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Putting on Slow Greens and getting over the mental block

War Eagle

War Eagle

the Beags of THP...
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A handful of us played at a brand new course in Florida yesterday, Cabot Citrus Farms Karoo course. Course is setting up nice, but the greens, which were supposedly rolling at a "10 to 10.5" absolutely were not. Not upset about it by any means, as the course literally opened 3 weeks ago and we were eager to see it and play. Thread here: https://www.thehackersparadise.com/...cabot-citrus-farms-the-karoo-2-11-24.8960450/

However, the greens were DREADFULLY slow, and massive. For 18 holes, I simply could not dial in my putts for the speed and it really created a mental block for me. No matter what I did, I simply could not get the ball. I KNEW I needed to hit the ball much harder than what I was, but just could not full on bring myself to hit the putts as hard as I needed to.
Slow greens are not common among the courses I play, unless we have dealt with a ton of rain, so I really really struggled. My lines were good, my reads were right, but hitting a 30 foot putt and leaving it 10-15 feet short was not fun.

For those that come across slow greens, what do you do to overcome the need to have "touch" with the putter and get the ball to the hole?
 
I struggle with the same thing on slower greens and it's not something I've been able to wrangle consistently. There are a couple courses I play from time to time where I dread the greens. Even if they're not that tough I always struggle getting the ball to the hole, especially on longer putts. Interested in what some of the better putters have to say.
 
Super slow greens are tough for me, they mess with my mind. If I try to swing what I know is hard enough to get it there, my mind is screaming "STOP STOP THAT'S TOO MUCH YOU'RE HITTING IT TOO HARD!".

I'm pretty quick on the uptake though - I usually figure it out by around the 16th or 17th green. :LOL:
 
BigMac said:
Super slow greens are tough for me, they mess with my mind. If I try to swing what I know is hard enough to get it there, my mind is screaming "STOP STOP THAT'S TOO MUCH YOU'RE HITTING IT TOO HARD!".

I'm pretty quick on the uptake though - I usually figure it out by around the 16th or 17th green. :LOL:
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I think it was the 16th or 17th, I had a good look at a 10 foot birdie putt, only guy in the group without a birdie on the day and I looked at @Greg Kulbick and said "It doesnt matter, I cant get the ball to the hole."

Left it 3 feet short, and I was certain I hit it hard enough to go past the hole. Not even close.
 
For me, I can’t think hit it faster. I have to think same tempo, just a longer stroke. If I try 50% back, 200% through for example? I have no touch and it’s a miracle if I get the pace right.

Longer stroke, same rhythm, more momentum. I may not make the putt, but I might at least have a sense of better feel.

That being said… god damn those greens were slow.
 
I got nothing. Absolutely kills me.
 
I struggle on slower greens. I feel like my mechanics go out the window.
 
MWard said:
For me, I can’t think hit it faster. I have to think same tempo, just a longer stroke. If I try 50% back, 200% through for example? I have no touch and it’s a miracle if I get the pace right.

Longer stroke, same rhythm, more momentum. I may not make the putt, but I might at least have a sense of better feel.

That being said… god damn those greens were slow.
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I've only play the Jailbird on faster greens since I have had it in the bag, my putting stroke is typically short with it because of the weight and really only needing to get the ball on it's line and not worry about smacking the crap out of the ball, I think that really threw me off.

I would say I would give it a shot, but I cant think of a course I have played that would replicate the speed we saw yesterday.
 
Jeff Spicoli said:
I struggle on slower greens. I feel like my mechanics go out the window.
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That's where I am at, I would have to really exaggerate my putting stroke to make it work, and I dont think it would be the same if I tried it.
 
I play a bunch of munis where slow greens are more of the norm than the exception, and I've grown to love them. They forgive you on the long miss, and they forgive you on green reading because breaks aren't as severe. So you can hit mediocre lines, have your speed control a little off, and still drop a bunch of 2-putts.
 
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I struggle switching from slow to fast and vice versa.
 
Releasing putter head toe a little instead of stroking squarely through when ground is slow is what I do and why I carry an old blade heel shafted putter.
 
I try to test out the speed on the practice green before hand but it feel 'wrong' when greens are that slow. Tough to adjust to.
 
War Eagle said:
I've only play the Jailbird on faster greens since I have had it in the bag, my putting stroke is typically short with it because of the weight and really only needing to get the ball on it's line and not worry about smacking the crap out of the ball, I think that really threw me off.

I would say I would give it a shot, but I cant think of a course I have played that would replicate the speed we saw yesterday.
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Your living room carpet
 
My home course has pretty fast greens. I adjust easier if I’m playing somewhere with faster greens than I’m used to. I checked last year. I played 3 courses that remember had slow greens and I was 4/5 shots above my average for the year.
 
I read this tip in a golf magazine several years ago (don't remember who gave the tip....some local pro / teacher, I think), but it has worked for me quite well. May seem kind of strange, but here goes.....

1. On the practice green I practice my "basic stroke"....taking the putter HEAD back even with my right toe and stroking through the same amount. Then I pace off the distance that stroke sends the ball. It should putt the ball the same distance each time.
2. Then I practice my "Long stroke".....taking my HANDS back even with my right toe and stroking through the same amount. Then I pace off that distance too. It'll be noticeably longer than the basic stroke.
3. When I get on the golf course, I make it a point to pace off the distance of my putts (it doesn't really have to take long!), and I'll bet my playing partners aren't even aware that I'm doing it.
4. This tells me how far back and through to stroke the putt.....It's the only way that has ever worked for me, since I must have lousy "touch" as far as knowing "how hard should I hit it?" With this method, my tempo back and through are always the same....only the length of the stroke varies.....Works on fast greens, slow greens, etc.
 
Pretend (pick a spot) the hole is much farther away and putt to your "new" hole.
 
Canadan said:
I don't think there's a real trick to salvage quality on slow greens.

Bashing the ball is not a style of putting I am fond of, or good at.
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This


If they were all slow I would adapt. 1 in 40 outings not so much
 
I have the same struggle, and don't claim to have solved it...but I shift my hands farther up on the grip on slower greens, and maybe stand up a little straighter, to increase the swing radius a bit. Feel isn't quite as good, but the same swing with this adjustment puts a bit more speed into the club head.

YMMV.
 
All I do is spend more time on practice green if I have the chance. Yes it is trying to bash the ball. But after a couple really short ones I'll be bashing it as it doesn't roll very far by.
 
Canadan said:
I don't think there's a real trick to salvage quality on slow greens.

Bashing the ball is not a style of putting I am fond of, or good at.
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It was pretty much the only option. I did not do it.
 
I’m in the exact opposite situation. Greens at my home course are soooo much slower than when I travel to play and I really struggle.

I think my game plan moving forward is to spend much more time on the putting greens when I go elsewhere for golf.
 
I don't think the greens at my course have been mowed since maybe late October or early November, so it's like putting on shag carpet. So on the off chance that I get to play this time of year, I worry more about my ball striking than whether my putting is good or not. I don't want to get used to the extreme slow green speed, because then I'll have to readjust when it warms up and they finally start mowing them again.
 
I have a huge problem getting the ball to the hole on slow greens because I am afraid to hit the ball hard enough, but I also have a problem getting it there on fast greens because I"m afraid of blowing it 6ft past the hole. I'm just a lousy putter in general
 
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