Hello all - Putting Help

Hi,

Been an occasional lurker her and have decided to take the plunge and join in. I play regularly and am hoping to pick up some putting tips as that is my main weakness.

Regards,
CB.

Welcome from out of the shadows.

How much to practice putting? And I mean "just" putting. Most of the time it is hard to know "what" to practice. Most will just drop a few balls and putt for 15 minutes. Not really doing drills, or practicing with a purpose.

Try this next time you have an hour to smash balls at the range:

* Go to the putting green instead
* Take 5 balls (all new of the same type, what you play with)

Drills (30 minutes each):
* Ladder Drill
- Place 5 balls in a line from the hole 2 feet apart starting @ 4 feet
- You will have balls @ 4ft, 6ft, 8ft, 10ft and 12ft
- Start at the closest 4 ft ball, and go through your whole routine
- If you sink it, go to the next. Always use your full routine.
- Try to make all 5. If you can't and you always miss the last. That's ok. You now have a goal. If you make all 5, change to different part of the hole (3 o'clock now). If you make all those, go to 6 o'clock, then 9.
- The best part of this drill is that you see the break from close in, and you learn it. Now, it is all about pace and the ability to trust your line.

* Circle Drill
- Place all 5 balls 4 feet from the hole in a circle.
- Make all 5.
- Then place them 6 feet.
- Make all 5.
- Keep going out 2 feet until you consistently miss 2 out of the 5.

These are essential to those "scoring" putts, ones that you get nervous over for pars and birdies. Doing these for an hour will help have the confidence to knock then down every time.

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I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

Nice drills Greg, a variation on the same theme that I like:

The Putting Square


¨ Find a hole that has an uphill, downhill, left to right and right to left putt.
¨ Place a tee 3` from the hole for each of the above putts.

You need to make 3-putts in a row from each tee. Every time you miss, add 1-point to your score, but you must make 3 in a row to move to the next tee.

Once you get around the Putting Square, move each tee 1` back and continue around at 4` and 5`.

For those who enjoy Pelz-type statistics the scores below are the actual scores from golfers in their respective categories.

US PGA Tour Pro: 0 to 3 misses
US Nationwide Tour Pro: 4 to 6 misses
US College Player 8 to 15 misses
10 Handicap 18 to 25 misses

That 3rd putt in a row is a killer even from only 3 foot. I'm generally around 25 - but I am a 22 capper - however one glorious day last year when I'd been taking putting practice seriously for a while I did it in 10 which is a reminder of just how the flat stick can help or hinder your game.

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The main idea in golf as in life I suppose, is to learn to accept what cannot be altered and to keep on doing ones own reasoned and resolute best whether the prospect be bleak or rosy. Bobby Jones

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. I am currently averaging 32 putts per round. I play off 3 so this should really be down at around 30 or so. My main problem from is from 5 - 15ft. I don't three putt very often and am OK from inside 5ft, but I hole very few medium length putts. I am off work next week, so I will hopefully make it to the course two or three times to give your ideas a try.

Great drills guys,

From a different angle to be a good putter you need a solid pre-shot that must be exactly the same.

Mine:After walking onto the green from the reverse angle, to get a full view etc my routine start from behind the ball, I take a couple of pratice putts at a right angle to the line ---0---I (0=ball I=my practice line) I then walk into the ball keeping my eyeline on the putting line, no practice putts at the side of the ball.........I take two looks at the hole and line, on the second look my putter is on it's way back.

I make a effort to do this everytime.

A great practice drill I found by accident while teaching my son was to set up to the ball have one look then putt with your eyes closed, this really does work great.


Hope this helps

Ian.

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Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

Great drills Greg.

A good game to introduce pressure and competition is to practice putting with a friend. If you have one.

Pick 2 holes about 10ft apart. Putt to eachothers holes until someone holes out. When one of you does it, swap ends. First to 5 hole outs wins.

The trick to it is that the rules of the game mean you cannot line up your putt or take any time over it. You've just gotta place the ball in your stance, look at the target, and roll it.

It's a great game for learning how to "let a putt go" and is damn good fun with the added pressure of beating your opponent, especially when it's four-a-piece and the next hole out wins!

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Luke: I don't believe it!
Yoda: That is why you fail.

Good point Ian, someone on here (Aftford?) gave a tip that I now use and that's to pick up, mark and clean on every putt.

I try to do that even when the ball is clean and dry and I'm playing solo as I find that a) picking the ball up stops me rushing and b) replacing the ball triggers my routine

When I practice I start by putting balls from varying distances on the green to the fringe and see how close I can get. I then place a tee into the green and put up to the tee from varying distances and directions. These methods are particularly good prior to a game as they remove any negative thoughts related to holeing the practice putt out.

I also like to practice longer putts while looking at the hole instead of the ball, it seems to help with ingraining tempo and weight. Ian's drill of making short putts with your eyes closed is another good drill for improving feel and tempo.

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Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!