PUTTING GAMES

Practicing putting can sometimes get a little boring. This is especially true if you practice alone. That’s why it’s best to play competitive putting games with your friends. Here are two of my favourites.

“Two-Putt Par” can be played for as many holes as you like. Pick a hole on the practice green and decide who goes first. If you make a 2 on a hole you would be even par; if you make a 1 you would be 1 under par; with a 3, you would be 1 over par. Your goal at the end of play is to be even par or, better yet, under par. My friends and I generally play this game for $1.00 for nine holes and $1.00 for every one-putt. The great thing about this game is that you can see exactly how good your putting skills are. If you are regularly over par then you will obviously know what to do — practice more!

“Three-ball Stymie” is the greatest game to play on the putting green but can be a little challenging to keep score. Using 3 balls each, the first player putts all three balls to a hole, always trying to sink them or getting them close. The next player then putts his three balls to the same hole, always trying to sink them or get them close. But the players must avoid hitting any balls (including their own). It’s a one-stroke penalty for every ball hit. After the initial putts have been struck then the furthest ball from the hole always plays first. I like to play this game with a flange-style putter, which helps me when I am stymied behind another ball so I can ‘chip-over’ a ball instead of having to always play safe. Par is always two, just like in the 2-Putt Par game, but when keeping score, it is best to keep track of who is leading and by how many. You will get the hang of it after a couple of 9-hole rounds and when you finally get around to looking at your watch, time will have just flown by.

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