Missing those darned birdie putts

dufferman

dufferman

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Messages
2,523
Location
Sandhurst, Berks
Visit site
I've recently got my first official handicap of 22. I've been playing really well since, which I'm pleased with, and hope to be playing a round I can put another card into to start chipping away at it.

On Saturday, I played Traditions GC in Pyrford. I really like that course and have played it a number of times over the last few years.

Whilst playing really well, I managed to get on the green and within 10ft - 15ft of the hole for birdie 4 times on the front 9. I missed every birdie putt by about 2inches - 6inches. Finally, the 5th birdie putt on the 11th green dropped and I felt a relief that I'd managed to convert one!!!!

Didn't have many real birdie opportunities after that. On reflection, I couldn't help but think maybe I should focus more on my putting, and started to see it as a weakness from the game, rather than a strength.

I try to practice putting whenever I get to the range, but to be honest, get bored after 5 minutes of just hitting the ball close to the hole.

Any techniques I could try to keep practicing a bit more interesting?
 
How many putts were you taking in total?

I'm not saying don't practice your putting, obviously it's very important, but 4 pars and a birdie on the front 9 means either you're playing way better than a 22 handicap (from what you're saying this sounds likely) or you're losing a lot of shots somewhere else!

Anyway, I really like this drill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rhDXEFh2no

It tells you very quickly whether or not you are able to hit the ball in a straight line. If you can sink the vast majority from within 3 feet you're in good shape - anything beyond that is on a diminishing returns basis. I choose to focus on the short ones for making sure I have a stroke that sends the ball where I want it to go, and then distance control for the long putts.
 
Few comments first - as a 22 handicapper 5 birdie putts inside 20 ft in 11 holes? Keep the horse well watered ;)

Holing 1 out of 5 from that range is way above average for a 22 handicapper, even the tour pros only hole a max of 2 in 5 from that range

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.405.html

As for practising theres lots or drills and games you can do on the putting green, none have ever appealed to me and anymore than 5 mins practising putting tends to knacker my back so i try to avoid, im lucky i hole my fair share :)
 
practice chipping onto the green from various spots and see how many you can get up and down out of 10.


change green and positions. use various clubs for the chipping! rinse repeat,
 
You're looking at the wrong stat. As people have said, from that range actually sinking the 1 in 5 was very good with the pro's not doing much better than 2 in 5.

If I was you, I would be looking at the shots you dropped on the holes where you didn't have the birdie opportunities. You must have been hitting the ball well to make 5 GIRs, but what happened on the other 13?
 
I use one of these on 5-8 foot putts (outer ring only) and on 2-3 footers with the internal one included. Becomes a challenge but the hole becomes a bucket after. Not only great for those close range birdie efforts but on those crucial par putts having chipped or heaven forbid when you'v eleft the first one woefully short

http://www.fireballsports.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=42
 
Well I'm glad to see / hear 1 out of 5 birdie chances aren't missed opportunities for a 22 handicapper. To be fair, I played so well on the weekend, on a familiar course, I know I killed it with regards to my handicap (shot 87!) - with a card in hand we all know it is a different kettle of fish!

Here is my scorecard with stats on - ignore the fairways hit, I don't use that stat properly:

Screenshot_2014-07-01-11-56-51_zpsitzfyhdp.png


It seems that I either hit it close, or miss the green altogether, although when I do miss altogether it's only just off so a chip on usually does it.

The nice big 4 putt you see on the 4th hole, I was 2ft away from the pin in 2. I got excited, just missed the birdie which I then sent passed 6ft, because I'm a moron, then left the par putt back short. My drive was on the fringe so I putted my 2nd shot - therefore 4 putts. :( I know stats say the 2nd shot doesn't count as a putt as it's off the green, but I like to keep the stats as when I have the putter in my hand.
 
Every time someone says 'for birdie' I always think they mean a gross birdie, which is probably why some people were saying you shouldn't be complaining for a 22 handicap golfer.
But your score card shows you mean 'net birdie', which completely changes the picture.

Additionally - you can't expect to really know your standard as a putter, if you don't track the stats correctly. Putting from off the green shouldn't be counted in your number of putts during a round.

Your fairways hit stat is good, although I know that traditions is pretty open.

In terms of putting practice. If you can get the distance right 9 times out of 10, you will be a good putter as you should pretty much eliminate the dreaded 3 putt.
 
londonlewis said:
Every time someone says 'for birdie' I always think they mean a gross birdie, which is probably why some people were saying you shouldn't be complaining for a 22 handicap golfer.
But your score card shows you mean 'net birdie', which completely changes the picture.

