putterman60
Member
Improving putting
- Thread starter Chef1924
- Start date
RichA
Well-known member
Hitting the middle of the face is the main thing I concentrate on. My favourite putter at the moment is a very thin blade from about 100 years ago, because it feels nice and I don't really care about forgiveness in a putter. My Odyssey 2-ball feels like a very blunt instrument right now.
In respect of getting the face square to the line, I sometimes align the line on the ball so that it's perpendicular to my putting line. That concentrates on squaring the face and making a good connection rather than obsessing on direction. I'm always tinkering with something. It's rarely successful but it makes it interesting.
The new putter is a John Letters that I'm guessing is from the 60s. It'll hopefully arrive today in time for an afternoon knock.
Crow
Crow Person
When I said the line I meant the line of the putt as I don't use a line on the ball, I can see your logic on having a ball line perpendicular though.
If it's a Golden Goose, they're great putters, picture needed when it arrives!
If it's a Golden Goose, they're great putters, picture needed when it arrives!
If it were practical to point the line in the right direction, it might yes be useful. People try to align from all distances. A 20' putt would require aligning the line on the ball to a precision of 0.02mm for a hole width accuracy. Good luck with that. Even a 5' putt would require its leading edge position to a precision of less than a tenth of a mm. That's less than the thickness of a typical sheet of paper.
So what I am saying is that the history of golf and made or missed putts would be the same regardless of aligning lines. I would not go as far as some who regard this inaccuracy in alignment of the ball to be actually harmful to ones putting, as the misaligned line becomes actually misleading. I would say the net benefit is neither help nor hindrance. Its just a time wasting tic.
Similar answer, in that it is neither help nor hindrance. I think if there were a clear benefit, it would be beyond argument, and everyone would do it. Nobody plays a persimmon or laminated wood anymore. The benefits of a 460cc titanium/carbon driver over them are clear. Its in the some chose to some, dont, and more an article of faith, habit, or illusion of benefit, than any step benefit to putting direction.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
I actually think you're right on this. But one caveat I will add, which I forgot until just now: when I had my putting lesson he advised me to put a line on the ball, but not necessarily to help because it lines up with the hole, it was to line up with the aiming line on the top of the putter (to ensure I hit the middle of the face rather than toe or heel).
Thats the criticism some make though, making using lines actually counter productive - while the ball line and top of the putter line might be well aligned, if the ball line is misaligned with the target in the first place, your best efforts just ensure a putt sent off in the wrong direction.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
I suppose so. Thinking about it I'd probably have a dot on the ball or something and just position that on top in the middle perhaps.
Jason.H
Well-known member
Consistent centre strikes will give better feedback to learn distance control. If you’re striking all over the face you’ll be guessing how hard to hit it. Ive been using a line on my ball and would say it helps on longer puts by letting me focus solely on pace, where before I was over the put thinking about line and pace. The less thinking the better.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
I'm sure MyGolfSpy did a fairly thorough test on this a few years back and found that lines made no difference to the number of putts sunk from any distance.
I don't use lines but I don't have any issue with anyone who does and thinks it helps...as long as they don't spend half a day lining it up, relining it, relining again and then missing...
And I know most don't spend that long at it..but an awful lot do.
I don't use lines but I don't have any issue with anyone who does and thinks it helps...as long as they don't spend half a day lining it up, relining it, relining again and then missing...
And I know most don't spend that long at it..but an awful lot do.
https://pluggedingolf.com/will-lines-on-your-golf-ball-improve-your-putting-golf-myths-unplugged/
Is worth a read. I do remember reading of another test that used a laser to check how well lines were aligned by a group of golfers, and it found they were quite unable to do it, with the lines not pointing were the golfer thought it was.
Is worth a read. I do remember reading of another test that used a laser to check how well lines were aligned by a group of golfers, and it found they were quite unable to do it, with the lines not pointing were the golfer thought it was.
phillarrow
Well-known member
So, ignoring the bluster and the usual nonsense about things not being helpful unless they help everyone...
We have agreed that standing behind the ball and pointing the line in the direction you wish to aim it at is beneficial. (That aim point could be the hole itself, the line of the break, or a mark on the ground a few inches in front of the ball. You know, exactly like you do when you stand above the ball and aim your putter!)
