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2-Putt For 18 Holes...Happy?

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CobraX51

CobraX51

F-ck Yeah Baby!
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So when you read people's opinions on the best way to avoid "higher scores" is to avoid OB, 3 putts, double chips.

Today I had 14 two putts. 2 three putts. 2 one putts to cancel out the 3 jacks.

I average 33 putts a round and today knew I was going to have a higher number because of the greens, and I'm not really disappointed about it because it's an area I never focus on. I'll chip then hit a bucket then go home when I practice. I'll putt for like 5 minutes before a round and it's so half-assed it isn't even funny. 2 short putts, 2 long putts, maybe a putt over a ridge, and just go around the putting green getting no knowledge of anything.

I see some people have 26-30 putts some rounds. I'm bad at putting but can get by with leaving myself a decent 2 putt chance.

What's the key to making practice fun for putting and have some fun drills to not make it so boring?
 
Honestly when I went with a friend we made games out of it, closest to the pin, least putts to get all 3 balls in the hole etc. when I’m by myself I’ll still do the same thing but just play against myself. It’s makes it a little more fun.


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Well I average a horrendous 36.7 putts a round. I feel your pain.

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Playing skins with carryovers on the putting green always makes it more interesting. I grew up doing this for many hours a week during my teenage years and it teaches you how to putt under pressure. As we all know when the don't count for anything they are easy to make!
 
If I hit every green, I would be happy with 2 putts per hole. I average less than 36 putts but play a course with small greens so there are a lot of near missed GIR that result in pretty easy up and downs for pars.
 
Sox Fan said:
If I hit every green, I would be happy with 2 putts per hole.
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I think we all say that, but it's not true. Once we got to where we were hitting all the GIR (or even almost all), then we'd start complaining that we weren't hitting enough putts. If it ain't one thing, it's another.
 
Make yourself practice more.

Practice putting to the fringe instead of the hole ... teaches you speed and lag putting without having to concentrate on making it in a hole.

"Clock" challenge ... Drop balls at 12, 3, 6 & 9 Try and make each putt from about 3 feet. Challenge yourself to make it around the clock without missing. If you miss, start over. And dont leave the green until you make it around at least once.

"Ladder drill" ... drop balls at 3, 6, 9 feet on a straight putt. Try and make them all in sequence. You make them all, move further back. Again ... dont leave the green until you have made the sequence at least once.

For every bucket of balls you beat at the range, you spend at least an hour on the green. If you want to lower your putts per round, you have to be committed to practicing more.

Putt to a tee ... this makes you concentrate on a smaller target. Just like the real tiny holes only about the size of the ball on some greens. If you can consistently hit a tee, then the size of a regulation hole will look like a basket after a while.

And dont practice just straight putts either. Breaking putts need their attention as well. Concentrate on making the right to left on the "high" side and to make it die in the hole. Focus on speed.

These are just some of the things I work on when I have the time.

Hope it helps. Try it out and let us know how it goes.

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I only ever take 1 ball on the practice green. I'm trying to simulate putting on the course. I don't have 2-3 balls out there, so I'm not going to do it here, either. I try to read the break and line up my putts just like I would on the course. And my goal is to 2-putt everything....whether I'm 10 feet away or 60. (Unless of course I'm working on 3 to 5 footers, and I'm trying to 1 putt).

Preferably, I'll go with a buddy, and we take turns picking the hole and the starting point. Straight match play. Loser buys coffee on the way to the office, or lunch that day, or something along those lines. That helps simulate a little pressure too.
 
I spend a lot of time doing a clock drill. 5 tees around the hole. Try to make 25 in a row from 3 feet, and 20 from 6 feet. Really gets you comfortable especially early in the season.
 
OKputtnfool said:
I think we all say that, but it's not true. Once we got to where we were hitting all the GIR (or even almost all), then we'd start complaining that we weren't hitting enough putts. If it ain't one thing, it's another.
Click to expand...

My most memorably frustrating rounds from last season were a couple where I hit 17 greens and had zero birdies. One of those I had two 3 putts and wound up shooting 2 over par.:banghead:
 
Number of putts is relative to GIR and/or short game. If one is hitting all greens in regulation...then 36 putts would be reasonable. I play with folks who can have 32 putts and shoot 97.
 
golfinnut said:
For every bucket of balls you beat at the range, you spend at least an hour on the green. If you want to lower your putts per round, you have to be committed to practicing more.
Click to expand...
I read each bullet point you had, and that sounds great and all.

I'm simply asking as someone who probably has a short attention span and finds nothing fun about putting, call me a millennial I don't care. I get the importance and how it can lower scores tremendously, but damn if after a few rolls I'm just like "alright I'm done" but walking off feeling no better or worse about my putting.

TrojanMan said:
I only ever take 1 ball on the practice green.
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If I think it's boring now to putt 2 or 3 golf balls at a time I'd lose my mind just putting 1. I'd at least like to get some sort of speed right putting another 1 or 2 until I feel better about the speed prior to a round.

Do you have any idea how many times today I was happy I played with who I played with since he consistently gave me reads on putts putting from a further distance? I don't put much of an effort into putting is what I'm saying, just simply get by, I'm trying to figure out a way to work on this part of my game from a mental aspect, it's boring sorry to say.
 
tahoebum said:
Playing skins with carryovers on the putting green always makes it more interesting.
Click to expand...
Once a month I play a skins game, no carryover haha. But it does put an importance with putting. Skins, closest to the pin, and your quota.

