Another "If only I could have putted well" story

[ScienceBoy]

Yup, for the reason of lack of practice my putting has dropped off, I have got the V-Easy back in regular use again and I have sorted my distance judgement, just not in time to prevent me generating one of "those" stories.

Short version: Distance judgement on putts was bad, finished 6 over gross for 9 with 19 or 20 putts.

Long Version (no need to read unless you want to):

So last night with a good swing and no warmup on the practice green I set out on 9 holes.

First two holes I took 4 putts and two poor chips, so I walked onto the par 5 3rd 3 over gross. Then prompltly stuck a 330 yard drive followed by a 9 iron from 150 yards to about 12 feet from the pin. Missed the eagle and tapped in the birdie, not too unhappy but should have got the eagle putt closer to going in.

Fast forward to the 7th and I am now 4 over thanks to some poor putting.The drive left 240 on the long uphill par 5, hit 9 iron for position, 9 iron to 8 feet, missed the putt short by a mile and saved par from 4 feet...

8 was another booming drive, 52* to 6 feet followed by a 3 putt... The first ran 10 foot by and the second 5 feet back, only 2 feet from where I started! Thankfully holed that.

Finally an 8 foot putt for par on the last, left it miles short and holed out for bogie again...

In summary I pretty much had the line right on the putts but the pace was grossly over or under judged! I just took something like 19 or 20 putts for the 9 and shot just 6 over gross!

If I could have putted well I could have been level gross with ease!

 

[USER1999]

If I hadn't messed up every medal for the last twenty years I'd be on telly.

 

[0]

get fitted for a Scotty, sounds like the face/insert you have isnt right for the way you putt, just my opinion but your story is similar to mine until I got a SC

 

[ScienceBoy]

get fitted for a Scotty, sounds like the face/insert you have isnt right for the way you putt, just my opinion but your story is similar to mine until I got a SC

Ping redwood, so basically the best of the best IMO AND I have a V-Easy, I just have had a 2 weeks off practice to get the "hunger" back after 2 months of solid practice and regular golf to prepare for the club champs and Blackmoor.

Usually its perfect, if I practice frequently I putt well, hence the recent drop in handicap.

If I had putted as I normally do over than 9 I would have saved 3 shots! It was just a story about how my distance judgement that day did not reflect my iron play.

Does back up well what was printed in the magazine recently about long game not equalling a good score, it all has to come together.

 

[0]

It was just a story about how my distance judgement that day did not reflect my iron play.

Does back up well what was printed in the magazine recently about long game not equalling a good score, it all has to come together.

couldnt agree more, I played terribly at the weekend and scored in buffer zone, also had rounds of perfect striking (in my head) and didnt play to handicap.
Love this game

 

[sev112]

Come now - 3 shots lost over 9 holes ?? That's swhat happens in every 18 holes, you just got yours in the 9 you played

It's the same as saying - i aplayed 1 over par for 9 holes therefore i would have been 2 over for 18. It's not true, in this case most people would be 6 or 7 over for teh other 9. The 18 holes come and go.

Typically most golfers's 18 hole score is dominated by 3 holes (i.e. the 3 worst holes. Check your stats - it's surprisingly accurate. The theme is usually a few holes where (in hindsight) you took a decision facing a shot (usually from trouble) which didnt come off and put you into more trouble.

So, dont worry about a few putts that didnt drop. Next round they will - that's golf (and statistics and physics, but that's a story for another time, to quote jackanory!)

 

[G1BB0]

spot on sev with the 18 hole example. On average 3 bad holes wreck my card every round, usually 3 8's or 2 8's and a 7. The secret is cutting them out, easier said than done

Putting is something that is always hit and miss for me aswell, either I am in the zone or I am not, never seems to be any middle ground

chin up and next time nail em

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I wouldn't get too hung up about it. At the end of the day it was only a practice round and sub-consciously how hard were you really trying. Alternatively you are now trying too hard and losing your natural feel for distance. I'd leave any putting practice alone for a bit (maybe just the three footers) and not get too worried

 

[ScienceBoy]

chin up and next time nail em

Check that off the list, since I had what I would class as an appaling display of putting I have hardly left the practice green. I have also annoyed the wife by putting at every opportunity in the flat, my V-Easy has done well not to have been snapped over her knee!

