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Putting Approach

dhartmann34

dhartmann34

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Ever since the Iowa meetup and even before that...I've been thinking about a golfer's approach to putting.

Seems that more often than not, putts that are being made for birdie or better are usually sent past the hole. This aggressive form of course makes perfect sense because leaving those short doesn't do one any good.

But then when the putt is being made for par or worse, it seems the golfer is more timid and less aggressive and ends up leaving the par putt short. It happened at least 8 times that I can remember today. Seems to me that leaving these short doesn't do anyone good either yet the less aggressive approach seems to appear.

I feel like golfers take a different approach to putts for birdie or better than they do for par or worse...even though in my opinion the strategy should probably be the same since the end goal is to get the ball in the hole.

What is your putting approach in general? Do you think you take a different approach to each putt depending on what the stroke is for?
 
Always firm into the hole
 
I always pick a spot a foot past the hole. Then put to that spot and let the actual hole get in the way. This has improved my putting tremendously.

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I am always trying to make the putt (or even short chip for that matter). Always got to give it enough to get there and be confident that you can clean it up if it rolls by the hole.
 
Our greens are like putting in the parking lot, so I'm a slow drop into the hole kind of putter. I'll run one past now and then, but even on long putts, I want to be inside three feet every time and I'm happy to have them all just drop on the last roll.
 
I seem to leave birdies short and blow pars past.

Golf is hard
 
I try to hit all Pitts the same. Can't go in if it doesn't get to the hole. I don't always execute but have been pretty consistent and have reduced three putts.
 
I take a conservative/realistic putting approach. I know I won't make everything so I'll take advantage of the ones I can make, and use caution on the others to prevent a 3-putt. If I hit 8-9 greens in a round, I'll have 3 or 4 good opportunities to make a birdie, the others I simply try and protect the par. I'd rather have a stress free par than make a run at a birdie, miss, and struggle with the next one.
 
I try to putt the same every time. Only thing that changes that is if it's uphill or downhill.
 
This is something I used to really struggle with, but I wasn't aggressive on any putt, not even birdie putts. I think I've gotten much better recently at staying safely aggressive and making sure I get to the hole.
 
In the past, I tended to get tentative on birdie putts and leave them short. Which, as pointed out, does nobody any good. At least if I knock it 3 feet by, I might actually make it. and... I can see the break coming back. But if I leave it 3 feet short, neither of those are possible.

This year I have been working on a routine that has become my focus. As long as I can stay focused on the routine, what the putt is for disappears from my mind. As soon as I think that it's for a birdie, par, ect, the odds of missing it go way up. I do think that the routine has helped me reach 8 birdie rounds in a row.

So my goal is to eventually get to the point that There is no such thing as an eagle, birdie or par putt. There is only a routine.
 
When I'm putting well I tend to make a bunch and the misses go past the hole 1-3 feet.
When putting poorly I leave everything short.
 
My putting is solid enough when I'm standing over the ball I expect to make it and make the stroke I think it will take to make it
 
I have always had a problem with over hitting my putts 10 feet or so, now I just try to visualize the idea of the putt just barely making it to the hole and it is working well for me.
 
Jeanthemachine said:
I am so afraid of having a 3 footer coming back that I am usually short on all putts over five feet
Click to expand...
See on most putts I miss... Over 5 feet, I usually have 2-3 feet coming back. But I've worked on making sure I hit those firm on the line I choose and it's been working well.
 
With long putts I use the dustbin lid rule, thats the circle I want to be in, IF I miss ;)
 
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