I'm no different there and that is knowing that you have to make birdies to get some of your money back from the original buy-in. I get like 1 or 2 a round max.
 
CobraX51 said:
I read each bullet point you had, and that sounds great and all.

I'm simply asking as someone who probably has a short attention span and finds nothing fun about putting, call me a millennial I don't care. I get the importance and how it can lower scores tremendously, but damn if after a few rolls I'm just like "alright I'm done" but walking off feeling no better or worse about my putting.


If I think it's boring now to putt 2 or 3 golf balls at a time I'd lose my mind just putting 1. I'd at least like to get some sort of speed right putting another 1 or 2 until I feel better about the speed prior to a round.

Do you have any idea how many times today I was happy I played with who I played with since he consistently gave me reads on putts putting from a further distance? I don't put much of an effort into putting is what I'm saying, just simply get by, I'm trying to figure out a way to work on this part of my game from a mental aspect, it's boring sorry to say.
Click to expand...

Everyone has their own interests in the facets of golf. I know plenty of folks who miss 4 footers...complain...throw their putter...yet spend little time practicing putting. For me, I have found putting to be about the hardest stroke in golf.
 
The best way I have found to practice putting. Is to grab a scorecard a couple of buddies and head to the putting green. Then play 18 holes of putt putt on the putting. green. Put some kind of wager on the match and just like on the course low score wins.
You can lay out 18 holes before you start or pick holes as you go.

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2 putts is fine.

A lot of people skew their own numbers because they're chipping and pitching to try to save par, where first-putt proximity is expected to be closer than a GIR

best way to lower your putts is to get it closer, you have almost no chance from 30 feet or more
 
Total putts is an unimportant stat unless other stats are included. I've heard Sam Snead used to bet people he could beat them with 18 putts or less. Then, he'd purposely miss the green by a yard or two leaving great position for the U&D. Inevitably, he'd chip in one or two just to give him some breathing room, but he was confident he could get U&D enough to win the bet.
 
OKputtnfool said:
Total putts is an unimportant stat unless other stats are included.
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I include fairways and greens hit in my round. If I decide to chutt off the green I do not count that as a putt, nor do I count putting from the fringe, I only count putts on the green. I don't putt off the fringe a lot but you get the point.
 
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CobraX51 said:
So when you read people's opinions on the best way to avoid "higher scores" is to avoid OB, 3 putts, double chips.

Today I had 14 two putts. 2 three putts. 2 one putts to cancel out the 3 jacks.

I average 33 putts a round and today knew I was going to have a higher number because of the greens, and I'm not really disappointed about it because it's an area I never focus on. I'll chip then hit a bucket then go home when I practice. I'll putt for like 5 minutes before a round and it's so half-assed it isn't even funny. 2 short putts, 2 long putts, maybe a putt over a ridge, and just go around the putting green getting no knowledge of anything.

I see some people have 26-30 putts some rounds. I'm bad at putting but can get by with leaving myself a decent 2 putt chance.

What's the key to making practice fun for putting and have some fun drills to not make it so boring?
Click to expand...

My practice green has 6 holes. I use the ladder drill and the clock drill, not on every hole, but I pick one out that isn't "busy" and will putt to that hole. If I dont use those drills, I will start at one of the holes and make my way around and back. Hitting three balls per hole and not leaving the hole until i make 3 in a row. One thing is I bring my earbuds and play music to help pass the time because practicing putting can be boring.
 
I wouldn't be happy with 2 putts per green. If you're hitting a ton of greens you'd think that just by chance you'd hit a couple close and have a good chance to 1 putt. My best round last year was a 73 with 17 GIR and 36 putts. I got up and down on the only green I missed, and I three putted one from about 60 feet. I'm not nearly as disappointed in the three putt as I am the missed birdie chances from inside 10 ft.
 
mikeg_74 said:
One thing is I bring my earbuds and play music to help pass the time because practicing putting can be boring.
Click to expand...
Now this is something I could institute. Would be more convenient to have wireless but I'll deal with wired headphones and a phone in the pocket if it's just for putting.

I see people listen to music while on the range and it looks calming...
 
As long as I'm hitting greens 2 putts are easy to take. 2 putting because of a bad wedge is way more aggravating.
 
When you look at the tour stats, unless you are hitting your approach to around 3ft then a 2 putt is more than acceptable for an amateur, and how many of us can get the ball that close in regulation with your approach shot?

Even at 8-10ft a tour pro is averaging roughly a 50% success rate, so for us to expect any more than that is just deluding yourself to an extent in my opinion

If someone said to me on the 1st tee that you can pick up on every green regardless of distance and count 2 putts, I would happily take that

What would feel worse than a 2 putt on every green would be chipping from around the green and still taking 2 putts on every hole
 
CobraX51 said:
Now this is something I could institute. Would be more convenient to have wireless but I'll deal with wired headphones and a phone in the pocket if it's just for putting.

I see people listen to music while on the range and it looks calming...
Click to expand...

Look into some Jaybird Bluetooth earbuds. Pretty inexpensive and work well.
 
as much as I support and encourage the idea of practice, I think the first and most important thing to do is learn proper technique in putting. If you don't have good technique, you may still really struggle on the greens and that could cause a lot of frustration when you put the time in to practicing.

When I am alone I focus on two balls from pretty much any direction or angle and work almost specifically on direction and strike quality.

With friends, we play a game where you pick a hole and putt to it, but if you don't hole the putt you have to back the ball up a putter length and continue putting. It removes the tap in opportunity and really forces you to make some knee knockers. It's pretty fun.
 
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