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Do you die the ball in the hole or try for a distance past the hole? Do you change if it's uphill or downhill?

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orchard53

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I used to die the ball in the hole, but with the volcanos around the hole caused by reuse on our dormant greens, that isn't working.
Trying to see if 18" past will work better.
 
Generally die it in the hole... over the winter, I’ve been working on making firmer putts. We’ll see how it goes.
 
I've left way too many putt shorts with the die in the hole approach. Have made many more longer puttscwith the extra umph to get to a foot or 2 past the hole
 
Try to die it in the hole downhill. Everything else I want try to make sure it would go just a little bit by. Doesn’t mean that always works since I still come up short sometimes
 
I'm a pretty aggressive putter. By that I mean when I miss a putt the ball will go 3-4 feet past the hole. Even with that, I have found I make a lot of putts.

Many years ago, I thought dying the ball at the hole was a good thing. This, untill I noticed I was missing a lot of putts that were on line to the cup, only to roll left, or right at the last second.

Rolling my putts faster probably saves me 3-4 putts per round.

Up hill putts I roll a fast ball. Down hill putts, I take quite a bit off my normal ball speed.
 
Longer putts I usually try to die into the hole (and I shouldn't - still a work in progress). Short putts I'm more aggressive, hitting them firmly to try to take the break out of them.

Downhill putts I'm less aggressive because I don't want to overcook it and have a long comebacker.
 
I aim for 18 inches past. I find I have less putts when I’m not leaving them short.
 
A little past the hole, (12"). You'll never make a putt that is short.
 
orchard53 said:
Trying to see if 18" past will work better.
Click to expand...

Yes, a rolling pace of 18" past the hole will definitely result in more made putts.
 
Actively trying to change to holing putts by distance past the hole the dying in the hole leaves it short far to often...

Counter thought as I type is that gives me easy two putt... interesting thoughts
 
I would love to say I try to hit a foot or so past, but in reality I probably try to die at the whole more often then not.
 
I don't have a definitive answer because it depends on many variables.

Fast undulating greens? I'm probably putting more defensive and dying it at the hole.
Slow bumpy greens? I'm going to keep pace on the ball as long as I dare.
Uphill? Most of the break is at the end so I'll play these firmer and more aggressive.
Downhill? Just got to get it to the fall line and hope it makes it to the hole.
 
My neighbor that got me into golf puts it this way: "If you never reach the hole, it never had a chance to go in." 😀

I aim to leave it w/in 12-18 in. past the hole.
 
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Uphill I'm more aggressive; downhill less aggressive. But, general rule is I aim for past the hole about 12" or so.
 
It depends. We have some courses locally that have pretty severe slopes. On severe downhill putts you HAVE to die it at the hole. Otherwise, if you miss you'll have to chase the ball 6 to 15 feet on the other side of the hole. Conversely, severe uphill putts require an aggressive stroke. Also, faster greens require a more delicate touch. Right now, we've still got those *special* holes with the foam inserts. They too require a more delicate touch. Very easy to drop into then bounce out of the hole.

The point is you have to assess the situation and play accordingly.

IMO, most of us would benefit from spending more time improving the quality of roll off the putter. Striking the ball so that the ball starts rolling end over end right away will help sink more putts.
 
I usually try to put it about 6” past the hole but if I am super fast I will try to die it in hole so I don’t run it a mile past. Sometimes on a downhill putt I try to die it in too for the same reason.
 
Snowman said:
Longer putts I usually try to die into the hole (and I shouldn't - still a work in progress). Short putts I'm more aggressive, hitting them firmly to try to take the break out of them.

Downhill putts I'm less aggressive because I don't want to overcook it and have a long comebacker.
Click to expand...

that's what I do also !! 👊
 
I am a die in the Hole or at most 6 inches past but it doesn't always workout that way!:ROFLMAO:
 
I would say it really depends on the hole in the slope going into the hole. If it’s uphill I’ll be very aggressive and aim for 12 inches pass a hole, I do not want it to stop on the lip. Downhill, I’ll play it to die at the hall, I don’t want much speed as I don’t wanted to lip out as opposed to falling in. And then if you’re going in sideways using break I generally will play die at the hole going in the side door. Straight, flat putts, speed generally if missed will go 6-12 inches past hole.
 
I try to hit all my putts 1-2 feet past the hole but the speed of the greens plays a big role. At my home course where the greens are very fast it’s often difficult to leave a downhill/side hill putt closer than 3-4 feet below the hole so I’m much less aggressive. When I play public or the resort courses in Florida where the greens are much slower I can be much more aggressive on the greens.
 
On practice greens I always work on 18" past the cup, but in matches I catch myself trying to die the ball at the cups. I think I like that concept on sever downhill puts to ensure a 2 putt, but I think I need to commit to being more aggressive to bring more birds into play!
 
Usually my putts are short so I guess I try to die the ball at the hole. I'm too afraid of having the ball roll past the hole by several feet... especially on downhills.
 
I don't know that this even crosses my mind. I just try to hit the putt. That seems to leave it always pretty close to the hole. I also rarely leave a short putt short.
 
An interesting little physics thing - if the goal is to hit it 18" past the cup on a flat putt (which means a certain speed at the hole) then it would be optimal to leave a downhill putt slightly farther than 18" past, and an uphill putt slightly closer than 18" past
 
For years living in Florida, playing on fast greens, i died it in. Moving all over the place i have learned to adjust to the greens pretty quickly and I TRY to putt with the 12-18" past the hole speed.
 
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