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Plumb Bobbing Putts

Thainer21 said:
How long does it take? This confuses me as I hold it up and have it back down in less than three seconds...
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Maybe you just finish it faster than other's I've played with, there's been a few slow partners in the last couple years and it always seemed like the plumb bobbing and analyzing was what was taking too long. But one of them was also a guy who laid his putter on the green as well as walked 360 at least once on every putt no matter the distance!!!
 
War Eagle said:
Ive tried it in the past, but it did not work for me...mainly because I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing.

My grandfather does it, and he is one of the best putters I have ever seen.
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I have no clue. What if neither eye is dominant? I am going to start to try this.
 
I don't use it. Never quite understood it except I thought it was only used to determine what "straight" would be. I do know how to determine eye dominance - hold hands together out in front of you making a small triangle with the thumbs together on bottom fingers on top, focus on something in the distance - close one eye, then the other - the eye that still contains the object is dominant.
This means that the 'offset" is always going in the same direction which would not relate to break in any way.
Am I missing something??
 
I'm a plumb boob kinda putter, but usually only do it when I'm unsure and want a different thought process introduced. It is actually a quick process and is more of a guideline only. Have done it several times to confirm my thoughts on break, and still get it wrong. Still pretty cool little gimmick though and would say it does work for me for the most part when done. Will usually get a plumb when I'm not up to putt so people aren't wondering what the heck I'm looking at.
 
The few I play with that Bobb don't take but a moment. I've tried it with some success but usually stick to a different routine.
 
Nate said:
I can't wait to laugh at you when we finally get to play next spring..........:alien:
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Just for that day, I will not plumb-bob and crush you. Dropping :bomb:'s.
 
Doesn't work for me. The feeling in my feet tend to tell me the most about my putts... but I suck at reading/feeling putts anyways.
 
I use plumb bobbing when the amount of break is ever so slight. It's more of a confirmation tool for me. I believe that it does work if it's done correctly.
 
I'm against plum bobbing ONLY because it seems that it's always the slowest guy in the group that always has to do this. And he always takes his sweet time when executing said plum bob. It makes for a looong and irritating round.

I guess it also doesn't help that I tried it for a while and didn't feel that it jived well with my mentality in putting.
 
The only reason I plumb bob is very similar to what many guys do with their irons or driver when they stand behind the ball and use the shaft as a straight edge to find something in front of their ball that is in line with where they want to start the ball. To me it is simply a straight edge to determine my starting line based on how far outside the hole I want to start the ball.
 
I still don't get this
"With your left eye closed, and the bottom of the shaft on the ball, the alignment is going to change and the top of the shaft will be either to the left or right of the hole. That distance is your 'break' and you should allow that distance when lining up your putt."
If you line up a putt in your living room and close your left eye your line of vision will ALWAYS shift to the right. How can that determine break??
 
bajapalm said:
I still don't get this
"With your left eye closed, and the bottom of the shaft on the ball, the alignment is going to change and the top of the shaft will be either to the left or right of the hole. That distance is your 'break' and you should allow that distance when lining up your putt."
If you line up a putt in your living room and close your left eye your line of vision will ALWAYS shift to the right. How can that determine break??
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You may be left eye dominant which would mean you need to close your right eye. You can search Google for eye dominance tests online.
 
KellyBo said:
You may be left eye dominant which would mean you need to close your right eye. You can search Google for eye dominance tests online.
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Make a circle with your hand and put a small object in the center of that circle. Center it with both eyes open. Close one eye at a time and whichever one keeps the object in the center of that circle is dominant.

I'm right handed but left eye dominant. Definitely helps with the line when I square up for a putt.
 
You have to make sure your putter hangs perfectly perpendicular to the ground. Depending on the putter style, you have to twist it to get it hanging dead straight down. And plumb bobbing isn't foolproof. For one thing, it can't read the grain and that sometimes determines the break direction more than a slight slope.
 
I have tried this but I couldn't figure out what I was looking for.

KellyBo said:
You may be left eye dominant which would mean you need to close your right eye. You can search Google for eye dominance tests online.
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probably part of my problem. maybe i'll check this out and try again.
 
I have been around many good players that do it with great success. I have found that those who criticize it, do not know how to properly do it. Very similar to people who don’t play golf spend a lot of time making fun of this great game. They just don’t have a clue.

:act-up:
 
I do plumb bob sometimes if i don't trust my first "read"of a putt.As far as time,it takes me a max of 6-7 seconds to do it.
 
bajapalm said:
I don't use it. Never quite understood it except I thought it was only used to determine what "straight" would be. I do know how to determine eye dominance - hold hands together out in front of you making a small triangle with the thumbs together on bottom fingers on top, focus on something in the distance - close one eye, then the other - the eye that still contains the object is dominant.
This means that the 'offset" is always going in the same direction which would not relate to break in any way.
Am I missing something??
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This was my original post - I know how to test my point is when you line anything up with both eyes then close one the shift will be consistently right or left depending on which eye you close -
How does that relate to break??
 
My pop's does this sometimes but he can't put worth a lick. I think it runs in the family.
 
bajapalm said:
This was my original post - I know how to test my point is when you line anything up with both eyes then close one the shift will be consistently right or left depending on which eye you close -
How does that relate to break??
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If you use the same eye every time you will see it. By switching eyes you are switching focal points. That has nothing to do with plumb bobbing.
 
I have in the past, but I rarely do it anymore unless I am really unsure of the break.
 
Thainer21 said:
If you use the same eye every time you will see it. By switching eyes you are switching focal points. That has nothing to do with plumb bobbing.
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I am fully lost on the reasoning - your saying ==
you line it up with both eyes
close your non dominant
whichever way the focus shifts is the break?
 
Stand behind the ball with you dominant eye on a straight line to the cup. Dangle the putter directly in front of your dominant eye so the lower portion of the putter shaft is in the center of the ball. Whichever side of the cup the upper shaft lies on is the side where you need to putt the ball. Remember, the shaft needs to be perfectly up-down straight, many putters need to be twisted to get the shaft directly perpendicular to the ground.
 
bajapalm said:
I am fully lost on the reasoning - your saying ==
you line it up with both eyes
close your non dominant
whichever way the focus shifts is the break?
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Line it up with your dominant eye. When you line it up, properly, your shaft will hang straight and you will see the hole on either side of the shaft. That is primarily your break, a little more if you're a die in putter.
 
I'm sorry, I think it is BS.

If I plumb bob and cover the ball and the cup with the putter shaft, that's all I get - the straight line from the ball to the hole. The only way there is a shift in appearance is if I close the DOMINANT eye and, for me, the shaft will ALWAYS appear to the right of the hole (I am right eye dominant).

Maybe somebody can show me how this works but I don't get it.
 
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