Dear Frank
My grandson is a keen golfer who hopes to turn professional one day. He is 14 years old and currently has an 11 handicap.
He loves to play and practice and I just want to be sure that he is making the most of his time on the practice green.
Also, sometimes he listens to music when practicing. Do you have an opinion on this?
Many thanks for all you do.
–Ed, New Mexico
Dear Ed
Thank you for writing and telling us about your grandson.
Here are a few key points that you should bear in mind when advising him how to practice (this applies equally to all of us):
1. Be motivated to practice and enjoy it.
2. Be sure to have the correct length putter and follow the fundamentals of putting. For more help on these, access our online course for golfers.
3. Practice with a purpose. Have specific practice drills. Hitting twenty balls at a hole over and over again is a waste of time unless you are working on certain mechanics.
4. It is very important to get your grandson started on the right track . We have some junior lesson programs that are available at our Putting PAD at Reunion Resort in Orlando FL. Click here to learn more.
5. No music when practicing. Listening to music is nice, but it drowns out some crucial feedback when putting, specifically the noise of the putter hitting the ball and the ball falling in the hole. Additionally, it makes it more difficult to focus on what you should be doing. You must practice the way you intend to play and you can’t take your tunes out onto the course with you.
Hope this helps.
Frank
franklygolf 
Frank, When I practice putting ( Every day, 30 minutes), I place 4 balls on the clock positions 12, 3, 6, 9 o’clock around the hole. This allows me to make fresh putt from each position as to break, line and pace depending on the direction of the grain. Works quite well for me. Also, I focus on left to right breaking putts, after the above “around the clock drill practice”. Because, as Steve Stricker told Tiger in a putting drill, at the President’s Cup in Australia, you must keep the toe of your putter head square or slightly closed at impact to keep it on line to roll the ball into the hole rather than miss low most of the time. My question to all who read this, where is your miss on a left to righter? Mostly low or (high, that has a chance to go in). It has really helped me to make more left to right breaking putts this season. If you practice your putting on daily basis, you will make more putts! One more putting thought to consider ” As you look at your putt, do you see it going in the hole before you stroke
it. If you do, you will truly make more putts!! and shoot lower scores..
Better Golf to All, Doug.
use one ball as in the game-putt two ball for every ball hit on the range
Frank, enjoy reading your commentary whatever the subject. While don’t totally disagree with your music comment, there is another side. It can provide a rhythm for your stroke when find the right music, and if can in grain the song or rhythm in your mind, can take it on course with you – in your head. I haven’t done this for golf, but in the past have used music for same concept in other endeavors. Sure isn’t necessarily for everyone, but wouldn’t sell the concept short either. Come to think of it, may be time to try to find my putting song.