Changed Putting Routine

[smange]

Yesterday after 3 putting the first from around 15 feet I threw a bit of a hissy fit with myself and decided to try something different on the greens.

I normally draw a line on centre of ball, line this up with where I want to putt, couple of practice swings to get a feel for the length, address ball then putt. Sounds pretty much like a standard routine.

After my huff on the first green I thought "whats the point in all that routine when the end result is awful" so I decided from then on I would replace the ball after marking it as it came out my pocket and use my natural instincts on the line after a brief look. Hey presto, not one more 3 putt for the round yesterday, and finishing with 33 putts, 3 less than my average.
Continued with the new found confidence into todays round and lo and behold 28 putts, the lowest I ever had for a round . Heres hoping this is the end of my putting woes as this is what has been holding me back from taking another couple of shots of my handicap.

 

[Cernunnos]

All this technical lining up of putts with a line on a ball takes out all feel & makes it too mechanical. There is really something way too rigid & artificial about something that isn't natural in that I play much better when I can walk up to a ball instantly seeing the line the ball will take to the hole & feel the distance, with the bodies own inbuilt golf radar.

Its like when I much prefer to feel an answer than get out slide rule & logarithmic tables...lol if you see the analogy

 

[RGuk]

Cool. I had a bit of a run-in with HID the other day and decided to calm down with some "negative retail therapy". This involves going to Sports World (or anywhere that sells 99% tat) and walking out with nothing at all and then celebrating my virtue at not spending a penny. Except....it failed and I invested £1.49 in a ball marking gadget.
Tried it out and couldn't get my head round it at all!!
So, with marked-up balls, I turned the ball over to see only white and went with my typical style. i.i.r.c. I managed 31 putts on Saturday......from now on, it's the way forward. If I can even see one mm of that line, the ball gets turned over.

Can't beat 28 though.....that's fabulous....

 

[Cernunnos]

Our local sportsworld has gone downhill. They may well sell tat, but where else can you get Dunlop Tops for between £4 & £8 & Dunlop Golf Trousers for £7-49. Great for winter play as you don't mind ruining Dunlop Trousers with mud where I'd mind ruining a pair of Stromberg's.

I somehow managed to come out with a golf travel case which was as well padded as the Oddesey ones & has Dunlop on the Box. Cost me a lot less than the equivelent. And will hide the fact I've actually got a decent set of clubs in the bag.

 

[smange]

Can't beat 28 though.....that's fabulous....

Managed to single putt 8 greens, although most of them were tap ins after some great chipping from just off the green, my GIR was poor but hey a par is a par and 28 putts is 28 putts.

Now to tackle my other hoodoo, consistency. I played 14 of todays holes in 4 over but was 11 over for the other 4
5 of those were dropped by taking a 9 on a straightforwrd enough par 4 and the wheels falling off at the death causing me to double 16,17 and 18.

 

[andiritchie]

i could never get my head around using a alignment aid on my ball,just could not trust where i was aiming i just wanna see plain white as i look down its the same off the tee for me too

 

[viscount17]

I think I am better at seeing the line than I believe myself to be. Most times I use instinctive alignment and won't even pick up the ball. When that falls through I start using the alignment mark but so often distrust the line to the detriment of my score. Of late though I have looked at the greens more closely and started to see where the ball will be forced to go by the contours but it's easy to be fooled by them.

There was that incredible day when I could see the way the ball would run all the way across the green as if a track were marked. All I had to do was start the ball along the line. It worked this way for four successive holes, single putted each one from 13 to 30 ft - then the light changed and I was back to normal.

 

[USER1999]

I have had that feeling too. It is impossible to miss. It is like having lines painted on the green. Sadly, it doesn't last. I wonder if you had a golf psychologist if he could get you into this state more often.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I use to line up with the alignment aid on the side of most balls these days but to be honest that was more to do with habit and vanity than any tangible effect on my putts. For the last few weeks whilst it has been dry, I haven't marked my ball on every green (unless in the way) and have putted just as well. This weekend I went back to using the makers nake as a line just as I did (xx years ago before these new fangled aids). Didn't putt any better or worse but felt a smug sense of going back to my youth, especially as I was back using a blade putter