Putting Banter

[Grins]

Another really good drill requires a simple tool. My pro just had me balance the grip of my driver on the top line of my putter, with the club head resting on my sternum. Then I would take nice smooth swings & make sure the driver didn't fall off. I spent a lot of time doing this drill & it really helped with:
1) keeping my body balanced. I was surprised to find out (via video) how much my body moved around using my old putting stroke. This drill kept me rock-solid from the waist down
2) developing a good feel for what a controlled putting stroke felt like. I eliminated that "hit" urge and my putter just collected the ball at the bottom.

A good drill for becoming a more consistent putter of the ball

Eyeline makes a nice tool for this drill but I can't bring myself to spend the $40.

Pendulum Putting Rod - Black Edition

The first putt you stroke with the Pendulum Putting Rod may be your best ever. >> Click to View Golfweek's article on PGA Tour Players using the Putting Rod Using the Pendulum Putting Rod helps you with critical fundamentals: A perfect one-piece connection between the shoulders arms, and hands...

eyelinegolf.com

 

[Snickerdog]

That is how I putt 100%.

I used to and still do to a point, but have found it a bit better to have it go just a bit past on a miss. Most of my misses now only go past no more than 18 inches. Reasoning is if short you can't make the birdie putt.

 

[aljaklaw]

There are always exceptions to every rule. I do know that the SeeMore instructors that I talked to did not want me to put my index finger down the shaft. They felt (I believe) this introduced tension & another variable into the putting stroke.

Can someone be really good this way? Yes.
Can most people be better putters this way. Don't think it will help & it probably it will hurt them.

there are many exceptions to many rules

a few years ago every "instructor" would scoff at the claw, yet now there is a grip made specifically for that technique

putt your way not their way

 

[Grins]

there are many exceptions to many rules

a few years ago every "instructor" would scoff at the claw, yet now there is a grip made specifically for that technique

putt your way not their way

I'd amend that to "Putt your way - as long as you have some proof that your way is better for you." Don't just do stuff blindly with no thought behind it. Experiment. Try different stuff out, and see what works better for you.

 

[CBaker]

I used to and still do to a point, but have found it a bit better to have it go just a bit past on a miss. Most of my misses now only go past no more than 18 inches. Reasoning is if short you can't make the birdie putt.

If I try to putt like that, I put it 6+ feet past haha

 

[Scorp]

I consider my putting a success if I’m halfway closer to the hole. Of course, this technique works much better on long putts. I think I need to rethink this way of thinking.

 

[93civiccpe]

Tried putting without my finger down the grip and I was terrible. Put it back down the grip and started making putts...

 

[Scorp]

It sounds like it works for you

 

[fuffle master]

So you like the ball to die at the hole and not a bit past it on a miss?

My biggest issue when putting is too many times I play to die the ball at the hole. So, if I miss I have an easy tap in. Seems I miss more than I make when playing this way. That is something I have to work on as I need to hit through the hole per say to about 1 to 1.5 feet past more this year

 

[93civiccpe]

It sounds like it works for you

Definitely would be a hard thing to break but will consider it if I think it will help me improve

 

[Grins]

My biggest issue when putting is too many times I play to die the ball at the hole. So, if I miss I have an easy tap in. Seems I miss more than I make when playing this way. That is something I have to work on as I need to hit through the hole per say to about 1 to 1.5 feet past more this year

Dying it at the hole worked OK for Ben Crenshaw lol!
There are pros and cons to each way. If it’s rolling very slow as it goes by the edge the ball has a better chance of dropping in (the faster the speed when the ball reaches the cup, the smaller the effective size of the hole becomes)

That being said, I think I (and probably most amateurs) tend to leave a lot more short than long, and it’s never going in if it’s short. Hence the “18 inches past the hole” rule of thumb.

I think I need to keep track of what percentage of my putts are actually short and then adjust length accordingly .
Leaving them inches short and dead center really hurts me

 

[Luchnia]

I used to and still do to a point, but have found it a bit better to have it go just a bit past on a miss. Most of my misses now only go past no more than 18 inches. Reasoning is if short you can't make the birdie putt.

Interesting. I think the majority of my misses are slightly short, but I have not really done the math. When I miss long it seems I am way too long and makes my next putt tough. I do try to make sure I am putting uphill as I hate those tough downhill putts.

 

[Jman]

Interesting. I think the majority of my misses are slightly short, but I have not really done the math. When I miss long it seems I am way too long and makes my next putt tough. I do try to make sure I am putting uphill as I hate those tough downhill putts.

Easy thought, “back of the cup, firm”.

