different break directions and builds trust in your stroke. Soon those knee-knocker three-footers on the course will feel routine. For a fun variation, move your circle out to four or five feet once you’ve mastered the three-foot range.
Drill 2: The Clock Drill
Setup: Place 6 to 12 balls evenly spaced in a circle around the hole (like numbers on a clock) at about three feet out.
Execution: Putt each ball one by one around the clock. Try to make every putt in succession; if you miss, start over. Challenge yourself to complete the entire circle without a miss to really put pressure on your short putts.
Skill Benefits: This drill helps you develop a repeatable stroke for short putts and practice subtle breaking putts from every angle. It also builds your nerves: as your streak grows, so does the pressure to not miss. Over time, you’ll become comfortable sinking many three-footers in a row, even when the heat is on.
(To increase difficulty, move the balls back to 4 feet or even 6 feet as you improve.)
Drill 3: Distance Control with Ghost Holes
Setup: If your green has only one actual cup, use flat objects (often called “ghost holes”) as additional targets. For example, place a disc or coin about the size of a hole at 15 feet away, and maybe another at 25 feet, to serve as imaginary hole targets.
Execution: Putt several balls toward each ghost hole target, trying to stop each ball as close to the target as possible (imagine it would fall in if the hole were real). Focus on your distance control because this drill is all about speed. A good goal is to have every putt finish within about a putter’s length (around 3 feet) of the target.
How It Helps Your Game: This drill greatly improves your feel for longer putts–crucial for avoiding three-putts. Practicing backyard putting green drills like this one helps you refine your speed control for smoother rounds. You’ll develop a sense of how a 15-foot putt versus a 30-foot putt feels on your green. That feel will translate to better distance judgment on the golf course, even if the green speeds differ. Also, aiming at an imaginary hole sharpens your focus and imagination, key elements of good putting.
Drill 4: One-Putt Challenge
Setup: This drill is a game to simulate making putts under pressure. Pick a few distances for sequential putts. For example, place markers at 5 feet, 10 feet, and 15 feet from a hole.
Execution: Start at the shortest marker (5 feet). If you sink that putt, move to the next distance (10 feet) and putt from there. Continue moving back each time you make the putt. If you miss at any distance, start over from the beginning. The challenge is to complete the whole sequence of putts in a row without a miss. It’s harder than it sounds, but that pressure is the point!
Building Confidence Under Pressure: This challenge is outstanding for building confidence under pressure and is an excellent way to enhance your short game practice on artificial green turf. Knowing a miss forces a restart makes each putt feel important, just like a must-make putt in competition. With repetition, you’ll become more comfortable making clutch putts in a row.
You’ll also get to dial in your putting from different distances, making every putt feel like a natural extension of your stroke. If it starts feeling too easy, step it up by moving farther back. On the flip side, if you’re struggling to string makes together, scale it down. Start with just a couple of distances and build up as you gain confidence. The key is to keep the pressure real but the frustration low, because nothing kills progress faster than grinding without success.
Drill 5: Chip and Putt (Short Game Combo)
Setup: Your backyard putting green is amazing for putting, but it’s perfect for chipping practice too. For this drill, grab a wedge along with your putter. Choose a spot a few yards off the green (either on the fringe or on nearby grass) as your chipping location. Then pick a hole on the green as your target.
Execution: Chip a ball toward the chosen hole, then putt it in. In other words, attempt to get “up-and-down” (a chip and a putt). A chip that goes in the hole is a bonus! Try this sequence multiple times. To keep it fun, make a game of it: give yourself 2 points for a chipped-in shot, 1 point if you get up-and-down (chip and one putt), and 0 points if you need more than one putt after the chip. After a few tries from one spot, switch to a new chipping location or a different hole and continue.
Improving Chipping and Putting Together: This combo drill is excellent for short game practice on artificial green because it links chipping and putting together, just like on the course. Among backyard putting green drills, this one stands out for developing both touch and confidence around the greens. You’ll practice hitting a decent chip and then immediately converting the ensuing putt; the key to saving par after a missed green. This helps you learn how your chips roll out on your turf and builds confidence in finishing holes. As you repeat the drill, you should see your up-and-down success rate improve, both at home and out on the course.
Get Better With Backyard Putting Green Drills
Having a home putting green opens up a world of opportunities to improve your golf game. The five drills above – Around the World, Clock Drill, Ghost Hole lag putting, One-Putt Challenge, and Chip and Putt – cover a range of skills from sinking short putts to mastering long putts and chips.
The key is to practice consistently and keep it fun. Try to set aside time each week to work on a couple of these drills and apply home putting practice tips to refine your technique.
If you’re looking for the most effective backyard putting green drills at home, focus on a mix of short putt accuracy, distance control, and pressure-based challenges. A well-rounded routine will help you see measurable improvements in your short game. You’ll likely find that not only do you enjoy the backyard practice, but you’ll also see real improvements on the golf course.
Remember, practice makes perfect, especially in the short game. The more you use your backyard green, the more touch, confidence, and consistency you’ll gain. Try these drills on your home turf, challenge yourself, track your progress, and even get your family or friends involved for some fun competition. Before long, you’ll be shaving strokes off your scorecard and impressing your golf buddies with your razor-sharp short game.