This game is guaranteed to make you a better putter

Golf instruction is constantly evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we highlight some of the greatest advice from teachers and players in the pages of Golf magazine. Today we get a putting tip from legendary short game coach Dave Pelz in the October 1999 issue.

The game of golf has evolved in many ways throughout history, but one thing has remained constant: putting is a vital skill. From Tom Morris Sr. and Harry Varden all the way to Scotty Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau, putting has always been an advanced skill.

If you’ve stumbled upon this article, there’s a good chance you’re looking to improve your putting skills. If this sounds true, you’re in luck.

Back in 1999, ” golf magazineHall of Fame coach Dave Pelz explains a simple game to improve your putting. And it’s so easy to implement that you don’t need to be a pro to benefit from it. Take a look below.

Dave Pelz’s great putting game

Last month, I explained that the best path to hole a putt is often higher than you think. From my research on putting speed and direction, I learned that the best line to start a putt is about three-quarters of the way between the lowest and highest lines that allow you to find the hole. I call this best route the “High Road.”

Taking the high road—hitting more breaks rather than less—makes sense for a number of reasons: The ball is more likely to fall into the hole from the high side than from the low side; it also encourages the ball to roll at a slower pace, meaning it’s less likely to travel too far if it misses the hole.

However, knowing what you should do and actually doing it are often two different things, especially in golf. So, to help you learn to imagine your optimal tee shot and speed on the greens you’re playing, try a game called “Too-High.”

On the practice green, look for putts that are 10 to 20 feet long and have a breakout distance of 4 to 5 inches. Pull a string from behind the hole, pointing toward your ball, right through the center of the cup. The rope should extend at least six feet on either side of the hole. (Tie a string to two pencils and use them as stakes, raising the string at least two inches above the green.)

Grab a friend and choose who puts first. (While you can practice on your own, you’ll learn faster through competition, although your friends’ putting will also improve.) Putt A Choose a putting spot anywhere from 6 to 20 feet away along the indicated line, and from that point try to put the ball as close to the hole as possible, but stopping the ball just above the line (high side). If any part of the ball touches the line or rolls below the line, or if the ball goes into the hole, that player cannot win.

If Player A hits the ball below the line in any way, Player B putst from the same position and wins simply by leaving the ball on the line. While it may seem easy, players trying to hit a “good” putt often let the succession ball float down the line. Then there is no winner. If both balls land on the line, the ball closest to the hole wins.

When a player wins, he or she is honored and chooses another location 6 to 20 feet away along the line, where they attack again. If neither team wins, the person who came in second last time gets the honor. So there’s just one simple rule: whoever leaves the ball closest to the hole and above the line wins. (This is why a ball that falls into the hole is a loser: it actually touches the line.)

The first time you play Too-High, the winner is the first player to lead six holes. As you progress, play the game until one player reaches nine points. Remember, the point of golf is not to putt, but to understand what a putt that is too high looks and feels like.

When you step on the course, you can feel, feel and see where the “too high” lines are, which are almost identical to the highest lines you can possibly hit on a breakaway putt. If you hit three-quarters of a rest (from the lowest possible line upward), you’ll have the best rest of all your putts.