Do you believe that our perspective of angles changes depending on our position and that the best perspective from which to judge an aim point is directly behind it? (I'll give you a clue to this answer: there is a reason why precision sports - archery, shooting, darts, snooker etc. all have the player looking directly down the line of sight!)
Edit: Let's remember by the way, that this discussion was about me saying that one of the benefits of a line is to aid those people with a visual bias who struggle to see the correct aim from above the ball. To which you replied that this is nonsense. So don't waste time talking about persimmon drivers, just answer the questions and let's see if you are correct in saying that using a line is just nonsense that makes no more difference than using blue coloured tees.
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Bratty
Princess Pouty (Queen of Fish Lips)
"Putting out of your Mind" is a good book by Dr. Bob Rotella. Gives a nice insight and things to consider. Helped me a few years ago.
Jimaroid
Journeyman Pro
I went through a phase of using a line on my ball. And I came to the conclusion it’s a waste of time in competition. What it did help with was in adjusting my ball position and stance in practice to stop a habit missing right with a slight push.
On course in comps I found it time consuming and counter productive as I would get frustrated with all the bending down and fiddling. Ultimately a good lesson in not taking a practice routine into comps.
These days I just plonk the ball down and putt, accepting that I’m just rubbish at judging pace and golf in general. ?
On course in comps I found it time consuming and counter productive as I would get frustrated with all the bending down and fiddling. Ultimately a good lesson in not taking a practice routine into comps.
These days I just plonk the ball down and putt, accepting that I’m just rubbish at judging pace and golf in general. ?
phillarrow
Well-known member
Five golfers - one of whom begins the test with a strong preference for not having a line - making 21 putts each over one distance (a distance that is outside the length at which having a line on the ball is proposed to have the most benefit for average golfers!). A grand total of 110 putts! And those five golfers are over a range of handicaps up to 15! The tour average from 8 foot is only just above 50%, so with your average double figure handicapper it will come down to as much luck as alignment anyway!
In short, this survey (which, by the way, found that 3 out of the five DID aim the club better with a line or triple track, although take it with a pinch of salt given how small the data set is) is totally and utterly meaningless!
As for your laser test, if those golfers can't line a ball up to a hole a few feet away when standing behind it...they've got far worse problems than not being able to putt well!
Jason.H
Well-known member
There’s more shots to be saved by improving your putting than anywhere else so it’s worth investing time there. Most golfers don’t give putting to much thought. Someone I golf with tends to miss on the low side all the time, downhill puts he goes way past and uphill puts he’s nearly always short yet if I ask him about his putting he thinks he’s quite good. What we see with pro,s is attention to detail you don’t fluke scoring under par every day.
BiMGuy
LIV Bot, (But Not As Big As Mel) ?
In a lot of cases there really isn’t. More people would save more shots by improving their game tee to green.
Jason.H
Well-known member
I,m reasonable tee to green. I can have a 5 shot difference in a round depending if I’ve had a good or bad day with the putter.
HeftyHacker
Well-known member
Its so subjective though. Those 5 strokes are only equal to 2 bad shots off tee if you're having an off day with the driver.
I've only played with a couple of people who I've genuinely thought could improve their score most by sorting their putting out.
For most its off the tee or their ball striking that would improve their scores.
Backache
Assistant Pro
When you listen to the folk who do a statistical analysis of players and have the data to back it up like Mark Broadie and Lou Stagner There appears to be bigger variations on a day to day basis in putting performance than long game performance at almost all levels and more inter- individual variation at any one playing level in putting than in the long game.
However the prime difference in playing ability as judged by scoring appears to lie in the long game.
My take home message is that it is worth working on your putting particularly if you are poor at it and for many the benefits may appear more quickly than improvements in the long game but for significant consistent reductions in scoring most people are better off looking to the long game to improve over the longer term.
However the prime difference in playing ability as judged by scoring appears to lie in the long game.
My take home message is that it is worth working on your putting particularly if you are poor at it and for many the benefits may appear more quickly than improvements in the long game but for significant consistent reductions in scoring most people are better off looking to the long game to improve over the longer term.
