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Trying to break 80 again, putter issues

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Tiger's Wood

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I am currently in a bizarre dry spell this summer. For the last three or so years I would be shooting rounds in the mid to low 70's, but this year I am having trouble breaking 80. The most confusing part about this, is that I feel like I am playing my best golf in years! Yesterday I started the round with 3 birds in the first four holes, but ended up shooting 82!
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I am hitting anywhere from 9-13 GIR, but the stat that is most frustrating to me is that I'm taking around 36 putts per round.
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Those crucial par putts from 5-10 ft. don't seem to be dropping. Usually this is one of my game's strengths. I seem to make all of these putts in practice, and on the course I feel like I am starting the ball on line well, but the putts just do not want to go in!

I am thinking about putting a SuperStroke Fatso grip on my putter. I've hit some putts with this grip and it feels great. My only problem is that I use a blade putter and I'm worried that the fat grip will cause me to leave the clubface open at impact and leave putts out to the right. ANy ideas???? Thanks!!!!
 
Well sounds like you need a mallet putter.
 
I really struggled last year with my putter. I got the chance to get a fitting and SeeMore SPi instuction and my putting has vastly improved. The system SeeMore has took a lot of variables out of the equation for me and got me into a repeatable position everytime. There are some very good threads on the SeeMore putter and SPi system with very similar results to mine.
 
Is it possible that although my ball striking is improving and I'm hitting more greens, my proximity to the hole is leading to higher scores? Its strange to me that I'm playing great golf and shooting higher scores.
 
Do you have a common miss - short, left, right, etc.?
 
Tiger's Wood said:
Is it possible that although my ball striking is improving and I'm hitting more greens, my proximity to the hole is leading to higher scores? Its strange to me that I'm playing great golf and shooting higher scores.
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Yes, it is possible. Someone once said the easiest way to be a better putter is to have shorter putts.
 
Tiger's Wood said:
I am currently in a bizarre dry spell this summer. For the last three or so years I would be shooting rounds in the mid to low 70's, but this year I am having trouble breaking 80. The most confusing part about this, is that I feel like I am playing my best golf in years! Yesterday I started the round with 3 birds in the first four holes, but ended up shooting 82!
icon8.png


I am hitting anywhere from 9-13 GIR, but the stat that is most frustrating to me is that I'm taking around 36 putts per round.
icon13.png
Those crucial par putts from 5-10 ft. don't seem to be dropping. Usually this is one of my game's strengths. I seem to make all of these putts in practice, and on the course I feel like I am starting the ball on line well, but the putts just do not want to go in!

I am thinking about putting a SuperStroke Fatso grip on my putter. I've hit some putts with this grip and it feels great. My only problem is that I use a blade putter and I'm worried that the fat grip will cause me to leave the clubface open at impact and leave putts out to the right. ANy ideas???? Thanks!!!!
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call us and give us 10 - 15 minutes. Happy to help. 615-435-8015
 
maybe try the superstroke slim on your putter?

I have the ultra slim and really like it but I've also tried the Slim Lite on the exact same putter since that's what Scrap Iron has and it also feels really nice.
 
The most noticeable thing in the OP's post was "it's those 5-10ft par putts". I suggest a simple remedy, try getting closer to the hole and not leaving par putts of that length? Unless you putt like Tiger on a good day you're going to struggle from that range.
 
Practice is the answer, assuming your putter fits you. Sounds like you could work the most on lags. No reason to be taking a lot of 5-10 footers for par.
 
My putting has been particularly atrocious the last few rounds. Inconsistent driving lately so not threatening low 80's - but shot 95-91 last weekend on a course I have broken 80 on. Played 9 on a course Tuesday nite and hit the ball pretty well. Had a 15 foot birdie putt on an uphill par 5 (its right at 500 yards but the green is 56 feet higher than the tee box). Three jack bogey - from 15 feet!!! The rain over the weekend and they had a huge outing while it was very wet left their greens debacled.

The course I played Sat. - Sun. had greens in great shape but we started just as the rain ended on Sat. So it went from slow to much faster by the end of the SUnday round & I never did get the speed. In fact its been two months since courses were firm and in summer shape around here. All the rain in July and I don't think I've caught up.
 
Hawk said:
Practice is the answer, assuming your putter fits you. Sounds like you could work the most on lags. No reason to be taking a lot of 5-10 footers for par.
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Hawk is on the money. One other thing: when you practice, just focus on speed on anything outside of 5 feet. You're probably not going to miss a bunch of longer putts by 5 feet to the left or right, but I see people all the time blow putts >5 feet past the hole or come up >5 feet short of the hole. When you are practicing putting, spend at least half of your time on putts 5 feet and in. If you are really confident from 5 feet and in, you can be a bit more aggressive with your first putts because you will know that even if you go past the hole 2-3 feet on your birdie putt, you're going to make the par putt. Snedeker uses that model with his practice, he's hits a ton of putts from 5 feet and in.
 
arydolphin said:
Hawk is on the money. One other thing: when you practice, just focus on speed on anything outside of 5 feet. You're probably not going to miss a bunch of longer putts by 5 feet to the left or right, but I see people all the time blow putts >5 feet past the hole or come up >5 feet short of the hole. When you are practicing putting, spend at least half of your time on putts 5 feet and in. If you are really confident from 5 feet and in, you can be a bit more aggressive with your first putts because you will know that even if you go past the hole 2-3 feet on your birdie putt, you're going to make the par putt. Snedeker uses that model with his practice, he's hits a ton of putts from 5 feet and in.
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Perfect answer.
 
I was dying on the greens at one point last year, right before the MC if I remember correctly. A wise man (who never misses a damn putt) told me to go practice five footers until I could make 10 in a row without even thinking about it. Not only did the practice help, the confidence went way up.

My typical practice has lags and shorties taking up at least 80% of my time.
 
Practice. Practice. Practice.

I tell you what I have been struggling a lot on the greens this years. So much so in fact I put my ghost spider up for sale. I pulled out my old odyssey blade putter, put a new grip on it and started putting much better. The problem is I'm pretty sure it was the 3 straight days of practice with that putter that helped not the putter itself. Either way. Practice makes perfect. Can't just show up and play and expect to shoot in the 70's. Practice with a purpose. Hawk has given some good ideas.
 
Hawk said:
Practice is the answer, assuming your putter fits you. Sounds like you could work the most on lags. No reason to be taking a lot of 5-10 footers for par.
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Yes yes yes. The more I practice the better I get. You need to tell yourself and everyone you are a good putter before you get better too.

Write down some positive things about how good you want to be. Read them regularly.

End you practice at a distance where you see lots of putts drop. I found that was what I needed to start two putting consistently. (ie. confidence)

Your putting on any one hole does not determine your skill level for that day. Two missed putts means you are due to make one.

Stop lag putting and put to make it. You never saw Tiger putt to a 3' circle before, why should you?
 
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