Rant - It's official, I can no longer ....

....make a short putt. Aaarrrrggggg!!!
For the better part of my last 4rounds (including today) I just can no longer make a putt inside 7feet.

I've never been great at putting and never claimed to be. But I am always "ok" with it. Some rounds real good while others not so good and most somewhere in between. Usually (outside of a given round here or there) my putting is never really hurtful me. But never can I ever remember (even during the poorer putting rounds) would I ever miss sooooo many shorter putts. I say inside 7 feet but to be honest a lot percentage of them are just 4 or 5 feet. Its been ridiculous to the point of embarrassment. I'm talking 7 or 8 of these per round I am missing. My last round was not as bad as the two prior ones and assumed I was getting my putting back, so naturally I thought today I would be back to my old "ok" and decent self. But nnnooooooo!!! wasn't happening. I missed (no exaggeration) about 9 or 10 putts today from inside 7 feet and a bunch were only 4 or 5 feet. I can see a couple misses but that many? Oooofffaahhh. This is not good.

I been playing under 90 for much of my golf this past couple months and yet 3 of my last 4 rounds have all been above 90 and today was the worst round since the season started and shot a 98 (97 esc). In every one of these recent (above-90) rounds its been the vacation of short putting that has been all the difference in these rounds staying under 90. Sure at times some of the golf itself hasn't been great and having my share of poor holes tee to green. But still has been good enough over all to keep me under 90 where it not for this short putting vacation.

At this point its gotten into my head. I expected it to last only so long and eventually come back but this is now just tooooo long and today was the worst of it. I just don't know. I know next round may tell a different story because that's just how golf can be but its now to the point where its got me worried. I been practicing it and I see no issues while I practice. My missies on the course are not one miss but every miss from right, left, short, and long. Funny thing is my lag putting is still 'ok" (not as good as normal as I sometimes can sink a couple) but good enough. But then I cant make the second putt to save my life. Or simply being inside 7 feet for a one-putt which has been the case a lot of the times too I just cant sink them. I mean 4 feet? C'mon man!! The guys in my group today were shaking there heads in disbelief I was missing soooo many short putts. And so am I . lol
I have to laugh a little or it wont be fun but had to vent a bit too. So Rant is over. Thanks. All I can do is plug away at it.

Odd thing...try to hit one with one eye shut (your non dominant eye). You might find your alignment is off. I am the king of missing 3 footers.

I think we all go through something like this from time to time. Just keep playing and practicing and most of all trust your swing and putting stroke. It'll come around sooner than you think. Good luck man!

My last round I had 46 putts, You don't want my advice ..I'll hang up and listen to others advice .

What are your issues? Are you pushing, pulling, having poor distance control or just misreading? Do you aim for the hole or do you find an intermediate point and try and roll your spot? Do you have a routine on the greems. Misreading a putt and poor execution are two different issues, what will it take to get you trusting your putting? Do you practice? How do you practice?

As you can imagine putting can do wonders to your scores, figure it out and reap the rewards!

c0ncept said:

Odd thing...try to hit one with one eye shut (your non dominant eye). You might find your alignment is off. I am the king of missing 3 footers.

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jamant12 said:

I think we all go through something like this from time to time. Just keep playing and practicing and most of all trust your swing and putting stroke. It'll come around sooner than you think. Good luck man!

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I'm just not seeing that imaginary line on the short putts at all right now. Its that magic line that pops up in my minds eye when putting is good. but even when at times I don't have that I still can make enough short ones to be "ok" anyway.
It will and should come back I hope but just so strange its taking this long. Gonna have to practice in my house on carpet. Its is worrying me some now. And I don't want it to get in my head.

TheHeez said:

What are your issues? Are you pushing, pulling, having poor distance control or just misreading? Do you aim for the hole or do you find an intermediate point and try and roll your spot? Do you have a routine on the greems. Misreading a putt and poor execution are two different issues, what will it take to get you trusting your putting? Do you practice? How do you practice?

