These 2 placement tests ensure that your practice translates to the course
In Part I of our three-part putting series, we explored how practice stations can help golfers improve basic putting skills. With controlled surfaces and instant feedback, players can build awareness of their setup, alignment, face control, stroke, and speed control through block practice. But while these channels are important for skill acquisition, they don’t fully prepare golfers for the challenges they face on the golf course.
Golf is rarely played on the same course twice. Every putt offers a unique challenge, with varying distances, slopes, green speeds, and visuals. Successfully performing in these ever-changing environments requires more than technical expertise, it also requires flexibility.
This is where referral training begins. This type of practice bridges the gap between skill development and school performance by introducing diversity, decision making, and problem solving into practice. Rather than repeating the same putt over and over again, golfers are challenged to apply their skills to ever-changing conditions.
That is why the practice that helps to use this discipline is so important. This is where your goal changes from making the right move to producing a successful outcome under various circumstances.
Below are a few drills that I like my players to use in practice for putting greens.
Channel 1: Random distance speed control
At this station (above, left), you can see a series of discs positioned at varying distances between the golfer and the target. Rather than focusing solely on making putts, the goal is to control speed and finish each ball in the designated area. This exercise encourages flexibility and develops the ability to balance speed over multiple distances.
The aim of the drill is for one ball to rest between each pair of discs. Golfers may also choose to measure their performance by tracking how many balls are required to successfully complete a challenge.
Channel 2: Green reading
One of the most challenging aspects of putting is learning how much the putt will turn as it travels toward the hole. Many golfers struggle not because they make bad shots, but because they often misjudge the value of the break. Transfer training provides an opportunity to develop this skill by creating activities that require players to learn, predict, and respond to changing green situations.
At this station (see inset image above, right), the marker is placed on the first target line between the golf course and the hole. Rather than focusing on whether the ball is bound, the goal of golf is to roll the ball directly over the marker while allowing the tendency of the green to move the ball toward them. The marker acts as a visual representation of the golf course.
Each putt requires the player to assess the slope, determine the correct launch line, and execute a putt that matches that prediction. If the ball misses the mark, the read or execution was incorrect. If the ball rolls over the marker but misses the hole, the golfer gains valuable information about the accuracy of the predicted break. The result provides immediate feedback on both the quality of the reading and the quality of the stroke.
This experiment shows how a simple target can change practice from a repetitive task to a decision-making task. Instead of repeatedly hitting putts toward the hole, golfers are challenged to make a prediction, test that prediction, and adjust based on the result. This process mirrors what happens during actual play, where every putt requires a new reading and a new decision.
Block practice involves repeating the same skill or movement in a consistent, controlled environment to build familiarity and technique. While block practice helps golfers develop skills, transfer training teaches them how to apply those skills to changing positions. By introducing variety, decision-making, and problem-solving through practice, golfers learn to adapt to the demands of the course rather than simply repeating a move.
As players become more adept at transferring their skills to new situations, they are ready for the final stage of development: performance training. In this phase, skills are tested under pressure, effect, and competition, creating practice environments that closely resemble real playing situations.