 

[chrisd]

Come now - 3 shots lost over 9 holes ?? That's swhat happens in every 18 holes, you just got yours in the 9 you played

It's the same as saying - i aplayed 1 over par for 9 holes therefore i would have been 2 over for 18. It's not true, in this case most people would be 6 or 7 over for teh other 9. The 18 holes come and go.

Typically most golfers's 18 hole score is dominated by 3 holes (i.e. the 3 worst holes. Check your stats - it's surprisingly accurate. The theme is usually a few holes where (in hindsight) you took a decision facing a shot (usually from trouble) which didnt come off and put you into more trouble.

So, dont worry about a few putts that didnt drop. Next round they will - that's golf (and statistics and physics, but that's a story for another time, to quote jackanory!)

Sev speaks sound sense,. That's easy for me to say!

I played a big club comp on Sunday in a strongish breeze and blew 2 holes which cost me an extra 7 shots over my handicap. As Sev says, a bad decision which cost a 9 on a par 5 and amedical problem costing a 7 on a par 4 when my leg muscle locked at the top of my backswing.

The consolation is that I am generally striking the ball better than ever and if I keep it up a good score must be round the corner

Chris

 

[AuburnWarrior]

get fitted for a Scotty, sounds like the face/insert you have isnt right for the way you putt, just my opinion but your story is similar to mine until I got a SC

Custom fitted you say?? Hmmmm........

I could have a putter custom fitted by Christ himself whilst the other main religious protagonists supervised the fitting process. Nicklaus could then kiss the aforementioned putter and Angelina Jolie could rub it over her ample busom. McIlroy could then have a go (with the putter........) and state that it's the best putter he's ever used. I'd still putt like a, well, a knob!!

Putting's all in the mind. A confident putter can use anything.

 

[rickg]

my V-Easy has done well not to have been snapped over her knee!

Bob, I bet you hadn't thought of flogging it to the S&M Market!!!

 

[upanddown]

Had a scratch 80 on Saturday, 12 over par.
In this 80 I had 39 Putts!!!

Too many 3 putts and a 4 Putt, which is a disgrace.

The annoying thing is that my putting has been excellent recently, hence the drop in my handicap over the past couple of months.

Still, a few months ago I would have bit your hand off to be coming off with a disappointing +12

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Had a scratch 80 on Saturday, 12 over par.
In this 80 I had 39 Putts!!!

Too many 3 putts and a 4 Putt, which is a disgrace.

The annoying thing is that my putting has been excellent recently, hence the drop in my handicap over the past couple of months.

Still, a few months ago I would have bit your hand off to be coming off with a disappointing +12

Sounds like you need a V-Easy.......

Bob, I'll line them up........

 

[upanddown]

Had a scratch 80 on Saturday, 12 over par.
In this 80 I had 39 Putts!!!

Too many 3 putts and a 4 Putt, which is a disgrace.

The annoying thing is that my putting has been excellent recently, hence the drop in my handicap over the past couple of months.

Still, a few months ago I would have bit your hand off to be coming off with a disappointing +12

Sounds like you need a V-Easy.......

Bob, I'll line them up........

What is this V-Easy you speak of? I assume it will cost me money.

Don't know if its gadgets I need or just to watch a member at our club putt and try to copy him. Guy had 9 putts in the front 9 in the Club Championship Quarter Final on Monday night, an absolute masterclass. Think he ended up winning 7 and 6, his opponent done well to make it last as long as he did.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Had a scratch 80 on Saturday, 12 over par.
In this 80 I had 39 Putts!!!

Too many 3 putts and a 4 Putt, which is a disgrace.

The annoying thing is that my putting has been excellent recently, hence the drop in my handicap over the past couple of months.

Still, a few months ago I would have bit your hand off to be coming off with a disappointing +12

Sounds like you need a V-Easy.......

Bob, I'll line them up........

What is this V-Easy you speak of? I assume it will cost me money.

Bob son, if you make a sale out of this, I want 10%!!

 

[Swinger]

Practising 2 months for Blackmoor?!?

Nobody told me it was that serious!