Why DIY Putting Aids Might Be Your New Secret Weapon

You know that moment when you roll a putt at home on the carpet and convince yourself, “Yeah, that would’ve dropped on the course”? We’ve all been there.

The truth is, you can actually build sharp putting skills right inside your living room… you just need the right tools.

The good news? You already have them. A few elastic bands, two alignment sticks, a wall, and a pair of tees. That’s it.

These tiny household items can shape a steadier stroke, a cleaner strike, and a putter face that behaves itself for once.

Today, you’ll learn three DIY putting training aids you can make at home that mirror the drills used by proper instructors and Tour-level putting coaches.

Let’s build them.

1. The Alignment Stick Shoulder Connection Drill

This one comes straight out of Max Kettler’s reel and is backed by research showing that wristy strokes cause the putter face to twist and the ball to wobble off line.

The fix is to connect your arms and shoulders so the putter moves like a single unit.

Here’s how you build it:

How to Make It (DIY Version)

• Loop a rubber band around your putter head or grip and slide two alignment sticks under the elastic:

• Tuck the left stick under your left arm and the right under your right arm:

• Set up over the ball and feel everything move together:

It almost feels like the putter swings you instead of the other way around. That’s a good sign.

2. The Wall-Face Start-Line Drill

If you’ve ever watched your putt leave the face and immediately wander left or right, this drill will feel like magic.

All you need is a wall. Max explains this perfectly, the wall tells the truth, and it doesn’t sugarcoat anything.

How to Set It Up

• Stand with your forehead lightly against a flat wall:

• Set your putter face flush against the wall’s surface.

• Make tiny strokes without letting the face drift open or closed:

It gives you instant feedback. If your putter isn’t square, you’ll see it. You can’t cheat a wall.

Why Start Line Matters

Data from the supporting research shows that face angle at impact is the number one reason putts miss… more than path, more than speed, more than the green read.

Short-game Guru Dave Pelz’s findings confirm that even tiny face errors send the ball wobbling off your intended line.

This drill:

• Sharpens your awareness of face angle
  

• Builds a stable, centred strike
  

• Helps you roll the ball without wobble
  

• Removes confusion between “bad read” and “bad stroke”
  

And because it’s so simple, you can do it any time… even during a meeting (just pretend you dropped your pen).

Use your golf bag behind your hips at setup. Make slow swings while keeping your hips pressed into the bag throughout.

If you lose contact, you're standing up. Keep that pressure back!

3. The Rubber Band Tee Gate

This is the easiest DIY training aid of the three, and honestly, it might help you the fastest.

A centered strike is everything in putting. Miss the middle and you lose both distance and direction.

Max’s drill shows you how to fix that with two elastic bands and two tees.

How to Make the Gate

• Wrap one elastic band around the toe of the putter:
  

• Wrap the other around the heel:

• Slide a tee under each band, pointy end out:
  

• Adjust the spacing until the ball fits perfectly between the tees:
  

Now hit putts without clipping the tees. If you hit either one, your strike wasn’t centered.

Why This Helps

The supporting research explains that even Tour players don’t always hit the exact centre, but they know where their best strike lives and return to it every time.

This DIY gate helps you:

• Identify your natural strike location
  

• Build consistency through repetition
  

• Improve speed control through cleaner contact
  

It’s like having a coach tap you on the shoulder and whisper, “Again… but hit the middle this time.”

Quick Comparison Table: What Each DIY Tool Fixes

FAQs Answered Simply

• Can beginners use these drills?
Absolutely. They’re simple and repeatable.

• Should I practice on carpet or a mat?
Both work. Carpet is slower but great for learning control.

• How often should I practice?
A few minutes a day beats one long session a week.

• Do these drills help real-green performance?
Yes — they sharpen the three things every good putter needs: start line, strike, and stable motion.

Conclusion: Build Them Once. Use Them Forever.

There’s something quiet and satisfying about building your own little tools. When they help your putting improve, it feels even better.

And once you feel your stroke steady, your start line sharpen, and the center of the face wake up… you’ll wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.