What Off-Season? How to Keep Your Putting Sharp Indoors

November might mark the end of your golf season, but it doesn’t have to mean the end of your progress. If you live in a region where winter makes outdoor play difficult or impossible, there’s good news: the off-season is one of the best times to build precision, improve consistency, and revisit the fundamentals of your putting game.

With the right mindset and setup, your winter months can become your most productive putting season. This post walks you through everything you need to stay sharp until spring, from setting up a home practice space to evaluating your gear and building mental discipline.

Why Off-Season Practice Matters

Most players take long breaks in the winter and return in spring expecting to pick up where they left off. The reality? Without consistent touch and tempo practice, it takes several rounds to regain feel and confidence.

The best players use the winter to:
• Maintain rhythm and muscle memory
• Experiment without pressure
• Refine alignment and technique
• Stay mentally engaged with the game

Even a few focused minutes a day can preserve your performance and help you start stronger when the season returns.

Build Your Indoor Putting Setup

You don’t need a simulator or full putting green to create a useful home practice area. A flat space, your putter, and a few basic tools can make all the difference.

Recommended Equipment:
• A putting mat (9 to 12 feet is ideal) or firm carpet
• Alignment mirror or chalk line
• Coin, cup, or target object
• Smartphone or tripod for filming

Set this up somewhere accessible such as your home office, basement, or hallway. A dedicated area increases the chance you'll use it regularly.

Daily Drills to Train Consistency

1. The Coin Drill (Distance Control)
   Place a coin 3 feet away and attempt to stop your ball directly on it. It forces you to control speed precisely, a critical skill on fast greens.

2. The Gate Drill (Face Control)
   Set up two tees just wider than your putter head. Stroke through them without touching either tee. This keeps your face square at impact.

3. The Ladder Drill (Progressive Focus)
   Set three targets at 3, 6, and 9 feet. Try to make all three in a row. Restart from the beginning if you miss one. This builds routine and pressure tolerance.

Rotate these three drills across the week. Just 10 minutes a day, 3 to 5 times per week, can lock in mechanics and boost feel.

Use Video to Fine-Tune Technique

Recording your putting stroke may feel awkward at first, but it's a powerful feedback tool. Set your phone up from behind and from the side. Watch for:
• Any sway or inconsistent setup
• Incomplete follow-through
• Misalignment between shoulders and stroke

Even reviewing once a week can help identify mechanical drift and reinforce what’s working well.

Work on Setup and Stroke Mechanics

The off-season is the ideal time to revisit basics:
• Is your eye line over the ball?
• Are your feet and shoulders square to the target line?
• Is your grip relaxed and repeatable?

Use a putting mirror to rehearse your setup daily. Even without hitting a ball, this kind of quiet repetition retrains your posture and setup instincts.

Build Mental Routines and Visualization Skills

Putting success is as much mental as physical. Practicing indoors gives you space to train the mental side without distractions.

Try this routine:
• Take one breath before setup
• Picture the ball rolling to your target
• Hold your finish and commit fully to the stroke

These elements build calm under pressure, an underrated skill during tough tournament or league rounds.

Evaluate Your Gear: Off-Season Tune-Up

Now’s the time to ask some honest questions about your putter:
• Is your grip slick or worn?
• Have you adjusted your stance or setup this year?
• Did your confidence fade on short putts?

A fresh grip or slight spec change could restore your feel. If you’re not sure, now’s a great time to test a new putter type.

Bell Tip: Experiment With New Styles Indoors

The winter months are low-pressure. That makes them perfect for trying new configurations, maybe a face-balanced model, a different lie angle, or a thicker grip. You’re not on the course, so there’s no risk in seeing what feels different.

Bell offers upright models specifically designed for controlled tempo and visual alignment indoors. You might find a better fit than what you’ve used all season.

Stay Sharp, Stay Confident

Winter doesn’t have to be a performance gap. With a few tools, daily habits, and a smart plan, you can enter spring sharper than you left fall.

Put in the work now. Your future scores will thank you.