Having a fundamentally sound putting stroke allows you to be a good putter but does not guarantee success. There are two equally important components in putting, distance and direction. You cannot succeed without both but knowing your distances can make your golfing life simpler and reduce the likelihood of three-putting.
This putting drill will help you learn your putting distances in a simple and systematic way.
What you need:
For this drill you will need your putter, golf balls, a tape measure (12 foot or longer), (4) ball markers and a putting green. In order for this to be an effective drill it is important that you drill on the same putting green each time you practice.
The set up:
To set up for the drill select a flat spot on the putting green where you can roll a putt up to 12 feet in length. If you can putt to a hole, that's great otherwise simply place a tee in the ground towards which you can putt. It is important to always have a specific target. Now measure off a 3 foot putt and place a ball marker then do the same from 6, 9, and 12 feet away from your target.
The drill:
The drill is very simple, start putting from 3 feet away from your target while focusing on feeling the length of your stroke. Focus your attention what distance is produced by each length swing. Your goal is to find a length swing which will consistently produce a 3 foot putt. Once you are successful from 3 feet away progress to 6, 9, and 12 feet away. Do this drill during every practice session until you can consistently roll the ball the distance you desire.
Taking it on the road:
Once you have honed your distance control on your home putting green it is time to take the show on the road. The next time you play away from your home course give yourself plenty of time to warm up and the first thing you want to do is head for the putting green to learn your distances. Once at the putting green measure out your 3, 6, 9, and 12 foot putts. Start at 3 feet, make your normal 3 foot stroke to get a reference point to see how far the ball rolls. The odds are that your ball will not roll the same distance as on your home green which will require you to slightly shorten or lengthen your putting stroke. By performing this drill you will quickly know how to putt the greens on that day.
By having a putting distance system you can become a more consistent and successful putter, no matter where you play.