Improving putting

[Foxholer]

When preparing to putt, what proportion of time do folks spend thinking about line and what proportion is spent thinking about pace.
i.e if you take 20 seconds to assess a putt, take stance/PSR etc how many seconds is spent on determining line and how many on determining pace?

It varies! Mainly because one or the other can often be 'more crucial', depending on length and amount of any slope(s). For short (3-6 ft or so) I probably don't even separate the 2 attributes.

 

[sweaty sock]

My strokes gained putting has gone from -6.3 to -1.8 over 3 years since implementing aimpoint. Obviously more practice and a few technique changes have helped too. I reckon aim point is worth 1 putt a round on my home course, where i know the breaks anyway, and probably 2.5 on away courses where I would otherwise have been fooled.

 

[bobmac]

Most putting stats are worthless in my opinion.
The only thing that concerns me is.... did I start the ball on the line I chose with a decent pace.

 

[sweaty sock]

Youre not interested if the line you chose was consistently wrong?

 

[bobmac]

Youre not interested if the line you chose was consistently wrong?

If the line I chose was consistently wrong, I wouldn't hole anything.

 

[sweaty sock]

Only if you always hit your line (and pace).... #shotpattern

 

[bobmac]

Only if you always hit your line (and pace).... #shotpattern

I'm talking the stats like putts per round, number of 3 putts, number of single putts, percentage of 6 footers missed etc.
Pointless in my opinion.

 

[phillarrow]

I'm talking the stats like putts per round, number of 3 putts, number of single putts, percentage of 6 footers missed etc.
Pointless in my opinion.

May I ask why?

If we know for sure that we miss more six footers than others of a similar handicap, whilst everything else about our stats says we're doing fine, doesn't that help us to know what to focus on? Golfers are pretty famous for having unrealistic expectations and one of the benefits I am experiencing from stats is accepting that, for my handicap, there are things I'm better at than I thought, and others that I'm worse at. I'm working on the weaker parts whilst not worrying too much about the, relatively, stronger parts. Surely this is a positive?

 

[bobmac]

May I ask why?

If we know for sure that we miss more six footers than others of a similar handicap, whilst everything else about our stats says we're doing fine, doesn't that help us to know what to focus on?

What happens if all the 6 footers are downhill left to right?
Or are across the grain, or very bumpy?
I'd rather have a 6 foot putt uphill than a 3 foot downhill slider.
But if I have a 6 foot uphill straight putt and I start it online and if it hits a bump and misses, should I be worried?
What happens if I miss 7 greens during a round and chip each one stone dead so 29 putts, does that me a good putter?

 

[sweaty sock]

The only people who ive found to ignore stats are pro's (who are worried metrics show a lack of improvement (which i openly admit is unlikely to be their fault!)) and those half arsing practice, for the same reason...

I've kept pretty comprehrnsive SG stats for a while, and been shocked how dismissive teaching pros have been.

 

[sweaty sock]

What happens if all the 6 footers are downhill left to right?
Or are across the grain, or very bumpy?
I'd rather have a 6 foot putt uphill than a 3 foot downhill slider.
But if I have a 6 foot uphill straight putt and I start it online and if it hits a bump and misses, should I be worried?
What happens if I miss 7 greens during a round and chip each one stone dead so 29 putts, does that me a good putter?

What that all means is you dont understand statistics. Obviously individual rounds can be outliers, but after a good dataset recorded trends are pretty obvious.

 

[chrisd]

That's good for you. Has the average number of putts reduced (or stopped heading upwards) since the course? That's presuming that you've adopted it, of course.
But it does the product no good when someone proselytizes about it and can't/won't provide actual evidence that it is actually beneficial.
Oh, and FWIW, I'm not anti-Aimpoin the concepts are actully sound imo and the cost isn't unreasonable an I got a 'mini-course' for free a while ago). I AM, however, anti-BS/twaddle!

So, I have improved my putting - how do I determine it was when I did the Aimpoint course, when I apply it on the course (hardly at all on my course), my change of putter, my chipping is closer, I've practised putting more.

I play golf, sometimes well, sometimes badly I do look at some stats, I have some lessons but I dont give a flying chuff whether anyone approves of them or not, I'm certainly not interested in providing actual evidence to anyone as to whether any tuition has I've had has quantifiable results - it's a sport, a hobby and nobody cares if I play well or badly but me, and, possibly my regular playing pals. As far as Aimpoint is concerned, I see enough of the best players in the world using it to think it may help peoples games if judging line and length is not as good as it could be - it won't help the putting stroke, having the right putter etc etc

 

[Deleted member 29109]

What happens if all the 6 footers are downhill left to right?
Or are across the grain, or very bumpy?
I'd rather have a 6 foot putt uphill than a 3 foot downhill slider.
But if I have a 6 foot uphill straight putt and I start it online and if it hits a bump and misses, should I be worried?
What happens if I miss 7 greens during a round and chip each one stone dead so 29 putts, does that me a good putter?

I’d take a 3’ putt over a 6’ putt any day of the week.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

What that all means is you dont understand statistics. Obviously individual rounds can be outliers, but after a good dataset recorded trends are pretty obvious.

Many people don’t, and are dismissive of them as they go against the old fashioned long held views of golf.

Also, don’t forget that to prove something right or wrong on here, you only need one data point.

 

[Foxholer]

So, I have improved my putting - how do I determine it was when I did the Aimpoint course, when I apply it on the course (hardly at all on my course), my change of putter, my chipping is closer, I've practised putting more.

I play golf, sometimes well, sometimes badly I do look at some stats, I have some lessons but I dont give a flying chuff whether anyone approves of them or not, I'm certainly not interested in providing actual evidence to anyone as to whether any tuition has I've had has quantifiable results - it's a sport, a hobby and nobody cares if I play well or badly but me, and, possibly my regular playing pals. As far as Aimpoint is concerned, I see enough of the best players in the world using it to think it may help peoples games if judging line and length is not as good as it could be - it won't help the putting stroke, having the right putter etc etc

If you wish to measure (or assert that it's an) improvement), then there are simple methods of doing so. If you are not concerned, but hope it will be, or simply for 'more golf knowledge' then it likely doesn't matter. As I posted, I'm not knocking Aimpoint (I actually think it can/does help) and your attitude to it seems fine to me. But it's the (frequent) assertion that it (or any other process/tool) definitely does help, without being able to provide 'proper' evidence, that gets up my nose.
And, again, without prejudice either way and a bit frivolous, the best players in the world always use Caddies - especially on the Greens. Would you prefer to do so too?

 

[Foxholer]

What that all means is you dont understand statistics. Obviously individual rounds can be outliers, but after a good dataset recorded trends are pretty obvious.

Indeed, that's why scatter graphs are so useful!

 

[chrisd]

And, again, without prejudice either way and a bit frivolous, the best players in the world always use Caddies - especially on the Greens. Would you prefer to do so too?

Not if I had to give them 10% of my winnings - that would have cost me about £30 last year?

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Finding the sweet spot of the putter really helps me so I practice using gates for the putter head. 9/10 when I mishit the putt it was on a good line but it’s short due to poor impact.

This time of year is notoriously bad for sand. ALWAYS clean your ball, I got caught out a few times with a grain or 2 of sand between the ball and putter - the putt just dies off the face.

4 or 6 tees around a hole on the practice green and keep going trying to hole as many is a row as possible. Keep score and try to beat it next time.

Lastly, when practicing, always read the green as you do on the course.

 

[bobmac]

What that all means is you dont understand statistics.

Whatever you say

 

[Foxholer]

Most putting stats are worthless in my opinion.
....

How can you tell?