How to Use a 10-Foot Putting Bullseye Game to Improve Your Putting
A 10-foot putting station is a simple but powerful way to learn what is really costing you strokes on the green. By using the Handy Golf app, a consistent practice setup, and honest feedback after each putt, you can identify whether your main issue is green reading, pace control, or start line.
What You Need
- A putter
- Three golf balls
- A tee peg or marker
- A 10-foot putt on a practice green
- The Handy Golf app
- The Putting Bullseye game
- Optional: a line on your golf ball or an intermediate target spot
Step 1: Build Your 10-Foot Putting Station
Measure out a 10-foot putt and place a tee peg down to mark where you will putt from. Use three golf balls and plan to hit three sets of three putts, giving you a total of nine putts.
This gives you enough attempts to start seeing patterns without turning the drill into random practice.
Step 2: Read the Green First
Before you start the Putting Bullseye game, use the green-reading feature in the Handy Golf app.
For example:
- Place your phone down to measure the slope.
- Select the approximate green speed, such as 8.
- Select the distance, in this case 10 feet.
- Check the recommended break.
If the app reads approximately one inch left, that means your aim point is just left of center, roughly on the left edge of the cup. This removes guesswork and helps you separate a poor read from a poor stroke.
Step 3: Start the Putting Bullseye Game
Open the Putting Bullseye game in the Handy Golf app. Even if you are a beginner, a 10-foot putt is short enough that you can challenge yourself with Hard Mode. The main goal is to finish putts close to the hole and avoid three-putting.
For context, a very good tour-level player may hole around 40% of 10-foot putts. You do not need to make every putt, but you do want to keep your misses controlled.
Step 4: Hit Three Putts and Give Yourself Feedback
After each putt, ask yourself three questions:
- Was the green read correct?
- Was the pace good?
- Did the ball start on the intended line?
If you used the app to confirm the read, you can often remove green reading as the main variable. Then focus on whether your miss came from pace or start line.
For example:
- If the ball finishes pin-high but left or right, your pace may be good but your start line may be off.
- If the ball finishes well short or long, pace control may be the issue.
- If the ball starts correctly but misses because it breaks differently than expected, review your green read.
Step 5: Score the Results Honestly
Once you have hit your putts, walk up and record where each ball finished in the bullseye scoring zones.
Do not just count makes. Pay attention to the pattern:
- Are most putts finishing inside three feet?
- Are they consistently long or short?
- Are they missing mostly left or mostly right?
- Are you starting the ball where you intended?
This is where the drill becomes useful. The score is not just a number; it tells you what to work on next.
Step 6: Experiment With Your Aiming Routine
If your pace is good but the ball is not starting online, test different ways to aim.
You might try:
- Using a line on the golf ball
- Picking an intermediate spot a few inches in front of the ball
- Walking behind the ball to check the line before stepping in
- Taking more time to aim the putter face
- Practicing without a ball line to see what feels more natural
Some golfers love using a line on the ball. Others prefer an intermediate spot. The key is to test what helps you start the ball on your intended line more consistently.
Step 7: Identify the Main Weakness
At the end of nine putts, review your performance using the three putting skills:
1. Green Reading
Did you choose the correct amount of break? The Handy Golf green-reading tool can help remove doubt here.
2. Pace Control
Did your putts consistently finish near the hole? If most putts are short, long, or outside the target zone, spend time on distance control.
3. Start Line
Did the ball begin on your intended line? If your speed was good and your read was correct but you kept missing left or right, your start line is likely the issue.
Step 8: Choose Your Next Practice Drill
Once you know the issue, go work on it specifically.
If your problem is start line, use drills such as:
- A gate drill for the ball
- A putter-face gate drill
- Starting putts over a chalk line or string line
- Practicing with a ball line
- Picking and rolling the ball over an intermediate target
If your problem is pace, work on:
- Ladder drills
- Long and short distance-control drills
- Putting to a fringe or tee instead of a hole
If your problem is green reading, practice:
- Reading putts from behind the ball and behind the hole
- Using the Handy Golf green-reading feature
- Comparing your predicted break with the actual roll
Key Takeaway
The 10-foot Putting Bullseye game is not just about making putts. It helps you diagnose your putting. By combining a clear green read, controlled pace, and start-line feedback, you can identify exactly where your putting needs work.
If your pace is good and your green read is confirmed, but you are still missing, the answer is probably your start line. Work on that, then come back to the same 10-foot station and see if your score improves.
