Getting all twitchy over putts!

Just lately my putting has started to suffer dreadfully, it started with what I can only describe as the yips so in my wisdom I have changed to a left below right grip but the problem i now have is initial movement away from the ball, it just doesnt feel confident and it is hard keeping on line. Could it be that im concentrating so hard on it that i am tensing up. Any ideas?

Ah, putting.

Putting has very very little to do with mechanics in comparison to the swing. It is so much a state of mind.

Keep your comfy grip. Don't be tempted to fiddle.

Dr Bob Rotella has fantastic ideas about putting. Fall back in love with it. Don't be scared of putting the ball in the hole. The more confidently you putt at the hole, the more you'll hole.

There's a world of difference between putting to make it and putting not to miss.

I used to suffer terribly with putting, especially from within 4ft. I can now say that I have started to properly shed my fear of it, have learned to love it and can't wait to get the flat stick out now. I consequentially hole more putts. I can think of 2 rounds I had this summer with the number of putts falling into the low 20's. As Dr Bob would say "If you can grasp this idea; on your bad days, you'll putt ok, and on your good days , you'll putt very well indeed"

It takes a long time though. I think I've been working on it for about 2 years! And I work on it every day, even when I'm nowhere near a putting green. Picturing yourself holing putts is the same as actually making them.

Stay patient. It'll test your resolve to the limit!

hi
if it gets real bad the try a broomhandle putter. it worked for langer and torrance and worked for me too
bill

This is what works for me:

Keep that narrow triangle between the hands, arms and chest, rock the triangle from the shoulders only. Never follow the putter head with your eyes through the stroke, look at the ball. Carry out a strict pre-putt routine every time.

You could need a heavier putter. True story:

I have an adjustable-weight putter (Mentor Sports Triad 2). For most of the season, I have it weighted EST (empty slot, steel weight, tungsten weight). I took the weights out at the end of the season as the greens had gotten a little shaggy. I couldn't putt for beans - like Neil said, I was afraid to pull the putter out. Put the weight back in (on? ) and there she was again - laggin' 'em close and knockin' 'em in.

Tell yourself you're a good putter. Visualise the line, and the ball rolling into the hole. Then just do it.

__________________
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

I am currently using an Odyssey 2 ball steel insert blade so it is fairly weighty, I suppose i could try and putt with a bag of sugar balancing on the top. lol I used to use a normal blade putter but found it to be too light. Im pretty sure most of is mental but surely thats compulsory playing this sport!

Seems a bit of a vicious circle here, doesn't it, I can't picture myself making a putt coz I haven't made a putt of any length for ages...

There seems to be much in having the confidence to eagerly grab the blade from the bag knowing full well that the testing 12 footer you've left yourself is absolutely going nowhere but in the hole...

As opposed to what I do, which is fumble around in the bag for that miserable flat stick and once I find it wonder if I'll actually get this reasonably straight 5 footer I've left myself anywhere within 4 feet...

I read somewhere the other day about a putting drill where you just set up some (6-8 maybe) tee pegs in a circle around a hole on the practice putting green at about 3-4 feet away and then line up 3-4 balls at each tee peg and just go ahead and hole as many as you can in a row. As soon as you miss one, you start over. Self competing I suppose. Trying to build pressure (and confidence) the more in a row you hole.

As you become more proficient, you move further away...

Sounds like it may help...

Cheers

I've heard of fellows taping batteries in the slot under the 2 ball for extra weight...

Is that Legal...??

I suppose so long as you don't modify the club during a round, it may well be...

Surely if you make it too heavy it will be a struggle getting the movement started?

Hi mate the only thing I can say is be confident when you are above the ball. Try taking your practice swing to get the feel well behind the ball, then walk up to it, address it and hit the putt with the confidece you know you had. But dont change the grip. Hopes this helps.

Col

It's legal, but I wouldn't use it as a permanent solution. (I'd use lead tape as a permanent solution). The weights on my putter use a pair of set screws to hold the weight in. If a weight comes out during a round, I'm allowed to replace it penalty free. I'm not allowed to change it's placement (or put a different weighted weight in, however).

Well, I had an Odyssey 2 ball blade. It's total weight wsa 316g. The Triad 2 with the screws in, but EEE weighting (empty) is 316g.

I use EST weighting in my T2 - for a total mass of 480g. (This also doubles the MOI value). The putter feels much, much more solid, easier to track on line, and I find it promotes a real shoulder rock stroke rather than something that can be manipulated by the hands. Yes, I'll admit that for short putts I'll grip down to make the putter feel lighter (with the metric ton of MOI at a full-length gripping, I need to choke down to make a proper stroke. Otherwise I either leave it short, or crank it long. It's akin to choking down for a half-swing shot with the other clubs - it offers much more control over both distance and accuracy).

The bottom line is, it can't hurt to try it. It's like trying to counsel a person with multiple addictions - you can't mess them up any more than they are right now, so you might as well try.

__________________
True Length Technology Fitter - www.truelengthtechnology.com
It's live! - www.ShipShapeClubs.com
PCS Class 'A' Clubfitter

A new highlight: Golfing the home course on Christmas Day.

I say it too often: If it's golf club shaped, you can play with it.

For the record, I'm a club doctor, not a swing doctor.

Ive just tried experimenting with my old 2ball dfx by taping some weights to the top and your absolutely spot on, it is much easy to put online with more of a rocking sensation in the shoulders. You are God!!

I'm glad you're finding some success!

As for the bolded part, I'm not Him - but we do talk

About a hundred grams of backweighting should help.

http://www.golfsmith.com/products/249802