Missing easy putts from 1-2 feet

[Jokerdooby]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Hi
I'm after some advice on my putting. I'm playing off 11 but losing silly shots on putts from around 1-2 feet for some reason. I've worked on my putting and keeping my arms tucked in slightly more. But when playing in comps and having to hole out I tighten up on them putts and drag or push putts wide of hole! Can anyone help!? Grip lower down? Narrower stance? Heeeellllpppp![/FONT]

 

[CliveW]

Lesson? It is one aspect of the game where we tend not to think of lessons. If we aren't driving the ball well we are happy to go to a pro for advice, but we tend to ignore the short game. Your 1 - 2 feet putts are worth the same as a 200 yard drive and if you can shave a couple of shots off your round by putting better it helps.

 

[Foxholer]

Pound to a penny DelC will be along to try to convince you to that changing to left-handed or Claw grip is the only solution! But don't believe him!

Just imagine the hole is 2 feet further away, lose your unnecessary tension and ram the putts in - taking the break out wherever possible. Don't think about the arms during putting in a comp. Maybe consider it as you wander to the next tee, but competition time is not the time to be thinking technique - generally.

Oh and practice them, along with other short-mid distance ones!

I've missed from 4"!

 

[bobmac]

If you are missing from range, at a guess it will be one of three things........or all three.
You are moving your hips
Or/and
Your backswing is too long.
Or/and your wrists are flicking the ball

Narrow your stance so your heels are about 2in apart.
Place a second ball 6-8in behind the target ball and stop your backswing before before you hit the back ball.
To help keep the hips still try the chair drill.
Press your rear against the chair and keep it there throughout the stroke.

[video=youtube;vsTLHVK9DqY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsTLHVK9DqY&list=PL7Uf2W3sfvqYBJ3OUldKvQT7ZWYEmPOyW[/video]

And if your wrists are flicking the ball, get yourself one of these
www.V-Easy.co.uk

 

[Maninblack4612]

Are you sure you're pulling & pushing & not misreading. I have found that even two foot putts take borrow, even when hit firmly. I have a putting machine at home & can hole 20 out of 20 5' putts but on the course I could never do that, because borrow comes into it. Also, don't grip the putter too tight, once tension comes in you have a problem.

 

[London mike 61]

I really feel for you as I have got the same problem and it's SO ANNOYING!! I could easily knock 8-10 shots off a round if I could nail this. I do plan to have a putting lesson or two but I am waiting for the weather to improve because I don't see much point in having a lesson on a putting surface that is so wet it can't be rolled or is like standing on rice pudding.

 

[garyinderry]

the key to a good putting round is not how many 15-20 footers I hole, its the 3 footers i'm left with after a decent chip or long lag putt. if I don't miss any of these I wont be far away score wise!

 

[Birchy]

One of the things Bob has mentioned which I have found is the common fault up for putts like this. Same for a lot of putts really, see loads of people slowing down as the backswing is too long for the putt.

Backswing is too long would be my bet.

 

[chrisd]

Welcome to the forum Joker

I have to tell you that if Delc sees this thread and posts his usual codswallop on here I will hold you totally responsible!

 

[bladeplayer]

I had this problem , i wasnt committing to the putt , a tip i use is i putt a ball at the back of the hole , flush with the edge of the hole ..

i try hit it with the ball im putting with , more often than not the ball goes in and i dont hit the other ball , just thought me to hit it solid .. try it ..

 

[dufferman]

Welcome! I agree with Foxholer - when I do this (which I do too much!) its because I want the ball to drop in the front of the hole, and end up letting the slope of the green take the ball away from the hole. Trying to putt through the hole rather than into it stops this and gives the ball a much straighter line.

 

[Birchy]

Welcome! I agree with Foxholer - when I do this (which I do too much!) its because I want the ball to drop in the front of the hole, and end up letting the slope of the green take the ball away from the hole. Trying to putt through the hole rather than into it stops this and gives the ball a much straighter line.

Its all good ramming them in through the break but try doing it on a downhiller with the green sloping away from you, that takes some balls

 

[JCW]

You need a lesson or the putting mirror aid to practice with , if its on bumpy winter greens then don't worry too much , spent time putting short putts on the practice green from all angles , you will miss a few but just put it down to a bad stroke and move on , keep up the practice , lastly get your putter checked , A friend of mine was missing right all the time , showed his putter to the pro and was told do you slice with this , the face had moved and was now a wee bit open , good luck .................EYG

 

[JCW]

If you are missing from range, at a guess it will be one of three things........or all three.
You are moving your hips
Or/and
Your backswing is too long.
Or/and your wrists are flicking the ball

Narrow your stance so your heels are about 2in apart.
Place a second ball 6-8in behind the target ball and stop your backswing before before you hit the back ball.
To help keep the hips still try the chair drill.
Press your rear against the chair and keep it there throughout the stroke.

