The train tracks drill has been a short game staple for decades — simple to set up, universally applicable, and unambiguous in its feedback. Two parallel rods. Stay between them. David Potts uses the pathpal to build the tracks and applies them to both putting and chipping in the same session, targeting two of the most common recreational faults: an offline putter path and an inside chip takeaway.
The full drill is at pathpalgolf.com/pages/pathpal-golf-train-track-drill-for-chipping-and-putting.
Path deviations that would be masked by swing speed in a full shot are immediate and consequential in a chip or putt. The tracks catch that deviation at the moment it begins.
The drill
David Potts — Golf Digest Best Teachers in Every State (2024–2025), Golf Digest Best Teachers in Georgia (2007, 2008), Georgia PGA Assistant Professional of the Year (2011), Assistant's Division Player of the Year (2008, 2009, 2012), Director of Player Development at Country Club of the South, Assistant Golf Coach at Oglethorpe University, Class A Teaching Professional since 2009, and SAM Putt Lab Instructor Level I & II Certified — places both pathpal alignment rods parallel to the target line, one on each side of the ball, creating a corridor for both the putter and chip club to travel through.
The two applications
Putting
- —Putter head stays between the tracks from backstroke through finish
- —Path deviations are immediate and visible — tracks catch any outside or inside exit
- —Start line consistency improves as path and face alignment converge within the corridor
Chipping
- —Club travels straight back and straight down the tracks
- —Inside takeaway — David's most common member fault — is caught by the inside track immediately
- —Optional third rod added perpendicular to the inside track for persistent inside-rip habits
Watch the drill
Watch the full drill on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=a4k2QNVkuWg
Why it works
The train tracks work because the short game operates on a much smaller scale than the full swing — path deviations that would be masked by swing speed in a full shot are immediately visible and consequential in a chip or putt. A chipping path that goes three inches inside at the halfway point translates directly to fat contact, thin contact, or a misdirected ball flight because there's no recovery mechanism built into a 30-yard chip. The tracks catch that deviation at the moment it begins.
For putting, the tracks provide the start line verification that launch monitors provide for full shots — they confirm whether the putter is actually traveling where the golfer thinks it is. Most golfers have significant discrepancies between perceived and actual putter path, and the tracks expose those discrepancies immediately without requiring a camera or a SAM Putt Lab unit.
David's SAM Putt Lab Level I and II certification informs his understanding of path data — he can read the stroke shape diagnostics that the lab produces. The train tracks are his portable, field version of that same path feedback, deployable on any green or chipping area in under a minute.
Who this is for
- ✓Recreational golfers who chunk or thin chips without understanding why — the inside takeaway is usually the root cause
- ✓Putters who struggle with start line consistency on short putts where break is minimal and path is the determining variable
- ✓Golfers who want a single short game practice station that addresses both chipping and putting in the same setup
- ✓Instructors working with members and collegiate players who need a quick, visual, immediately effective short game reference tool
Try it
Set the two pathpal rods parallel to the target line with the ball centered between them. Start with 10 putting strokes at six feet — tracking whether the putter stays in the corridor throughout. Then switch to a chipping stance and make 10 chip swings from just off the green — feeling the club travel straight back and straight down the tracks rather than pulling inside.
Notice how much more consistent the contact is when the takeaway stays in the corridor. Add the third perpendicular rod on the inside if the inside rip is persistent. Remove the tracks and hit five of each — the path built in the corridor will carry into the free strokes.
- Place both rods parallel to the target line, ball centered between them
- 10 putting strokes at 6 feet — track whether the putter stays in the corridor
- Switch to chipping — 10 swings, club straight back and through the tracks
- If the inside rip persists, add a third rod perpendicular to the inside track
- Remove the tracks, hit 5 of each — carry the path into free strokes
Related drills
The train tracks address path awareness for both short game applications. These three drills go deeper on specific aspects of putting and chipping mechanics that the corridor reveals:
Putting · Mike Barge
Match Pace and Line Putting
Once your path is consistent inside the tracks, add the pace layer. Mike Barge's gate drill tests whether your start line and pace are matched — the next step after path awareness for breaking putts.
Chipping · Brad Pluth
Hit Down and Through Chip Shots
After fixing the inside takeaway, train the angle of attack. Brad Pluth places the pathpal rod behind the ball to force a descending strike — the next variable to groove once the path is correct.
Takeaway · Shawn Koch
Prevent Inside Takeaway – Wall Drill
For golfers whose inside chip rip is rooted in a full-swing habit, Shawn Koch's wall drill corrects the same fault in the full swing — stopping the inside roll at the takeaway before it can carry into short game shots.
See all pathpal drills: pathpalgolf.com/pages/all-drills
About David Potts
David Potts
Director of Player Development · Country Club of the South, Johns Creek, GA
David Potts is a Golf Digest Best Teacher in Every State (2024–2025), Golf Digest Best Teacher in Georgia (2007, 2008), Georgia PGA Assistant Professional of the Year (2011), Director of Player Development at Country Club of the South, SAM Putt Lab Instructor Level I & II Certified, and Assistant Golf Coach at Oglethorpe University.
@davidpottsgolf · egolfinstructor.com/dpg/home · pathpal on Instagram
Frequently asked questions
How do I set up the pathpal for the Train Tracks drill?
Place both pathpal alignment rods parallel to the target line, one on each side of the ball, creating a narrow corridor — train tracks — that the clubhead or putter head must travel between on the backswing and through-swing. For putting, the putter head must stay in the corridor throughout the stroke. For chipping, the club travels straight back and straight down the tracks. An optional third rod can be added perpendicular to the inside track if the inside chip takeaway is particularly persistent.
Why do most recreational golfers take the chip club inside?
The inside takeaway in chipping is usually a subconscious import from the full swing — golfers who have developed an inside takeaway habit carry it into shorter shots. In chipping, that inside rip creates the same problem it does in the full swing: the club approaches from inside-to-out, the low point shifts, and contact becomes inconsistent. The train track corridor catches the inside move at the exact moment it begins.
Does straight-back, straight-through apply more to chipping than to putting?
Yes — and this is an important distinction. In chipping, the stroke is short enough that a straight-back, straight-through path is both achievable and desirable for consistent low-point control. In putting, the natural lie angle of the putter creates a slight arc even on short strokes, so the tracks are most useful for confirming the putter isn't dramatically offline rather than enforcing a perfectly straight path. The corridor is wide enough to accommodate the slight natural putting arc while providing meaningful constraint for chipping.
How does this drill relate to a SAM Putt Lab?
David's SAM Putt Lab Level I and II certification means he can read stroke shape path data directly. The train tracks are his portable, field version of that same path feedback — deployable on any green or chipping area in under a minute, without a camera or lab unit. Most golfers have significant discrepancies between their perceived and actual putter path, and the tracks expose those discrepancies immediately.
Can I use this drill indoors?
Yes — the track setup works on any flat surface. For putting, a carpet or putting mat works perfectly. For chipping, the path rehearsal swings can be done indoors without a ball. The drill's value is the path awareness it builds, and that awareness transfers equally from an indoor mat to a practice green.
One setup. Two short game faults. Instant feedback.
pathpal splits into two parallel rods in seconds, building the train tracks that expose offline putting paths and inside chip takeaways — the two most common faults around the green.
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