From the Pro: The best way to lower scores? Take fewer putts

More than 60 percent of the strokes a golfer takes are within 60 yards of the hole. That said, putting is clearly the most important part of the short game.

Take a look at the various professional tours and you will see that most players hit 12-13 greens per round and still post some very low scores. Why? They make a lot of 5- and 6-foot putts.

When you use the putting green, don't just practice the putts that are comfortable to you. Right-handed golfers tend to like right-to-left breaking putts and left-handed golfers like left-to-right putts.

Here are some reliable putting drills to help lower the number of putts you take:

1) Hit a few long putts to get a feel for the pace of the green.

2) Place six balls in a circle around the cup at about 2 feet away. Keep hitting all six until all of them are made in the same drill. Repeat the drill from 5 feet. This will help you develop a consistent stroke and improved concentration.

3) Take one ball and go around the putting course. This will be like having 18 putts for birdie. Keep your score and establish a course record for yourself. Try to break it every time out.

Repeating these simple drills will improve both your confidence and skill on the green.

— Lee Martin is the director of instruction at River Ridge. He can be reached at 377-9629.