How much do you take from seeing other putts?

[Luchnia]

I think being observant of how putts are rolling is another good game strategy and should be a tool in the golfer's toolkit.

 

[Tenputt]

I understand that some people put side spin on the ball and there may be other considerations, but doesn’t it help at least from a perspective of gauging rollout. It would seem like there is at least something that can be gleaned from watching other putts.

 

[RayG]

I will add that I DONT watch them putt, but watch their putts. Folks might have weird quirks that can mess with your head. Just like I don’t watch full swings if I can help it.

 

[TCB2010]

I ignore it.
I don’t know if he pushed or pulled or what to be on the line they are.
Plus the competitive side of me says I don’t want to see some BS putt go in..

 

[leftshot]

The best thing you learn if the ball goes the appropriate distance is how the ball breaks around the cup. Of course there are plenty of putts out there that don't get near enough to the hole or race by so fast that you don't even get that.

 

[leftshot]

Here's another way to learn how a putt breaks. Go out and play an early round say the third group out. The morning dew leaves a clear line from the putts in the first groups out. Do this a few times and you'll know every break on every green.

 

[Nerdy]

I've generally got a decent idea but if I'm clueless I'll pay more attention than normal.

 

[OldandStiff]

Here's another way to learn how a putt breaks. Go out and play an early round say the third group out. The morning dew leaves a clear line from the putts in the first groups out. Do this a few times and you'll know every break on every green.

That's a lot of what inspired, and inspired a bump of, this thread.

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

I watch speed on the first few holes to see how the greens are running that day. The only time I ever went to school on a putt is one I had on the same line as another guy did who was a few feet further away. His putt (~8 feet) missed to the right. I looked at the green when it was my turn and what I saw I would have sworn that it would break to the left. He must have thought that, too, because he played for left break and got right break. So I played for right break and sank it.

I agree with this. I've seen Hank Haney vids where he says that speed is the most important aspect of a putt. Case in point. One of the last rounds of the season, we played a local course that is sort of being "brought back from the dead". It was obvious in the first couple of holes that the greens were running faster than I had seen in years! For whatever reason, my speed was dead on that day, and I sank a mile of putts! My buddy even remarked on it after the round.

I ignore it.
I don’t know if he pushed or pulled or what to be on the line they are.
Plus the competitive side of me says I don’t want to see some BS putt go in..

Well, I don't think it matters if they push or pull it. The line the ball starts on, is the line the ball starts on! And it can provide information. A lot of golf is information gathering. And sometimes BS putts go in. I had one a couple of years ago. We were playing a local course that used to be private. We love the place because the greens are so nice! On #18 the green is fronted by a good size lake, a bigger body of water than I could call a pond, with a slope up to higher ground behind it. About 25' left of the hole with the lake to my right as I read the putt. I lined up to play about 2' of break and pushed the living crap out of it! Hit it on a line about a ball out from the left edge. It trickled into the cup dead center.

This Summer my buddy and I were in a 2 man scramble there, and had pretty much the same putt. We both read about 2' of break. I stepped up to the putt, and that memory kicked in. I backed off and told my buddy. We played about a ball out left, and both nearly sunk it, leaving a tap in for par.

 

[ThatGuy]

If they're putting before me I'll watch the ball and use how it rolls as part of my read. I do not judge my putt entirely on somebody else's putt though.

 

[5150]

Really depends on who's putting.

 

[Knot Right]

I'll watch the players putting speed in relation to the break.