Additionally - you can't expect to really know your standard as a putter, if you don't track the stats correctly. Putting from off the green shouldn't be counted in your number of putts during a round.

Your fairways hit stat is good, although I know that traditions is pretty open.

In terms of putting practice. If you can get the distance right 9 times out of 10, you will be a good putter as you should pretty much eliminate the dreaded 3 putt.
Click to expand...

I often don't track the fairways hit - hence the 100%! So ignore that one!
 
dufferman said:
Well I'm glad to see / hear 1 out of 5 birdie chances aren't missed opportunities for a 22 handicapper. To be fair, I played so well on the weekend, on a familiar course, I know I killed it with regards to my handicap (shot 87!) - with a card in hand we all know it is a different kettle of fish!

Here is my scorecard with stats on - ignore the fairways hit, I don't use that stat properly:

Screenshot_2014-07-01-11-56-51_zpsitzfyhdp.png


It seems that I either hit it close, or miss the green altogether, although when I do miss altogether it's only just off so a chip on usually does it.

The nice big 4 putt you see on the 4th hole, I was 2ft away from the pin in 2. I got excited, just missed the birdie which I then sent passed 6ft, because I'm a moron, then left the par putt back short. My drive was on the fringe so I putted my 2nd shot - therefore 4 putts. :( I know stats say the 2nd shot doesn't count as a putt as it's off the green, but I like to keep the stats as when I have the putter in my hand.
Click to expand...

Is the 4th at Traditions not the tight SI 1? Very impressive drive to get it all the way to the fringe.

The way I'm putting right now I'd be lucky to get 1 in 5 within a foot from that distance!! Don't over-analyze things and just be happy that despite this you still managed to put in a good score.
 
sam85 said:
Is the 4th at Traditions not the tight SI 1? Very impressive drive to get it all the way to the fringe.

The way I'm putting right now I'd be lucky to get 1 in 5 within a foot from that distance!! Don't over-analyze things and just be happy that despite this you still managed to put in a good score.
Click to expand...

It is. If there's one thing that's going well at the moment it's my driving - I hit that drive long and straight!

I did, however, lose my drive into the water on the very next p5 5th!!!!!
 
dufferman said:
It is. If there's one thing that's going well at the moment it's my driving - I hit that drive long and straight!

I did, however, lose my drive into the water on the very next p5 5th!!!!!
Click to expand...

Were you trying to fade it round or trying to smash it straight over the water?

A few years back I managed to smash a fade over the water to the middle of the fairway. I hammered a 3-iron to the right side of the green (flag was back left). And four putted!!! haha, so poor!
 
londonlewis said:
Were you trying to fade it round or trying to smash it straight over the water?

A few years back I managed to smash a fade over the water to the middle of the fairway. I hammered a 3-iron to the right side of the green (flag was back left). And four putted!!! haha, so poor!
Click to expand...

I was expecting the ball to go straight, but I put a bit of a fade on it (not a slice, just some fade!) and it crept in the left hand side of the pond. I would ay I was 5 yards from landing it on the fairway. I should have played it safe, but I wanted to make up for the 4 putt!
 
dufferman said:
It's easy to do. Both on the 5th hole and the 13th... how the 13th hole isn't SI1 I'll never know!!
Click to expand...
Yeh when I get my fade going (wild slice) I have been known to put balls into that lake from 13 and 14!! Having said that I don't see 13 as the hardest hole on the course, I always find 8 and 17 tough.
 
sam85 said:
Yeh when I get my fade going (wild slice) I have been known to put balls into that lake from 13 and 14!! Having said that I don't see 13 as the hardest hole on the course, I always find 8 and 17 tough.
Click to expand...

The 8th is a nice hole, the stream across the green can be killer. 17th I've found to be about course management. I send my tee shot off to the left, it takes the tree out the picture and there's more room over there than most think!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Putting Meltdown
2
Replies
31
Views
4K
Bratty
Bratty
H
2026 goals
2
Replies
37
Views
1K
ger147
G
C
Driver off the deck, yes or no?
2 3
Replies
40
Views
5K
Patster1969
P
Crazyface
Short Putting
2
Replies
33
Views
3K
HomerJSimpson
HomerJSimpson
P
Getting a handicap for someone likely to be at max hcp
Replies
2
Views
742
Petercool
P
Top