I've been playing and watching for 50 years, most of which as a Cat1.
Get over yourself.
Do you use a line on your ball to aim your putt?
- Thread starter Kevblue
- Start date
I've been playing and watching for 50 years, most of which as a Cat1.
Get over yourself.
I draw a line around the ball joining the arrow on a prov. i do use it most of the time. Ive usually picked i spot where i'm aiming before i place the ball back and line up with this. I don't both under 2ft though.
Certainly helped me when i started doing this as i was a very poor putter then.
Certainly helped me when i started doing this as i was a very poor putter then.
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
I do this
Better than someone sticking fingers in the air and trying to feel slope with their feet:rofl:
bobmac
Major Champion
I once heard Ewan Murray describing it as legalised cheating
ScienceBoy
Money List Winner
Yup but I have a rule.
Once placed that is my line, I'm committed. No changing it or my mind while over the ball. Total commitment to my read.
I usually read by one glance from the low side and a look down the line.
Weight is done by two practice putts looking at the hole.
Delay = indecision=poor putt
Once placed that is my line, I'm committed. No changing it or my mind while over the ball. Total commitment to my read.
I usually read by one glance from the low side and a look down the line.
Weight is done by two practice putts looking at the hole.
Delay = indecision=poor putt
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Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Spot on. Can't have the little precious's distracted on their way to a 5 hour round can we?
I'm the same as Hobbit. If I'm nowhere near the opponents line I'll leave my ball where it us, unless I have to clean it.
If I feel that my ball might be distracting to them in any way, shape or form I'll ask if they want me to mark it.
If they reply that it's okay, I'll leave it where it is and be lining up my putt in readiness for when it's my go (again, as long as I'm not distracting them).
Shooter McPowick
Head Pro
I've tried using a line in an attempt to better my putting but it's way to time consuming and I just can't be bothered. Read too many articles saying pace is more important so I imagine a hole where I need to aim and hit a straight putt to that instead.
As for marking the ball, only ever if it's in someone's way or has dirt on it. Green grass smears I don't bother.
As for marking the ball, only ever if it's in someone's way or has dirt on it. Green grass smears I don't bother.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I pay no attention to any markings on the ball when putting., so no I dont put a line around mine.
Three
Tour Rookie
Just because a lot of people do it doesn't mean it's either right or necessary.
In order to justify their stance of alway marking a ball, the only arguments I ever see are from really weak, negative thinking. If it affects you negatively to see a ball thats not on your line, you arent thinking properly. You should be thinking "great, a simple right to left ... "
Ha ha, nice one 😃
Three
Tour Rookie
Your handicap is irrelevant.
It's just good manners that your ball isn't on the ground within vision when someone else is putting.
Nothing to "get over", it's just good etiquette that I was taught.
duncan mackie
Money List Winner
Neither. In the first case you end up with a mental problem when putting from 1" off the green when you can't line it up and in the second I confuse my subconscious; which is the bit that will do all the complex calculations on what my body needs to do to achieve the desired results.
After I've read the putt I mentally move the hole (if necessary) or focus on a more specific part of it such as the back right edge.
I do the same with a driver or any other shot - always focusing on the spot I am aiming to land the ball.
Sorry but its this sort of copying that's extending the time of rounds. I was taught when 3 ball Medal rounds were done either side of 3 hours, not 4 hours. Scores are virtually the same now as then, as are handicaps. As for good manners and etiquette, I'm more than happy with the considerations I give to other players, especially when it comes to calling quicker groups through, which is virtually unheard of amongst the modern players - where's the etiquette for that gone.
Three
Tour Rookie
Yes I perfectly relate to all of that and agree,apart from making it longer to play because it only takes a second to replace the ball.
Hang me at dawn for good etiquette 😀
Crow
Crow Person
I don't put an alignment mark on the ball and neither do I align the ball.
As for the question of always marking, I'm with Hobbit, it's unnecessary unless to clean the ball or you're on or close to someone else's line.
In fact I'd sooner people left their balls unmarkedeek as it's easier to see at a glance where everybody is and you're less likely to accidentally walk over someone's line.
As for the question of always marking, I'm with Hobbit, it's unnecessary unless to clean the ball or you're on or close to someone else's line.
In fact I'd sooner people left their balls unmarked
eek as it's easier to see at a glance where everybody is and you're less likely to accidentally walk over someone's line.
OMG!! Just watching coverage of The Players and there's two balls on the green when one player is putting. The second ball is pin high and about 10ft left. Hang him for bad etiquette!! Oh wait, maybe the guy putting is blind...
Three
Tour Rookie
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
I would only ask someone to make the ball if it was in the immediate eyeliner or indeed possibly on my line - other than that there what people do with their ball doesn't matter at all. Plenty people don't mark their ball or leave it on the green whilst others are putting out including pros - it's not bad etiquette to do it.
Definitely in view.
But here's a thought on times. You say it only takes a second. It clearly takes more than a second to mark a ball, and more to replace it and line it up. Lets say 10 seconds for arguments sake. A 4 ball will take somewhere in the region of 140 putts. Take out the tap in's but add a few for some 3 putts that the average guys take. Call it 600 seconds, 10 mins, at the very least.
The group in front is a group is fairly quick and the group behind is one of those that insists on marking everything and then stalking every putt. Add in the (typical) lengthy pre-shot routines of the modern game and you can immediately see the second group dropping at least a full hole behind.
There's room for either in the game, markers and non-markers, lengthy pre-shot routines and those that just do a quick wiggle and hit, providing between shots they're doing right things to maintain the pace of the game.
Anyway, lets just agree to disagree on marking. You have your beliefs and I have mine.
Removing your ball from someone else's sight is just another bad habit, time wasting affectation, that has crept into the game from people aping professionals. There is no good etiquette in that at all. You only remove your ball if you wish to clean it, or to remove it if in a band likely to be hit by another player. Not because they dont want to see it.
Using a line on your ball - surely, other than as a placebo mental trick, this really has no sound basis either. The line is 1.68" long at best. The accuracy that aligning such a short line with the intended putt line is surely of no help whatsoever. If anything, it is more likely to be misaligned with the hole, and then more 'correctly' perpendicular to the putter face as you look down on it, thereby causing you to aim off the correct line of putt.
It is probably done by those with little scientific knowledge and again, just caught on with some who do not realise they are either; using another mental crutch that is unlikely to help them, are gaining no benefit from it at and wasting time, or, are harming their putting chance by using the ploy.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
I'm sure one of the US websites, may have been MGS, did a test with people lining up lines and not lining up lines and figured out that it actually makes bigger all difference to the average golfer, indeed they actually holes more putts without lining up........
