Chalk Line Putting Drill for Better Start-Line Control

By Jacob Williams · May 24, 2022

A chalk line gives immediate visual feedback on one specific putting skill: starting the ball on the intended line.

The drill does not read the green for you, and it does not measure speed control. It helps you compare where you aimed with where the ball actually started.

Ask before marking a practice green

Use only a facility-approved chalk product and get permission before placing any line on a practice green. Some facilities do not allow chalk, string, alignment boards, or repeated practice from one spot.

If chalk is not permitted, use a ruler or narrow alignment board off the green, or create a start-line gate with two tees where the facility allows it. PGA of America instruction also uses start-line drills with rulers, boards, intermediate targets, and tee gates.

How to set up the drill

1. Find a straight or nearly straight putt of about four to six feet.
2. Confirm the line from behind the ball and from near the hole.
3. With permission, place a thin chalk line from the ball toward the center of the cup. Keep it only as long as needed.
4. Set the ball on the line and aim the putter face square to it.
5. Make your normal stroke and watch the ball's first few inches.

The first part of the roll is the feedback. A made putt can still begin off line and curve back; a missed putt can start correctly but have the wrong speed.

What the result can tell you

If the ball repeatedly starts left or right, check more than one possible cause:

• Putter-face aim at address
• Face orientation at impact
• Contact location on the putter face
• Ball position and setup
• Stroke direction
• Whether the chosen putt is actually straight

Do not diagnose a complete putting stroke from one miss. Look for a repeated pattern across several putts.

A useful practice sequence

Try this progression:

1. Roll 10 putts using the line and record how many begin on it.
2. Remove the line and hit 10 more from the same spot.
3. Move to a different straight putt and repeat without immediately replacing the guide.
4. Finish with putts from varied distances so practice does not become tied to one visual aid.

For more challenge, create a narrow gate a short distance in front of the ball. The goal is to start the ball through the gate without contacting either tee.

Start line and speed are separate skills

A short straight putt is useful for start-line feedback because it reduces the amount of break. Longer and breaking putts require speed control as well.

After the chalk-line work, practice rolling balls into a stopping zone from multiple distances. A reliable start line is valuable, but the correct pace determines how much a breaking putt curves and how far a miss travels past the hole.

Practice responsibly

Move locations during longer sessions to reduce wear. Remove approved practice materials when finished and follow the facility's rules. Training aids and alignment objects used during practice may not be allowed in the same way during a stipulated round, so review the applicable Rules and competition conditions.

A drill is useful when the feedback is clear and the skill transfers after the guide is removed.

Golf Upgrades offers putting and full-game coaching with Jacob Williams, PGA Associate, at Sorrento Canyon Golf Center and Miramar Golf Course.

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Sources

• PGA of America: Start-Line Ruler or Alignment-Board Drill
• PGA of America: Simple Start-Line and Gate Drills
• USGA: Protecting Practice Areas
• USGA Rule 4.3: Use of Equipment

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