Putting Meltdown

Suffered badly with yips in 3 consecutive springs… Normally as the course dries out and the speed increases, I develop the yips.

I did a lesson with the pro, and that helped. I changed putters and that helped. And I changed grips, and that helped. If it’s a mental thing, then I’d recommend trying various things until you find something that feels comfortable and produces the results.

If you need to revise some of the fundamentals, then get a lesson with somebody you trust.
 
I should pass on on the most valuable putting info I gathered from an old caddy at the tender age of 17.
How to stop three putting.................
Get your flaming approach shots nearer to the pin. [That may not have been his exact words ;)]

I have always been a fan of centre of green target and dead weight putting.
The ball is always more likely to drop slowly into the hole than when you charge it 5 yards past.
 
JonnyGutteridge said:
Suffered badly with yips in 3 consecutive springs… Normally as the course dries out and the speed increases, I develop the yips.

I did a lesson with the pro, and that helped. I changed putters and that helped. And I changed grips, and that helped. If it’s a mental thing, then I’d recommend trying various things until you find something that feels comfortable and produces the results.

If you need to revise some of the fundamentals, then get a lesson with somebody you trust.
Click to expand...
Same for me actually - meltdown occurred when the conditions changed (our greens get up to 12 on the stimp). Short game has generally suffered as my spinny chips don't spin when it dries up too.
Spring seems to be my worst season for golf, have 2 young kids so I don't get loads of time just messing about on the course....has to all be quite targeted. I'm going to focus hard on reads and distance (which means stroke length work) and hopefully improve the margins.
Have booked in for Matthew Johns as well, so once I have attempted the work I will hopefully get some fine tuning.
 
This is something that happens at our place. The break on some greens is horrendous. I once read on here that length is more important than line because you might be three foot short or long but never 3 ft left or right. I just don’t understand that one bit. You could say that if you was putting on bowling greens. But last Thursday I had a 25 ft putt. In knew it was left to right and started it too straight at the hole. It started pulling up near the hole and thought I have got away with that. 10 seconds later it is 10 ft right of the hole and my tyrets has kicked in. Fortunately I dropped the uphill putt in for a three.
But on our course line and length is as important.
Me I love the odyssey two ball putter. Decide what your line is. Line the two balls on the back of the putter with your ball and hit it. It works for me. I love it. One other thing I do, and I was taught this when having lessons.The closer to the hole you get be it chipping or putting. Take more practice swings, as you are now playing touch/ feel golf. You are not making a full swing like with an iron or wood.
Orikoru said:
I do struggle with green reading and I haven't found the answer to that yet. At my course I just go by memory and what I expect it to do. On other courses, I go looking for break that isn't there, because the greens on my course are all severely sloped and I cannot trust a straight putt!
Click to expand...

I was talking to some of the lads who went on an away day a few weeks back.They struggled on the simplest of flat greens.They were looking for breaks that just were not there. One of the lads who putted well I asked him how he managed it when others didn’t. He said “ I was not sure if there was left, right or no break so I just aimed for the hole”. It worked.
 
Tashyboy said:
This is something that happens at our place. The break on some greens is horrendous. I once read on here that length is more important than line because you might be three foot short or long but never 3 ft left or right. I just don’t understand that one bit. You could say that if you was putting on bowling greens. But last Thursday I had a 25 ft putt. In knew it was left to right and started it too straight at the hole. It started pulling up near the hole and thought I have got away with that. 10 seconds later it is 10 ft right of the hole and my tyrets has kicked in. Fortunately I dropped the uphill putt in for a three.
But on our course line and length is as important.
Me I love the odyssey two ball putter. Decide what your line is. Line the two balls on the back of the putter with your ball and hit it. It works for me. I love it. One other thing I do, and I was taught this when having lessons.The closer to the hole you get be it chipping or putting. Take more practice swings, as you are now playing touch/ feel golf. You are not making a full swing like with an iron or wood.


I was talking to some of the lads who went on an away day a few weeks back.They struggled on the simplest of flat greens.They were looking for breaks that just were not there. One of the lads who putted well I asked him how he managed it when others didn’t. He said “ I was not sure if there was left, right or no break so I just aimed for the hole”. It worked.
Click to expand...
Ours is like this, the pins are put on run-offs, greens run at 12 and above the hole means likely to be off the green, side slopes means no short second putts. I saw good Harrington video about lag putting and he was saying on the side slopes you effectively can't aim too high.
 
ShallowHal said:
Ours is like this, the pins are put on run-offs, greens run at 12 and above the hole means likely to be off the green, side slopes means no short second putts. I saw good Harrington video about lag putting and he was saying on the side slopes you effectively can't aim too high.
Click to expand...
I can think of a couple of greens where your heart sinks if you are above the pin. ☹️
 
ShallowHal said:
Thank you for that, a good combination of useful and obvious which means I may actually be able to remember. I definitely think I have lost all sense of a process.
One thing which doesn't help me is our club is VERY keen on playing at speed, but most of my shots are on or next to the green, long game I am very straight. I feel like the putting routine is just a rush, maybe if I have more of a system I can catch some of these things on the move e.g. walking to the green or as I walk round to mark my ball etc. At the moment I seem to just be doing whatever it feels I have time for once it is my turn.
Click to expand...
If you spend some time practicing this on the putting green, then you will find it becomes faster when playing on the course.
Good luck with everything.
 
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