Golf Putting Practice Plan for 7 and 8 Year Olds
At 7 and 8, putting is golf's gift to small kids: the one part of the sport where they can genuinely succeed on day one. The setup is a carpet or short grass, a plastic cup on its side or a real hole substitute, and games. The only technique that matters: the ROCK, shoulders rocking the putter back and through like a little clock, ball rolling instead of hopping.
Thirty minutes with a kid-length putter (grip at the top with the club soled flat: too-long putters force wrist flips). Everything is a game with a make at the end, because putting joy at 7 becomes putting confidence at 15, and confidence is most of putting. Misses get zero commentary; makes get celebrations that embarrass the neighbors.
This plan was written for every 7 and 8 year old. ParentEdge writes one for yours.
Built around their game, their goals, and what they’re working on.
Is carpet putting real practice?
Genuinely yes: carpet rolls true enough to build the rocking stroke, start direction, and distance feel, which is most of putting. Real greens add speed variety later. A hallway, a cup, and ten minutes of games is the most accessible practice in all of golf.
What putter should a small kid use?
A junior-length one where they can grip at the top with the club soled flat and their eyes roughly over the ball. A cut-down adult putter works if properly shortened. Too long is the common error, and it forces the wrist-flip stroke everything here is built to prevent.
How do I teach green reading to a 7 year old?
You don't, formally: the around-the-room game with a carpet wrinkle or garden slope lets break become an adventure they solve by experiment. "Which way will it curve?" asked as a guessing game builds the eye years before any lesson would. Curiosity is the curriculum.