WATCH: This Phil Mickleson 100-putt challenge will help you hole three-footers

James Richardson
October 13, 2023

The famous Phil Mickelson Putting Drill involves a 100-putt challenge from three feet away from the hole.

It’s a simple but effective golf putting drill that Mickelson has reportedly been doing for years.

Mickelson credits Jackie Burke with handing him this foundational drill to improve his short putting.

He has said that every shot he plays is with the goal of getting within three feet of the hole and that the final piece of his puzzle is to become infallible from three feet.

Mickelson measures ten locations in a three-foot circle around the hole in order to become familiar with the various breaks around a hole.

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How to Do the Phil Mickelson (Jackie Burke) 3-Foot 100-putt challenge Drill:

Find your hole of choice on a practice green
Measure three feet away from the hole and place a tee or ball marker down
Repeat for the process for nine more spots around the hole in a circle (all three feet away from the hole)
Place your balls at each tee or marker
Start at any given tee and work your way around clockwise
Try to make all 10 balls in a row
After the first 5 makes, remove them from the cup to unclog it
The focus of the drill is to ensure that you sink 100 putts in a drill session and work towards a 97-100 percent success rate from three feet.

One of the best methods to improve your scores across every round you play is by making more short putts.

It is important to remember while aiming short putts that the ball will travel where your putterface is pointed at impact, take a moment to set up that aim before taking your putts.

Posture is important with any stroke but is particularly crucial in the fine art of putting. A good putting posture is one where the player bows forward from their hips and lets their arms hang below their shoulders.

Resisting the urge to look up to see where your putt is headed is a common problem for those who struggle with their short putting game.

The drill’s rinse-and-repeat nature should also encourage players to put misses behind them quickly. Short putts are not easy putts or putts that you should be making, the challenge offered by every position on the green should be respected.