The importance of putting well.

[Deleted member 16999]

Agree all parts of the game need to be strong especially at the top end, but isn't there some more importance being placed on the long game as thst's were the pro's can make a difference to "strokes gained" in Bob's example above with both A & B stood on the Tee, even if A hit's a bad drive he may have the ability to recover, were as B may struggle to recover from a bad drive.

 

[pokerjoke]

Boy, this is getting exhausting. Don't you guys see that the points you are making apply to every single part of the game? All of the following sentences are equally true:


1. If 2 players that are driving the same hitting their irons into the greens the same then the best putter will win every time.

2. If 2 players that are putting the same hitting their irons into the greens the same then the best driver will win every time.

3. If 2 players that are driving the same putting the same then the one who hits his irons into the green the best will win every time.

"In an equal playing field putting is everything imo." If by "equal playing field" you mean that everyone is driving equally well, hitting their irons equally well chipping/pitching equally well that's a tautology, rendering the statement completely useless. What you're saying is basically "if you only look at putting, putting becomes the deciding factor".


Luckily, there is no such equality in golf, meaning players can make up for a weakness in one part of their game with a strength in oher parts. Not good at putting? Better stick your approach close to the pin! - Short off the tee? Well, your long irons better be pretty accurate! - Wedge play sucks? Couldn't hurt to learn how to sink 20 footers.


Again, noone is saying putting isn't important, but it's just one important thing among other equally important things.

Go have a lie down your getting all worked up

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Drive for show putt for dough :thup:

A good putter can recover from a poor drive

 

[UlyssesSky]

Go have a lie down your getting all worked up

Must be because I haven't been able to play golf for over 4 weeks now due to a pulled muscle somewhere in my ribcage... :angry:

 

[delc]

I know that, give or take the odd lost ball, OOB, or visit to a water hazard off the tee, my scores are pretty much determined by how well I chip and putt on the day. Although I am not a bad putter, generally making more one putts than 3 putts, I have always believed that putting is too important a part of golf. It is almost a game within a game that requires little strength or athletic ability. It is hard on the nerves though, which is probably why many good golfers develop the yips in later life. A typical scenario for me is to hit a good shot onto the green that gives me a chance of a birdie or a hole win in matchplay, but then I charge the putt 3 or 4 feet past trying to make it and miss the one coming back! Rather frustrating to say the least. Hence my campaign for a slightly larger hole, which I believe would make golf a more pleasant game to play.

 

[pokerjoke]

I know that, give or take the odd lost ball, OOB, or visit to a water hazard off the tee, my scores are pretty much determined by how well I chip and putt on the day. Although I am not a bad putter, generally making more one putts than 3 putts, I have always believed that putting is too important a part of golf. It is almost a game within a game that requires little strength or athletic ability. It is hard on the nerves though, which is probably why many good golfers develop the yips in later life. A typical scenario for me is to hit a good shot onto the green that gives me a chance of a birdie or a hole win in matchplay, but then I charge the putt 3 or 4 feet past trying to make it and miss the one coming back! Rather frustrating to say the least. Hence my campaign for a slightly larger hole, which I believe would make golf a more pleasant game to play.

So you make more one putts than 3 putts.

Then you say you miss the first one leaving a 4ft putt back which you also miss which equals 3 putts which you say is a typical scenario which generally makes it a regular occurrence but you say your not a bad putter so why the quest for bigger holes.

To be honest mate it seems you are contradicting yourself or your not telling the truth.

 

[Norrin Radd]

My game is centred on poor putting.checking hdid stats which I embellish after ninety percent of my rounds my average putts per round is a very poor 2. Now if I was a 28 h/capper I wouldn't be worried, but I'm not . I am a 14h/cap.and I think that 2 is far too high. Looking at the average ppr for a cat three it is a lot lower than two.
My best round at my club is 75 par 70. When I went through my card I had taken 39 putts.so , am I a bad putter or am I having delusions of grandeur thinking my putting average should be better than it is?
I'm off golf with a knackered knee at the moment but a soon as I can get about a little I will be working on my putting as I won't be allowed to swing at ful tilt for a couple of months.

 

[delc]

So you make more one putts than 3 putts.

Then you say you miss the first one leaving a 4ft putt back which you also miss which equals 3 putts which you say is a typical scenario which generally makes it a regular occurrence but you say your not a bad putter so why the quest for bigger holes.

To be honest mate it seems you are contradicting yourself or your not telling the truth.

I average about 33 putts per round, which is not quite in the Luke Donald class, but OK for an amateur club golfer playing on sometimes less than perfect greens.

 

[bladeplayer]

I average about 33 putts per round, which is not quite in the Luke Donald class, but OK for an amateur club golfer.

Ever thought it might be your iron & wedge play that might be rubbish ? pitch it closer every time = less putts

Speaking from experience by the way no being critical

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I know that, give or take the odd lost ball, OOB, or visit to a water hazard off the tee, my scores are pretty much determined by how well I chip and putt on the day. Although I am not a bad putter, generally making more one putts than 3 putts, I have always believed that putting is too important a part of golf. It is almost a game within a game that requires little strength or athletic ability. It is hard on the nerves though, which is probably why many good golfers develop the yips in later life. A typical scenario for me is to hit a good shot onto the green that gives me a chance of a birdie or a hole win in matchplay, but then I charge the putt 3 or 4 feet past trying to make it and miss the one coming back! Rather frustrating to say the least. Hence my campaign for a slightly larger hole, which I believe would make golf a more pleasant game to play.

