Do you use the line on your ball?

[ScienceBoy]

Same. And it also gives one less thing to think about or doubt when over the ball

You have hit on a good point, in my early days of using this and when I have not played in a while I would doubt the line over the ball.

It’s VITAL that you trust your first read of a line and stick to it no matter what. Turn your focus to pace and pace alone once tour ball is down.

Your first read is likely to be better than any other one. If you miss you miss, with good pace it won’t be far from the hole.

I have always understood a poor read with good pace will be better than a good read with poor pace.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I always mark, pick and replace my ball as it is part of my 'do every time' routine. But I do not replace it in any particular way - just plonk it down from whence it came.

 

[dewsweeper]

I don't.
I rank it as useful as holding a putter up as a plumbing.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

No, promotes slow play imo, even see people lining it up from inside 12”, ffs.

I agree - and as @Imurg said - I see players carefully position their ball with the line 'just so'. Stand up and step back. See it's 'not quite right', and so back down on their hunkers marking and tweaking; Back up again - take their stance and address. Oh dear - line still not quite right. And so on and so on. Oh good grief.

Having a line on the ball pointing down the line of their putt might remove a thought when addressing the ball - I actually think that it adds thinking - as there is the additional thought about the line on the ball being just right - not just my chosen line of putt.

I do all of my thinking and checking when running through my simple pre-putt routine - so that once I am over the ball all I am concentrating on is calm (and breathing for important comp putts) and a good strike. It is rare that I step away or change my mind.

 

[patricks148]

I agree - and as @Imurg said - I see players carefully position their ball with the line 'just so'. Stand up and step back. See it's 'not quite right', and so back down on their hunkers marking and tweaking; Back up again - take their stance and address. Oh dear - line still not quite right. And so on and so on. Oh good grief.

Having a line on the ball pointing down the line of their putt might remove a thought when addressing the ball - I actually think that it adds thinking - as there is the additional thought about the line on the ball being just right - not just my chosen line of putt.

I do all of my thinking and checking when running through my simple pre-putt routine - so that once I am over the ball all I am concentrating on is calm (and breathing for important comp putts) and a good strike. It is rare that I step away or change my mind.

thing is if you are already slow, you will still be slow using this, its doesn't make quick players slow

 

[jim8flog]

The line on my ball is put there by using a ball balancing machine (Technosonic) so whenever I am allowed to the line it points in the direction of play but I am not some one who is fanatical about getting it absolutely right.

I use the alignments aids on my putter and the putter face for alignment of putts.

 

[jim8flog]

I have had to penalise one of mates a couple of times for lifting the ball to line it up when you are not allowed to.

eg The allowable winter rules states "the ball may be lifted once and once placed it is in play"

He is fanatical about getting the line right and will pick it up a second time to get the line right.

 

[Karl102]

Yup.... Red

Use it on most putts bar tap ins.... edit - OCD kicks in 😂😂😂

 

[shortgame]

I actually think that it adds thinking - as there is the additional thought about the line on the ball being just right - not just my chosen line of putt.

Eh?

Once the ball is lined up and you are 100% sure it is correct that part of the process is finished. No further thought is given to it apart from the confidence you have KNOWING you're lined up correctly.

If you're still doubting it over the ball then you're not doing it properly!

 

[shortgame]

thing is if you are already slow, you will still be slow using this, its doesn't make quick players slow

Abso-bloody-lutely :thup:

 

[Grant85]

I don't always, but I should and usually do in a medal or more important putts. It's just laziness that i don't always use it.

Shouldn't take you that long to have a look at the line and replace the ball crouching behind it.

I remember having a lesson and the coach told me to do this with every putt, even in practice. Also take a practice stroke when you are on the practice green, as you would in normal play.

 

[Jamesbrown]

Err yeah. That’s why it there.

But I’ve put my ball down and lined up while others are putting.

It’s not slow. Just people don’t think to do their routine while others are holing out.

 

[Fish]

I have had to penalise one of mates a couple of times for lifting the ball to line it up when you are not allowed to.

eg The allowable winter rules states "the ball may be lifted once and once placed it is in play"

He is fanatical about getting the line right and will pick it up a second time to get the line right.

Hmm, I’m not following this.

Yes pick clean & place on the fairway can only be done once [I think], but if your marker is still in place, I’m sure you could still adjust the ball again, but not wholly sure.

However, on the green as long as your ball marker is still in place, what’s the difference between winter & summer, you can adjust the ball as many times as you want, can’t you?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

thing is if you are already slow, you will still be slow using this, its doesn't make quick players slow

Maybe so - so maybe it's just the faffing about that makes it seem an eternity

 

[patricks148]

Maybe so - so maybe it's just the faffing about that makes it seem an eternity

hardly faffing about. check and pick your line while PP are putting, then place the ball down on that line, no different to placing a ball thats not lined TBH.

 

[ScienceBoy]

hardly faffing about. check and pick your line while PP are putting, then place the ball down on that line, no different to placing a ball thats not lined TBH.

It’s those people who faff with it that give the practice a bad name. This people don’t know the importance of pace.

It’s just not possible to base your entire putting on a little line on a ball. I firmly believe it doesn’t need to be perfect, just point it where your aiming.

 

[3565]

Simple answer

Yes.

 

[jim8flog]

Hmm, I’m not following this.

Yes pick clean & place on the fairway can only be done once [I think], but if your marker is still in place, I’m sure you could still adjust the ball again, but not wholly sure.

However, on the green as long as your ball marker is still in place, what’s the difference between winter & summer, you can adjust the ball as many times as you want, can’t you?

Why would there be a marker down in the new position where you are placing?

 

[shortgame]

It’s those people who faff with it that give the practice a bad name. This people don’t know the importance of pace.

It’s just not possible to base your entire putting on a little line on a ball. I firmly believe it doesn’t need to be perfect, just point it where your aiming.

Who are these crazy people who 'base your entire putting on a little line on a ball'?

 

[Fish]

Why would there be a marker down in the new position where you are placing?

You said “eg The allowable winter rules states "the ball may be lifted once and once placed it is in play"

I can only assume you mean on the green, and if he put his marker down, positioned his ball whilst the marker is still in place, which everyone does, then he can keep adjusting the ball as many times as he likes, standing up, lifting the ball again as some do, and once he’s happy he then removes his marker and the balls in play. You’ve made no reference or expanded on the situation, other than to say, he can’t lift it or place it twice, which technically he can as long as the marker has never been lifted.