My high school golfers hear it in their sleep I’m sure, firm is a happier and more controlled thought than “hard” which leads to more aggressiveness which isn’t a variable you want in putting. Firm is a much more balance connotation and it’s something you can hold onto from putts of any length. Back of the cup because short putts never had a chance.

 

[Luchnia]

Easy thought, “back of the cup, firm”.

My high school golfers hear it in their sleep I’m sure, firm is a happier and more controlled thought than “hard” which leads to more aggressiveness which isn’t a variable you want in putting. Firm is a much more balance connotation and it’s something you can hold onto from putts of any length. Back of the cup because short putts never had a chance.

Yes, good points. I am learning if I miss, miss close - although the goal is not to miss at all and I like "back of the cup, firm" which will be a good thought for me and a much more happier approach as you note.

 

[Snickerdog]

Yes, good points. I am learning if I miss, miss close - although the goal is not to miss at all and I like "back of the cup, firm" which will be a good thought for me and a much more happier approach as you note.

It is just a matter of learning to trust it. Once you do, you will see a lot less putts left short.

 

[Grins]

Easy thought, “back of the cup, firm”.

My high school golfers hear it in their sleep I’m sure, firm is a happier and more controlled thought than “hard” which leads to more aggressiveness which isn’t a variable you want in putting. Firm is a much more balance connotation and it’s something you can hold onto from putts of any length. Back of the cup because short putts never had a chance.

Good thought. I remember someone putting a tee or some kind of marker on the back side of the cup (maybe a tee pushed into the back side of the cup slightly below the green's surface?). The idea was to make your putt so that the ball hits this marker in the back of the cup.

“Back of the cup, firm”. Words to live by, I think.

 

[Scorp]

Good thought. I remember someone putting a tee or some kind of marker on the back side of the cup (maybe a tee pushed into the back side of the cup slightly below the green's surface?). The idea was to make your putt so that the ball hits this marker in the back of the cup.

“Back of the cup, firm”. Words to live by, I think.

Just not so firm that the ball goes over the hole.

 

[93civiccpe]

Easy thought, “back of the cup, firm”.

My high school golfers hear it in their sleep I’m sure, firm is a happier and more controlled thought than “hard” which leads to more aggressiveness which isn’t a variable you want in putting. Firm is a much more balance connotation and it’s something you can hold onto from putts of any length. Back of the cup because short putts never had a chance.

A coach I worked with had me do a putting drill where he laid an alignment stick 12-18 inches past the hole and had me putt. The purpose was to try to make every putt but if I missed to end up between the hole and the alignment stick. I had the tendency to putt more tentatively and he kept reiterating that balls left short never have a chance of going in. I still do the drill from time to time if I find myself leaving putts short

 

[Jman]

A coach I worked with had me do a putting drool where he laid an alignment stick 12-18 inches past the hole and had me putt. The purpose was to try to make every putt but if I missed to end up between the hole and the alignment stick. I had the tendency to putt more tentatively and he kept reiterating that balls left short never have a chance of going in. I still do the drill from time to time if I find myself leaving putts short

The other thing I tell my kids all the time, two feet high side. I want misses within two feet past the hole and on the high side or the putt never had a chance.

 

[Grins]

High side AKA the pro side.

All this putting talk is getting me fired up to do some practicing before the season begins!

 

[DG_1234]

High side AKA the pro side.

All this putting talk is getting me fired up to do some practicing before the season begins!

I've never understood the "miss on the high side" thinking. This often seems to result in players missing on the high side all day long.

 

[Jman]

I've never understood the "miss on the high side" thinking. This often seems to result in players missing on the high side all day long.

You mean missing on the side of the fall line where the ball at least has a chance? Whereas on the low side you never had a single chance?

 

[Snickerdog]

So many great thoughts in here the last day or so. I did some putting on the mat last night, 2,4,6, and 8 footers until I could drop 12 in a row.

 

[Luchnia]

You mean missing on the side of the fall line where the ball at least has a chance? Whereas on the low side you never had a single chance?

After thinking about this it makes total sense to me. Any ball that is short of the hole has NO chance of holing, whereas any ball going by the hole has at least some percentage of success, even if it is small. So then the purpose now is if missed, simply close in on the other side of the hole.

I remember my last round I played and a number of my putts were on perfect line had they rolled further they would have holed, but because they were short they required another shot. That is basic common sense that evades us short putters sometimes.

 

[maxw72]

As we are talking about putting thoughts, Alfonso Ribeiro shares some information on the Foreplay podcast that he heard from Justin Rose's putting "guru" that I thought was really interesting. They then go into just the mental side of golf and how you should be thinking. Interesting how putting thoughts and mental thoughts are throughout golf. Sorry for the 2-3 swears in the video.