Pre-round putting practice

[mikest]

I'm interested to know what people do before a round regarding putting practice. For years I would go onto the putting green with three balls and then go through the holes in sequence.

A couple of years ago I was struggling badly on the greens, went through a couple of new putter but still couldnt hit a thing. I mentioned it to a friend of mine who is a local pro (think ive mentioned him on another thread) and also is studying sports psychology. The first thing he asked me was what do you do on the practice green? when I told him my routine he asked why? the answer to that I couldn't really answer, he said "I'll tell you why, its because everyone else does it" thinking back I realised he was exactly right, as a kid I would nervously wander onto the practice green and all the better players in the club would practice with 3 balls so I did, and it stuck.

The main point of what he was telling me was that the only reason to putt on the practice green is to get the speed of the greens. He said what if you miss all your putts from 5 feet on there and then you have one on the first hole on the course?? subsequently my new routine (on his advice) is to use 2 balls not 3 and putt to an area on the green. like a leaf or a mark anything just to aim at as all I'm looking for is consistency of putt to get accustomed to the speed.

I have to say it was probably the best advice I've ever had about putting and I thought I would share it with you. The most important thing is speed when putting and my confidence soon came back with my putter. Actually while doing this I have been asked by juniors (normally ists juniors who will be inquisitive most blokes have th eblinkers on)why Im putting with 2 balls and not at the hole. i asked them the same, why do you use 3 balls? no one can give me an answer really.

Its good to be able to give advice that you have been given and its great giving advice, especially to the young up starts who then go onto the course and beat you by 5 strokes shooting 71 off a 10 handicapp!!

sorry its a long post, I'm not the best at getting my point across sometimes but I'm sure you all get the gist.

 

[rgs]

Mikest I generally use one ball and putt across the green from one side to the other trying to gauge the speed of the green and/or putt the length of the green-mainly beacuse our practise green has a hogs back in the middle and i like to see the speed off the slope.

I will putt towards a hole just before heading to the tee-not worried if i miss again just gauging speed and break.

 

[HTL]

Never done it. All I do is practice a few air shots with just my right hand on the club before my shot.
I ain't bad at putting so am not going to tinker too much with it.

Good advice in not aiming at the hole and just judging green speed. Most of the municipals I play on have a different green speed every hole.

Using two balls? Very odd, think its like Olives in a Martini, you have to have an odd number. Woods always uses 5.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Was told by a pro years ago to only use two balls and never to putt both balls the same target (unless you are working on a drill). Apparently if you do the eye and body automatically tune into the distance of the first ball and so make any necessary adjustments.

By picking and playing to two separate targets (ideally different distances away) you are giving the mind no chance to reassess the first putt. Therefore every putt is unique just like on the course. I usually putt towards a hole as it is an easier target to see but don't get too hung up about holing them.

I usually give myself 10-15 minutes before a round on the putting green. I usually start with random putts to several holes to get the feel for the greens (are they slow with dew, quick in the midday sun or slow because of afternoon growth).

Then I'll make 20-30 putts at different targets as above. I'll then try and make 3-5 footers using both balls and making sure I putt from all around a sloping hole to get every kind of break (again not worrying about making them just focussing on making a good solid stroke).

I'll finish by going for mid distance putts just to get the ball running again and then its off to the first tee

 

[RGuk]

General practice = use as many balls as you like.
Pre-round.....NEVER more than one.....unless you are good enough to not worry about the pace......why?......because you only get one chance on the course. It's true...surely?

 

[ColinR]

I cant remember which magazine it was in recently, but here is what I do....

Take three balls and three tees, place the first tee about 5 foot from you, the second 8 foot and the third 12 foot. Then one after another put to the tees trying to getting as close possible to each tee.

Once I have done this I then sink some 3 footers one after another to get my confidence high.

I seem to be putting well at the moment, well at least my confidence is high

 

[TonyN]

Pre round, I just get 3 or 4 balls out and practice long putts to get pace.

I usually start from about 20 ft and stick a flag or club 3ft behind the hole aiming anywhere between the hole and the flag. Get a feel for not leaving anything short. Then I may line up a few 6 footers and just concentrate on getting back and through nice enough to putt straight.

 

[theeaglehunter]

Good post Mike, I don't think it's been done before.

Putting is the only part of my game where I have a solid pre shot routine so I like to practice it before a round just to make sure its going good. I go onto the practice green with a random number of balls and make all of my putts by looking at the hole not the ball to help me with my pace. I then just putt to random holes on the green before trying to hole 10 5 footers in a row as for me this is the key to scoring well as if I putt poorly it usually ends up about this far away for my 2nd putt so I have to be good at them to avoid 3 putting.

 

[viscount17]

Putting practice and pre-round are totally different.

For practice I'll use 8 balls and start off with the clock. space the balls around one hole at about a club's length. you have to sink all 8 with no misses, miss any and you start again. Then go on to lagging, aim is to get the ball within your kill zone, not necessarily to sink the putt, thats a bonus.

Pre-round, 2 balls to check speed and line. BUT, Greenskeepers please note, this is only any good <u>if</u> the practice green is to the same standard as the course. (I've seen some really pristine practice greens, because they're right next to the clubhouse but the course is nowhere near as good; vice versa as well of course.)