Is every putt holeable?

[robert.redmile]

Lying awake last night thinking about putting (as u do) got me thinking.

Given the laws of physics, are some putts due to hole location, break, grain and line simply unholeable?

or, can every putt be made if hit on the right line with the right speed?
rob

 

[Slab]

Lying awake last night thinking about putting (as u do) got me thinking.

Given the laws of physics, are some putts due to hole location, break, grain and line simply unholeable?

or, can every putt be made if hit on the right line with the right speed?
rob

Wouldn't physics tell us that every putt is holeable

 

[chillicon]

Depends on the green really. Eg there was one on the US pga tour the other week with a bunker in the middle of it. Even going through the bunker I suppose it is still possible.

 

[freddielong]

Initial thoughts yes every put is hole able but when you think about it logically given all the variation in slope green shape height and grain the answer must be no, not if it's played with the putter.

 

[robert.redmile]

Slab - no mate it wouldn't. There must be spots on some greens where If u are faced with a breaking putt, that needed to be started left, but then broke right, there may actually be no way of making the putt - ie it would be impossible to hit it at the right pace and right line and still make it!?

dunno, I'm no scientist, interesting though, isn't it?

 

[Fyldewhite]

If greens were perfect I'd say they are all holeable but I also think (and believe I've seen) situations where a slight "hogsback" between ball and hole make it impossible. Theoretically there will be a line that will work but in practice the odds are that the ball will be thrown off one way or the other.......at least, that's what I tell myself when I miss it, try again three times and miss it again three times!!

 

[Hobbit]

Every putt is holeable, and I believe I stand a very decent chance of holing it.

 

[CMAC]

Of course every putt is holeable, so is the possibility of holing in one every par three tee shot :mmm:

Anything is possible

 

[Imurg]

I had this some years ago on the 18th at my last club.
Playing solo and nobody within 10 holes of me behind, I had a 12 footer on the last. It looked a tricky one and I was happy to 2 putt it.
I went back to have another go. And another. And another.
In the end I spent nearly an hour trying to hole this damn putt.
I lipped out a few times, hit the back of the hole and jumped over but I couldn't get it to drop.
Now, the law of averages says that surely given 100+ goes I would sink one but this one just wasn't playing.
There was a slight ridge Justin front that threw the ball away.

In theory, every putt should be holable....in practice, I'd say now and again you get one that isn't.

 

[louise_a]

Every putt is certainly missable.

 

[jp5]

Yes every putt is holeable (assuming no stupid greens with bunkers in the middle of them). Whether one can be so precise with the line and pace to hole a putt is another question!

 

[garyinderry]

No there are breaks and slopes that can speed a ball up so that it will travel too fast to go in.

 

[robert.redmile]

I'm not having it!

there has to be some putts, that because of where they sit in relation to all the factors that influence a putt on a green that are unmakeable.

this isn't about saying "I think I can make every putt" cos lots of us have that positive mindset, this is simply about the science behind what makes a putt go in the hole.

and there has to be some putts that are simply unmakeable, because of all the thinks that affect a putt....

 

[CMAC]

I had this some years ago on the 18th at my last club.
Playing solo and nobody within 10 holes of me behind, I had a 12 footer on the last. It looked a tricky one and I was happy to 2 putt it.
I went back to have another go. And another. And another.
In the end I spent nearly an hour trying to hole this damn putt.
I lipped out a few times, hit the back of the hole and jumped over but I couldn't get it to drop.
Now, the law of averages says that surely given 100+ goes I would sink one but this one just wasn't playing.
There was a slight ridge Justin front that threw the ball away.

In theory, every putt should be holable....in practice, I'd say now and again you get one that isn't.

I had the opposite abroad once after changing my routine from viewing at all angles, to one look from behind, no practice putt and fire!

I had easily a 50foot plus putt and holed it 4 times in a row! it was getting ridiculous, 5th attempt was about 2" short. Never forget that moment. Fortunately I had a playing partner and witness as its the kind of thing that happens on your own.
My next 3 full rounds were a putting masterclass and 3 sub par rounds-

Why cant you capture whatever was right and keep it- stupid game!

 

[IanG]

I'm not so sure every putt is holeable.

Two conditions need to be met for the putt to drop, (1) ball needs to roll at the the hole and (2) the speed needs to be right for the ball to drop in the hole.

I think you can likely always find a line which will take the ball over the hole so meeting (1) , but whether you can always simultaneously get the pace right to satisfy (2) is not obvious to me.

Anyhow that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Imurg]

I had the opposite abroad once after changing my routine from viewing at all angles, to one look from behind, no practice putt and fire!

I had easily a 50foot plus putt and holed it 4 times in a row! it was getting ridiculous, 5th attempt was about 2" short. Never forget that moment. Fortunately I had a playing partner and witness as its the kind of thing that happens on your own.
My next 3 full rounds were a putting masterclass and 3 sub par rounds-

Why cant you capture whatever was right and keep it- stupid game!

That's just rude!!

 

[Crazyface]

I had this some years ago on the 18th at my last club.
Playing solo and nobody within 10 holes of me behind, I had a 12 footer on the last. It looked a tricky one and I was happy to 2 putt it.
I went back to have another go. And another. And another.
In the end I spent nearly an hour trying to hole this damn putt.
I lipped out a few times, hit the back of the hole and jumped over but I couldn't get it to drop.
Now, the law of averages says that surely given 100+ goes I would sink one but this one just wasn't playing.
There was a slight ridge Justin front that threw the ball away.

In theory, every putt should be holable....in practice, I'd say now and again you get one that isn't.

Sounds like my putting practice.

 

[freddielong]

Yes every putt is holeable (assuming no stupid greens with bunkers in the middle of them). Whether one can be so precise with the line and pace to hole a putt is another question!

Bunker doesn't have to be in the green you could have a 50foot left to right er with 4 foot of borrow just left of a straight line to the hole is a bunker. How is that holeable as a putt.

 

[jp5]

Bunker doesn't have to be in the green you could have a 50foot left to right er with 4 foot of borrow just left of a straight line to the hole is a bunker. How is that holeable as a putt.

If you need to putt through a bunker then no, it's not going to be possible to hole it.

But there's still a line and pace that would get the ball in the hole, were the bunker not there.

Of course if the original question meant including obstacles then of course not every putt is possible. Given an 'open' green, every putt would be possible.

 

[IanG]

You only need one un-holeable exception to prove that not every putt is holeable. So imagine a long straight putt down a very steep slope, by the time the ball gets to the hole it is travelling so fast it will not drop in the hole, no matter how gently you start the roll. This putt is not holeable so not every putt is holeable.