[video=youtube;vsTLHVK9DqY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsTLHVK9DqY&list=PL7Uf2W3sfvqYBJ3OUldKvQT7ZWYEmPOyW[/video]

And if your wrists are flicking the ball, get yourself one of these
www.V-Easy.co.uk

Very interesting lot of videos , thanks

 

[Foxholer]

Very interesting lot of videos , thanks

Indeed!

You'd almost suspect it was more than a hobby!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Practice. If you have a sound technique then just spend time holing out from this crucial distance. Take on board Bob's recommendations and make sure you don't peak. I agree that just because its a short putt, break should never be under-estimated. At the end of the day, its like any part of golf, the more you work at it and develop good technique and habits the easier it becomes to trust under pressure

 

[SocketRocket]

I like this tip from Shawn Clements:

[video=youtube;411rK37mH6I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=411rK37mH6I[/video]

 

[Foxholer]

I like this tip from Shawn Clements:

That's a big :thup: from me.

And I'm not normally a Shawn Clements fan!

 

[the_coach]

Hi
I'm after some advice on my putting. I'm playing off 11 but losing silly shots on putts from around 1-2 feet for some reason. I've worked on my putting and keeping my arms tucked in slightly more. But when playing in comps and having to hole out I tighten up on them putts and drag or push putts wide of hole! Can anyone help!? Grip lower down? Narrower stance? Heeeellllpppp!

Get your putting stance with no ball, let your arms hang from your shoulders, make sure above all else your shoulders are perfectly square to the ball/target line. As you do this you'll notice the leading edge of your putter is pretty much in line with the middle of your chest.

Take a good note of where this is, then right there in front of the putter face is where your ball should always be positioned when you putt, this means you'll always be putting with a slightly upwards stroke through impact and you want to contact the equator of the ball through impact. Your posture with this wants to be so your spine angle places your eyes directly over the ball.

The engine for movement when putting is better if it's the shoulders that are controlling the arms it's more consistent, your hands don't flex at all. (Best if the putter handle in the left palm lies directly under the thumb pad in the palm and falls nearly vertically down the palm fingers pointing to the ground then close around handle. It will feel uncomfortable if you haven't done this but it's worth persevering with, and not having the handle in the fingers as in a normal grip on your other clubs, the reason for this is that you want to stop any movement/flex/set at all in the left wrist. Left wrist left arm putter shaft keep the same alignment at address right through to the completion of the stroke.)

On the practice putting green place 5 balls equally spaced around the hole on a two foot circle.
When you make a putting stroke with your shoulders your legs, hips don't move at all they are set in concrete, your head is still for this drill as it should be any time you putt, listen for the ball going in, don't move your head! For rhythm count 1 - 2 to yourself back and through.

For the drill, just go to your 1st ball, line up, pause, through head tilt only (not lift) let your eyes look at the center back lip of the hole, take your eyes back to the back of the ball and make your stroke, listen to it go in. {The length of stroke for this distance as a guide shoulders moving putter head back to right big toe through to left big toe if feet at toes are around 10 to12" apart don't let the putter head recoil off the strike it keeps going through with the shoulder movement, the relationship of left arm flat left wrist being in line with the putter shaft you had at address should be in exactly the same alignment conditions at this held end position opposite your left big toe}.

Move to next ball and repeat at the same free quick pace, you should get all 5 in, miss one then go back to the beginning line them all up and start again, don't cheat.

Soon you won't miss, and fear of these short putts will have gone away. You can obviously do this with a 4 ft circle and 6 ft, wouldn't recommend doing this circle drill with anything longer than 6 ft circle.

 

[Imurg]

When I play solo I leave the flag in the cup when putting.
I try to hit the putt hard enough so it just touches the pin as it drops.
If it does, it means that if I miss, the ball's only going a foot or so past but it also means I've given the ball a decent pace.
Keeping the pin in and aiming to it also gives a smaller target. Hit that and when the pin comes out the hole looks even bigger.
It's something you can do on the practice green, rather than taking the pin out, try aiming to hit it...