Independence Golf Club The Bear Course Putting Guide

How to prepare your putting for Independence Golf Club The Bear Course in Midlothian, Virginia.

Independence Golf Club The Bear Course plays as a par 27. Greens are bermuda. Practice green available. For most players prepping here, lag putting and 4–6 foot pressure putts are the highest-leverage focus.

3/5

Standard — build a steady putting routine

<cite index="1-1">The 9-hole Bear course features 1280 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 27.</cite> <cite index="13-3,13-4">The greens feature different grasses as part of a partnership with Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Science, making the Bear Course the largest test agronomy site in the country.</cite> <cite index="13-1">The course is a walking-only par 3 nine-hole course that offers Traditional Golf, FootGolf, and Disc Golf.</cite>

Why putting prep matters at Independence Golf Club The Bear Course

Independence Golf Club The Bear Course plays as a 5-hole par 27.

Tom Fazio's design philosophy shapes the green complexes here. Modern conditioning standards typically mean true rolls and consistent speed.

RECOMMENDED ROUTINE

20-minute pre-round putting routine

Adapt timing to your practice green availability and arrival window.

3–6 foot start-line check

Hit 10 putts from short range and watch your face control. Pick one ball mark or grass blade as a target — this is your line accuracy check before everything else. On bermuda, grain affects even short putts — pay attention to which direction the grass is leaning around the cup.

5 min

15 / 25 / 35 foot distance ladder

Build your stroke-length feel for the most common lag putt distances. Three putts at each distance. The goal is getting the second putt inside the leather, not making the first.

8 min

Uphill / downhill speed calibration

If the practice green has slope: hit 5 uphill and 5 downhill putts from the same distance. Hit at least 5 putts each direction. This is where the practice green tells you what the course will play like today.

5 min

Pressure finish

Make 8 out of 10 from 4–6 feet before leaving. If you miss two in a row, reset the count. The goal is leaving the green with confidence, not a number. Greens may have more wear around the cup at high-traffic courses — your last putts will tell you what the actual surface is doing.

2 min