As you can imagine putting can do wonders to your scores, figure it out and reap the rewards!

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You ask, and mention a lot there. Its a combo of everything. Alignment, distance, as said earlier its not just one miss, its all over any which way and length. Although the ones missing due to length have usually been short. Not being comfy probably leads me to being afraid to hit it sometimes. But many of the misses are also simply left and right. I wish it was just one thing, that would be easy but its not, I just have no feel in general for anything for the short putt right now. That's the best way I can answer you right now that I can think of. Just no feel for it. funny thing is I can practice it pre-round "ok" not as good as normal but not terrible. I think its gotten in my head a bit. Just not comfy from very close and my feel is gone, and my line is virtually non existant. Very weird thing. Not giving you solid answers I know but truth is I just don't know. But I will work on it and keep a relaxed and easy open mind as best I can. And hope it come back sooner than later. My cap has gone down a lot this season but its going to rise rather quickly if this short-putting brain fart keeps up much longer. Got to get this out of my system.

I just practiced on my living room carpet on and off for past hour. Used alignment aids and putted from about 4 to 6 feet over and over. Don't really know if I can pinpoint anything so wrong or so bad. :confused2:

Inside 4 feet...quit thinking so much. Line it up, stand over it, and roll the correct speed.

I think we all can over think things some times. Of course there is going to be some putts at that range that require more thought, but most of the time, line it up, stand over it and hit it!

One more ore thing, on every putt, believe you will make it!

Plinyyounger said:

Inside 4 feet...quit thinking so much. Line it up, stand over it, and roll the correct speed.

I think we all can over think things some times. Of course there is going to be some putts at that range that require more thought, but most of the time, line it up, stand over it and hit it!

One more ore thing, on every putt, believe you will make it!

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Yea I here ya, I certainly have now lost some confidence with it. I cant tell ya how many times I can reach across on one foot and one arm extended from the other side of the hole and sink the same putt without even trying. Its got to be mental but of course easier said than done.

I'm in the same boat right now, last round not a single 1 putt hole. Thinking about starting a putter collection, maybe I'll eventually find one I like.

Played today and the short putting was a "little" better but still not right athough I did make a 6footer for bird. But my golf over all is now falling apart. I thin k its time for a couple weeks without golf. Last time I did that for 3 weeks due to an injury and then I went on a tare for the next month with the best golf ever for me. I just been getting too sloppy with my over all play. perhaps a couple weeks without even swinging a club will reset me again with everything including this putting problem.

From 3', Ernie Els makes 98%. Ernie Els makes 79% from 4'. Jason Dufner makes 58% of his 6' putts. Phil Mickelson makes 41% from 8'. From 10', Luke Donald makes 31%.

So we mere mortals with practice can look forward to

3' = 90%
4' = 70%
6' = 45%
8' = 30%
10' = 20%
> 10' = when lightning strikes.

InTheRough said:

From 3', Ernie Els makes 98%. Ernie Els makes 79% from 4'. Jason Dufner makes 58% of his 6' putts. Phil Mickelson makes 41% from 8'. From 10', Luke Donald makes 31%.

So we mere mortals with practice can look forward to

3' = 90%
4' = 70%
6' = 45%
8' = 30%
10' = 20%
> 10' = when lightning strikes.

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that's a good point.

Interesting strategy there, telling yourself you can't make short putts until you believe it. I can think of a couple of pros that didn't work out real well for.

If you want better try this really tough two step process to improve.

1. Tell yourself you are a great short putter, constantly. Nothing but that. Even if you can't knock it in from off the lip.
2. Practice nothing but flat 3' putts for half an hour or so on every practice green you go by, telling yourself what a good short putter you are on every stroke.

and so I couldn't last 2 weeks and played today after almost a week without. My putting was on fire today. made all my shorty's and even some longer ones and my long lag putting was great leaving me with a bunch tap ins as well. It was like this putting dilemma never happened. And no 3 putts at all. I am a happy putting camper again
Now if I can just get back the rest of my play LOL