Make everything 10 feet and in!

Hi everybody! I'm working hard on my putting from 10 feet and in. I have struggled with it for quite some time. My coach noticed that I have a LONG backstroke when I putt which has made me a very good lag putter and I make more than my fair share of 20-30 footers but I have been applying the same length stroke to my shorter putts as well. This makes me slow down and STOP at impact which is not consistent and I pull a lot of putts.

My tip to putt better from 10 feet and in - Short strokes for short putts, long strokes for long putts! I take it back about 2 inches for a six footer and this helps me accellerate and be solid and consistent at impact. It also makes for less time for the putter head to get off track.

If you are interested in more, I have a lot of great info in my putting blog here - http://golf-putting-ruta.blogspot.com/

What do you guys think? Any great tips for making more birdies from 20 feet and in? Anybody have great feedback for what it takes to be a great putter? Thanks!

__________________
Hey Everybody, check out my Daily Golf BLOG at http://www.rutagolf.com I would LOVE feedback from all of you and your insight and opinions are welcome! I have a great archive of Golf tips and articles pertaining to everything Golf! Thanks!

Hi and Welcome,

I have looked at your site and like your ideas, keep up the good work.


Kind Regards.

Oh and a tip for long putts, try a few with your eyes closed, it's amazing how good you can be and it helps for feel too.


Ian.

Nice article but one word of warning

It is a breach of the rules to touch the green for the purpose of determining if its wet or dry, or for any other reason actually.

My 'best tip' for putting is to try and make everything.

Aiming for a 3 foot circle around the hole, IMO, will often leave you with a putt 3 feet or longer most of the time. Try and hole out! The smaller target will force you to focus more. And if you're out by 3 feet, then you've only got 3 feet left!

For shorter putts I take a short backswing but follow the blade through well towards the hole.

I try to keep the tempo the same for every putt no matter how long the swing.

I have started getting good results on long putts by looking at the hole while putting.

I honestly believe that there is no secret for putting besides practicing. The more you practice the more putts you will make its that simple. Obviously if you have a bad stroke and consistently miss putts you should address that first. But I think once you have your stroke down it's all about practice.

To some extent, the exact technique you use is a matter of preference.

There's one useful tip to try though, which was passed on to me some time ago. It is to not follow through too far. So, on a long putt, regardless of the length of your backstroke, only let the club head go max 2 to 3 inches past the ball.

Simply by doing that, you will accelerate through the putt. Give it a try.....

Sure, N. Ruta, I'd like to participate in
your discussions on putting. Goodness
knows I have devoted enough time to
it. At 63, if I had a dollar for every hour
I have devoted to first, becoming a master
putter, and second, to yodeling like
Jimmy Rodgers, I'd be comfortably retired.
As for yodeling like Jimmy, lamenting my
wasted youth to a friend, he pointed out
that Jimmy Rodgers had tuberculosis, and
maybe that's why he could yodel so well.
(Please don't suggest I hop a plane.)
Anyway, back in the dark ages of the
Reagan era, I became converted to back
and shoulder putting, and have not forsaken
that method. I noticed somewhere along
the line that each degree of back swing
produced a barely discernible sensation of
tension in the muscles of the neck and
back. In other words, a five inch back swing
feels different from a six inch back swing.
At the same time, I also noticed that the
longer the putt, the more the head must
turn to see it. This too, can be related
to a distinct sensation in the balance
center (the inner ear) and the neck muscles.
Have you ever thought of it in that way?

I guess that makes sense but wouldn't it make it a little harder to get distances right, i mean putting is already hard enough lol

To judge distance, vary the length of the backstroke.

You know, it's interesting, I've used this method quite a lot and I think it's actually better for the longer putts than the shorter ones, which I suspect is due the the acceleration thing. With a longer putt, you're happy to accelerate through the ball whereas I'm a bit of a coward sometimes on the shorter ones and try to dribble it in.

I used to think my problem with putting was that I didn't take the clubface back exactly square and keep it there throughout the stroke. Then I read somewhere that this was virtually impossible to do anyway with a longer stroke and that the clubface should appear to open and close slightly as the putting stroke is a shallow arc rather than a stright line.

So, basically, I give up! Now I just try to figure out what works best for me. Problem is, that might change over time. Right now, I've 'discovered' some sort of magic whereby if I feel that the putter is very slightly hooded and keep my hands passive, the ball goes exactly where I'm aiming. Suddenly, I'm sinking putts!

Oh for sure, dont take what i said as something to change your game. Golf, especially the short game is about what works for you. Just because someone else uses a certain putter or technique doesnt mean you'll use it the same way. I understand how it would help you with longer putts now though it just took a little more to make me understand. Sounds like it could work but my short game has been great right now so I'll try it when i have to if my putting falls lol.

To judge distance, all I do is pick an intermediate target.

If the greens are slow or I'm going uphill - I pick an intermediate target closer to the hole. If the they're fast, or downhill - I pick one father away (closer to me). From there I just make my stroke, not worrying about how far I take it away, just 'feel' my intermediate target and make sure the ball rolls past it at the correct speed.

I love putting - I worked on it for so long when I started this game because my full swing was inconsistent. It's what has dropped me back to a 5hcp this year.

__________________
IN THE BAG:
- 10.5 deg GX Squared TI w/UST Proforce 65 SFlex (GigaGolf.com)
- Ben Hogan CFT Ti 3i Hybrid, Steel (Used)
- Nike Pro Combo 3-PW/TT DGSL S300 (From LowPost42 on GTO - Thanks man)
- 56 deg SGS "Score Grind Scale" Wedge (GigaGolf.com)
- 54 deg Cleveland CG10 Wedge
- White Polymer Putter Model 692 - Stainless Steel
- TaylorMade TP Red Golf Ball or Titleist DT Solo (Quite the difference I know)

MY GOLF BLOG

I don't putt very well. Partly I believe it's a matter of perception. I wear glasses and there is distortion in the lower part of the visual field. I tend to hit putts to the right of the hole. To compensate, I have to do two things. One is to pick a secondary target about a foot away from the ball and aim at that. This isn't so easy on some greens. The other things is to make sure I stand with my head right up over the ball. But I suspect that in the end gatorguy146 has it right, and it's all about practice.

Todd

__________________
Todd
Philadelphia, PA
USA

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~Phyllis Diller

I was on the course today and putting OK but then tried the idea of a very short take back (about 2 inches, as in the original post) and was surprised how good the results were! Some of the putts must have been about 15 feet in length.

The 2 inch takeaway was no problem with this distance. As mentioned, it's pretty easy to keep the club square using that technique....well worth a try - thanks for suggesting it Supergolfman.

Hi Supergolfman,

I found reading the breaks on green & getting the right ball roll distance are all a matter of constant practise like gatorguy said. I always kneel in front of my ball , line up the putter head, commit to that swing direction & ball path, get up & take my putting stand while keeping the putter position unchanged. Make a few mock swing to determine how much back swing I need to employ to get the ball rolling to the hole.