Never up, never in

[YandaB]

I played at the weekend and must have 3 putted at least 8 times, everyone of them because I left the putt short. Part of my downfall is probably using the PuttOut at home on my carpets that I presume have a higher stimp that the current greens (I'm sure that it is a closer match in summer). How do other people adapt to green speeds? I would have thought that after a couple of holes doing it, I should have adapted but I just could not bring myself to hit it any harder :-(

 

[Troymcclure]

For me it was the realization that going one, two or even three feet past the hole would only result in one more putt. That's if the short ones don't give you the willies.

 

[sev112]

The vast majority of putts that get to the hole don’t go in either, so you have the same putt whether it is back or forwards

 

[RangeMonkey]

The vast majority of putts that get to the hole don’t go in either, so you have the same putt whether it is back or forwards

I’m pretty sure every single putt ever successfully made since the beginning of time had enough legs to reach the hole, and that not a single putt that lacked the legs has ever been known to drop.

It’s well worth having the legs.

 

[Hackers76]

Can’t say it would work for everyone but my putting practice before a round consists of getting it to roll a foot past, use the hole as a guide but never properly line up its purely just about getting the pace. Know how to line up a putt so that happens naturally when on the course. My putting has improved loads since I have stopped lagging it.

 

[sev112]

Not if ensuring having the legs means you lose accuracy.
Simply, most first putts don’t go in even for the pros. Accepting that statistical fact, puts one in a more positive mindset, less tense and more likely to make the second put by not being disappointed that our first putts aren’t better statistically than professional golfers.

 

[patricks148]

slow winter greens... firm and straight, gets harder once you get to summer and the greens are quicker and take the break more, well in my exp anyway

 

[williamalex1]

In this country I wouldn't worry much this time of the year, come summer [ if we get one ] you'll be screaming them by

 

[bobmac]

If you come up 4 feet short, you wont know the line for the second putt.
If you go 4 feet passed, at least you will see the line back.....and the first putt has a chance to go in.
2 ways to help with this ....
1. Make sure your backswing is a bit longer than normal and then swing through as normal. No putt should ever be hit.
Note how the ball rolls further as the swing gets longer

2. Keep a note of how many putts come up short and donate 50p/£1 whatever, to your charity box for every one short.

 

[clubchamp98]

Modern insert putters are not really designed for slow greens.
I use a putter with a solid face in winter ,scotty Kombi.

 

[YandaB]

If you come up 4 feet short, you wont know the line for the second putt.
If you go 4 feet passed, at least you will see the line back.....and the first putt has a chance to go in.
2 ways to help with this ....
1. Make sure your backswing is a bit longer than normal and then swing through as normal. No putt should ever be hit.
Note how the ball rolls further as the swing gets longer

2. Keep a note of how many putts come up short and donate 50p/£1 whatever, to your charity box for every one short.

Thanks, Bob, that could get quite expensive but might just spur me on too

 

[Tashyboy]

Am kinda missing something here. OP is complaining of three putting, yet there’s talk that even those that don’t go up to and past the hole don’t drop. That might be the case but at least when reaching the distance of the hole it had a chance. And as Bob says at least it shows you the line Back.
When I had my first putting lessons two things were mentioned, Line and length. If say putting from 20 ft you could well read the green wrong and be 4 ft short or long. But how many times are you 4 ft left or right of the hole. To do that you must have eyes like Ben Turpin. On a positive you would also be able to see round corners. So does it mean length is more important than line. For me it is. I consider myself a decent putter. But when I am on a green I nearly always look to see if it’s up hill or down hill. Our green keeper is a royal PITA at putting a pin position near the top of a slope. so if you put it 18” past a pin it’s anything from 3 ft to 15 ft. Length becomes massively important.
But knowing your green is just as important. In the summer our greens are like lightening and any pitch onto the green. You 99/100 need an uphill putt.

