Stopped Leaving it Short, Putting Seems Easier.....?

[need_my_wedge]

Before Covid, we had the cup upside down for the pin, which allowed the ball to drop about 1cm below the surface when holing out. Since the return, we have followed many other clubs in raising the cup above the surface so that the ball just bounces off the cup. I don't know about everyone else, but this makes putting seem a lot easier to me. The "hole" actually looks bigger, and because we're not worried about the ball lipping out or bouncing off the pin, you can just ram it at the cup, take the bounce and claim the putt holed. Certainly boosts confidence in putts at the moment.

Anyone else feel like that? Am wondering if in the long run it will act as a positive when it comes to putting, i.e. will we be so used to it that we putt past the hole more and stop leaving it short so much?

 

[LincolnShep]

Do you consider it holed regardless of how big the bounce is? If that's the case then putting is easier! With an upside-down cup, I'd expect the ball to bounce within a pre-determined range for it be considered as holed; but if you have not published a rule like that, keep ramming them!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We're back and using the upturned cup so the ball has to be "holed". I do think with the flag in the hole seems smaller but pretty sure thats psychological. If the ball simply has to touch the hole to be in does that mean you can ram it and where it would go 3 feet past normally it is now holed if it strikes the hole?

 

[Crow]

If you only have to hit the upturned liner then you've effectively increased the hole size by a ball diameter or 1.68", putting doesn't just seem easier, it is easier.

(Where's DELC?)

 

[YandaB]

If you only have to hit the upturned liner then you've effectively increased the hole size by a ball diameter or 1.68", putting doesn't just seem easier, it is easier.

(Where's DELC?)

I'd say that it's increased by a minimum of 1.68", that is just for dead weight putts, if you are able to have glancing blows at the cup at whatever speed you like then I would say you are looking at more than double, ie 3.36+.

On the other hand, we have our cups raised so that there is only a small depth to the hole and the bottom of the flagstick has an angled part that means it can deflect the ball back up and out of the hole where previously it would have dropped :-(

 

[Bunkermagnet]

We have just zip-tied some foam pipe insulation yo each flag that comes to about 25 mm below the surface. It seems to work very well as you don't have to touch the flag but the ball can still "drop".
However, social matchplay golf is a lot more generous and friendly anyway.......and quicker

 

[Imurg]

Our greens are so quick I dont think it's possible to leave a putt short - even uphill ones...
We have the little foam thingy around the flag stick too....

 

[Grant85]

Before Covid, we had the cup upside down for the pin, which allowed the ball to drop about 1cm below the surface when holing out. Since the return, we have followed many other clubs in raising the cup above the surface so that the ball just bounces off the cup. I don't know about everyone else, but this makes putting seem a lot easier to me. The "hole" actually looks bigger, and because we're not worried about the ball lipping out or bouncing off the pin, you can just ram it at the cup, take the bounce and claim the putt holed. Certainly boosts confidence in putts at the moment.

Anyone else feel like that? Am wondering if in the long run it will act as a positive when it comes to putting, i.e. will we be so used to it that we putt past the hole more and stop leaving it short so much?

Definitely easier. Much bigger target just to his the side of the cup as opposed to getting the ball to end up below ground.

 

[Depreston]

My first putt has been shocking on the 36 holes I’ve played left far too much work with every second putt

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I found putting really difficult with the cup upside down in the hole. I just couldn't force myself to hit the ball firmly. We had a 'rule' that if the ball hit the flag then it was 'holed'. But other putts were starting to drop and hit the edge of the cup just below green level and 'bounced' off it and out.

Now I could (and did) moan when an opponents putt whacked the flag very hard (putt way to heavy) and bounced away - and was deemed 'holed' - then my good weight - but not particularly accurate - putt for a half partly dropped but hit the rim of the cup and lipped out.

But I guess - like all good and bad luck in golf - these things level out...I must remember that when I do eventually get to play again (Sunday am )

 

[AdamC28]

We have just zip-tied some foam pipe insulation yo each flag that comes to about 25 mm below the surface. It seems to work very well as you don't have to touch the flag but the ball can still "drop".
However, social matchplay golf is a lot more generous and friendly anyway.......and quicker

We've done the same. Seems to make no difference to a ball going in or not but makes retrieving the ball much safer.

 

[need_my_wedge]

I found putting really difficult with the cup upside down in the hole. I just couldn't force myself to hit the ball firmly. We had a 'rule' that if the ball hit the flag then it was 'holed'. But other putts were starting to drop and hit the edge of the cup just below green level and 'bounced' off it and out.

I found it OK when we did this pre the closure. When playing casual, if it went in and out, we still claim it holed as the cup wasn't necessarily low enough to stop the ball from popping back out.

At the moment, I'm not worried how hard it hits the cup, or how far it bounces off, to be fair I'm not putting it that hard to bounce off by yards. But the fact that the cup sticking out makes it feel a bigger hole, means that there's no trepidation in hitting the putt for me. I just wonder if that might boost confidence in normal putting when holes are returned?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As it's social golf at the moment once I get back out and playing this weekend more than happy to give putts (within the so called circle of friendship)

 

[azazel]

I found it OK when we did this pre the closure. When playing casual, if it went in and out, we still claim it holed as the cup wasn't necessarily low enough to stop the ball from popping back out.

At the moment, I'm not worried how hard it hits the cup, or how far it bounces off, to be fair I'm not putting it that hard to bounce off by yards. But the fact that the cup sticking out makes it feel a bigger hole, means that there's no trepidation in hitting the putt for me. I just wonder if that might boost confidence in normal putting when holes are returned?

Or it'll make putting to a real hole tougher as it'll look smaller? /pessimism

 

[Deleted member 23344]

We have the foam thingy too.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Or it'll make putting to a real hole tougher as it'll look smaller? /pessimism

Not sure if it was being off the course for so long or the fact we have to have the flag in but the hole definitely looked/felt smaller this morning especially the closer ones from 3-4 feet