How are you going to finally make more putts in 2026? According to one teacher, it starts by making a simple change to your practice routine.
Alright, let’s not delay this promise any longer — 2026 is definitely, almost certainly, absolutely going to be the year you finally get better. There are a ton of ways to do that — reading GOLF Magazine, watching our videos, booking a lesson, and getting fit for clubs — but you can also learn a lot just by reading this website. So in an effort to get you started toward your 2026 goal, we’re rolling out five key tips to focus on next year. Now read up and get to work.
Ready to finally drain more putts? According to Adam Smith, a GOLF Teacher to Watch and the head golf instructor at The Country Club of Virginia, the key to improving your putting starts with changing the way you practice. More specifically, what you practice first.
“Dedicate this year to going to the practice putting green first,” Smith says. “I tell my students to do this and it really pays off. All golfers are programmed to first head to the range and hit balls. And then, because they’re too tired from swinging, they only putt for a very short period of time.”
Smith says that routine of hitting balls first and then quickly rolling a couple of putts before teeing off is a habit weekend warriors struggle to change — and don’t even realize it’s holding them back.
“The world’s greatest players dedicate 50 percent of their practice time to putting and the other 50 percent to working on their full swing,” Smith says. “So my advice is to turn over a new leaf this year to benefit your golf game and practice putting before you hit range balls.”
Some bonus advice? Smith says to get fit for a putter, too. While the benefits of a full-bag fitting are obvious, getting fit for a putter is just as important as the other clubs, especially since it’s the one you use the most.
“The funny thing is that we use our putter on every single hole, and yet everyone wants the next best driver,” Smith says. “Get with a certified golf club fitting professional who is skilled at fitting putters — the proper length, lie angle, grip size and putter head style should all be taken into account. Make an appointment, get fit and then make an investment in the most important piece of equipment in your golf bag.”
