He may have contributed to a big opening day foursomes win, but American Presidents Cup star Jim Furyk missed some short-range putts en route to victory.
The following morning, more than two hours before he teed off in the fourballs, he could be found on the slick Royal Melbourne practice putting green working through a series of putting drills with caddie Mike ‘Fluff’ Cowan.
The one drill he used the most was the ‘Through The Gate’ drill, where two tees are placed in the ground to form a ‘gate’ (about six feet from the hole) and wide enough for your putterhead to swing through (pic 1). The gate should also be perpendicular to your putting line.
This starting gate trains three key aspects of short putting. Firstly, the ball is 
always in precisely the same place, so any break is exactly the same with every putt, and this will not be a variable you need to contend with.
The gate also forms a visual cue that encourages you to square your putter at impact (pic 2). This will result in putts that are hit more on your intended line (pic 3).
Finally, the gate trains you to swing the putterhead naturally through the middle of the tees, in order to avoid hitting them, every time. This consistency can only lead to a more consistent stroke of the ball on the face of your putter, giving you a truer roll, which ultimately leads to more holed putts (pic 4).
It worked for Furyk, as he went through the
Presidents Cup undefeated, and it will work for you.