 

[Troymcclure]

Am kinda missing something here. OP is complaining of three putting, yet there’s talk that even those that don’t go up to and past the hole don’t drop.

Including my reply there Tashy? If so I worded it poorly. I meant that by realising the consequences of a (long) miss are just one shot I then gained the confidence to hit putts hard enough to at least stand a chance.

 

[Tashyboy]

Including my reply there Tashy? If so I worded it poorly. I meant that by realising the consequences of a (long) miss are just one shot I then gained the confidence to hit putts hard enough to at least stand a chance.

probably why I put “ I was kinda missing something “, I think there’s so much more to putting than what I have already quoted.
One thing I was taught was the nearer the hole you are the more practice swings you have to make as its all down to touch.

 

[apj0524]

I have changed my before round warm, used to throw down 3 ball and just putt them toward a hole on the practice green and found I would 3 put a lot. Now I use one ball and putt from hole to hole on the putting green with a target of getting around in under par (two puts per hole). Might be in my head but has reduced the number of times I three putt significantly

 

[Liverbirdie]

The vast majority of putts that get to the hole don’t go in either, so you have the same putt whether it is back or forwards

Incorrect.

You will have the extra information of seeing the borrow (if any) around the hole on one that goes past. You have no information on the last few feet if its short.

 

[Orikoru]

Firstly, I use quite a heavy putter. Sounds basic but it does help, I can just let the putter fall through with a bit of weight behind it and get the ball up to the hole with less effort on my part. I hate feeling like I have to really hit the ball myself on putts.

But this is superb advice too...

For me it was the realization that going one, two or even three feet past the hole would only result in one more putt. That's if the short ones don't give you the willies.

I was exactly the same, last year I started putting so much better when I lost the fear of knocking it too long. That fear is what makes you leave it short. It was reading Bob Rotella's book that helped me, made me realise it really doesn't matter if you knock it past, at least it had half a chance of going in if it was online, and what does it cost, one more shot. So what? I'd rather knock it 4 foot past that leave it 2 foot short. At least it had a chance, plus you have an idea of the line coming back as Bobmac said.

 

[garyinderry]

The last thing you do before pulling the trigger, if you keep leaving them short, is to look at a spot a few feet past the hole.

Try and calibrate that distance for how hard you have to hit it.

This tactic works amazingly well. I've used it for years.

I also employ it for steep uphill putts. I might be looking at a spot up to 6 feet past the hole on these shots. Maybe even more. Depends on the slope and length of putt.

 

[patricks148]

The last thing you do before pulling the trigger, if you keep leaving them short, is to look at a spot a few feet past the hole.

Try and calibrate that distance for how hard you have to hit it.

This tactic works amazingly well. I've used it for years.

I also employ it for steep uphill putts. I might be looking at a spot up to 6 feet past the hole on these shots. Maybe even more. Depends on the slope and length of putt.

ive been looking at the hole this winter and i would say this heas really help for Distance control

 

[patricks148]

Firstly, I use quite a heavy putter. Sounds basic but it does help, I can just let the putter fall through with a bit of weight behind it and get the ball up to the hole with less effort on my part. I hate feeling like I have to really hit the ball myself on putts.

But this is superb advice too...

I was exactly the same, last year I started putting so much better when I lost the fear of knocking it too long. That fear is what makes you leave it short. It was reading Bob Rotella's book that helped me, made me realise it really doesn't matter if you knock it past, at least it had half a chance of going in if it was online, and what does it cost, one more shot. So what? I'd rather knock it 4 foot past that leave it 2 foot short. At least it had a chance, plus you have an idea of the line coming back as Bobmac said.

i was under the impression that the opposite was true on putter weight.

heavy for summer and fast greens and ligher for slow. don't ask me why, i'm sure there is an explanation somewhere... fyi i use the lightest of my bladed SC milled face putters in the winter and switch to the heavy one around may.

but use what ever works best for you at the end of the day