Yaaaaaaaawwwwwwnnnnnnnnn

 

[the_coach]

has to be a level of competence throughout the bag to score, the margins of error in that level of competence tend to diminish exponentially as the index lowers,

so different competence level to break 90, 80, 70 needed through the bag to make breaking those targets more than not for each level of player

sure you have to be able to putt well to score - as it's 'usually' (barring holing out from off the green) the last chance saloon to save bogey, par or make birdie or eagle

logically as the putter is the slowest moving club (hopefully) it's the easiest club to have control over plus & with the least loft it's the easiest with which to be able to hit sweet-spot against the CG of the ball
truth is the majority of index players don't practice putting enough - or if they do practice they don't monitor the practice sufficiently
if you don't know or don't have a constant 'pace' to your putting stroke you can't really read greens - other than a straight putt

the one 'stat' within the 'stat' of GIR that's truly important in piecing together a good score into a great score - is distance to the pin

as the percentage chance of holing a putt under 10' is a different world to the percentage of holing a putt over 15' - even if you have a reasonable sound putting action

 

[delc]

If you three-putt every green, you can't be much better than 18 handicap, however good your long game is!

Major Championships are nearly always won by a player who happens to have a good week on the greens. Might as well do away with the long game altogether, and just have a putting competition, because it boils down to much the same thing!

When watching golf on TV, we usually only get to see the players near the top of the leader board (+ Tiger Woods) who are putting well on pretty perfect greens, which may give us false expectations of what we should be capable of when putting! :mmm:

 

[Robobum]

If you three-putt every green, you can't be much better than 18 handicap, however good your long game is!

Major Championships are nearly always won by a player who happens to have a good week on the greens. Might as well do away with the long game altogether, and just have a putting competition, because it boils down to much the same thing!

When watching golf on TV, we usually only get to see the players near the top of the leader board (+ Tiger Woods) who are putting well on pretty perfect greens, which may give us false expectations of what we should be capable of when putting! :mmm:

You need help

 

[The Green Fairy]

Ever thought it might be your iron & wedge play that might be rubbish ? pitch it closer every time = less putts

Speaking from experience by the way no being critical

This is a good point.
I was asked once by a 20 handicapper, what the difference was between him and a 10 handicapper - my answer was, 10 putts.
Now that doesn't necessarily mean that the 10 handicapper is a much better putter, it is the fact that he probably gets closer, as suggested above.

A bigger hole would only give the lesser players a chance to shoot the same score. So how would that affect handicaps, or matchplay? Bigger hitters would automatically have a greater advantage, even the gorilla's without the full golf skill set.

It's tough enough giving someone 10 shots, I wouldn't want the game to be easier for them, in the crucial bit.

 

[rickg]

It is hard on the nerves though, which is probably why many good golfers develop the yips in later life. Hence my campaign for a slightly larger hole, which I believe would make golf a more pleasant game to play.

Why does every post you make manage to reference the the yips and larger holes? Give it a rest!

 

[Hobbit]

For me its about short game, especially putting. Week 1 I might miss the first green, and need to get up and down. Second week it might be the third green, and third week it might be the fifth green. The number of shots tee to green each week is usually pretty much the same every single week. My good weeks are when I get up and down and also throw in the odd good putts. For all the times you think you've nailed the drive on x hole, you'll screw up another hole. Your ability to recover is what determines a good score.

 

[delc]

Why does every post you make manage to reference the the yips and larger holes? Give it a rest!

Because I've had the putting yips and they are not nice! As they only seem to affect long term, and often very good, golfers, I am convinced they are related to the pressure of holing out into a relatively small hole over a long period of time.

 

[Hobbit]

Because I've had the putting yips and they are not nice! As they only seem to affect long term, and often very good, golfers, I am convinced they are related to the pressure of holing out into a relatively small hole over a long period of time.

You have a benefit that the pro's don't have. You have a h'cap that will change based on your ability. If you have a bad year the end of year review will accommodate it.

but a question back at you. How much support have you had on here for the changes you want? A big fat zero! How many others on here have had the yips? A few, but none have asked for the game to be changed.

it getting booking.com wearing. Sorry to be blunt but shut the.... up for god's sake. Give it a bloody rest!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

A decent putting game can help when ball striking isn't as good as you hoped but ultimately if you are spraying into different post codes it makes little difference if your putting is good. As for Delc and his yips, quite frankly, who cares anymore?

 

[The Green Fairy]

I would be better at bowls if the ball had no bias and the rink was a bit shorter.
I would also get more 180's if the dart board were twice the size.
and as for snooker, the pockets are WAY too small and the table for too big for people like me to make anything like a clearance.

Just a few more games that are too difficult these days

Now where is that Candy Crush, I'm pretty good at that.