Bizarre putting tip.

**Fat Slice** · April 23, 2009

OK, maybe I will be the only person this works for. It's not mechanics, it's psychological, and if I am the only one with that tweaked brain then so be it.

Anyway, I was going through my mental pre-putt routine and thinking if I needed to change anything, re-order anything, add anything, delete anything, etc., and I suddenly had an idea: the very first thing I needed to do when I step up to address the ball is to tell myself "I want to make this putt!", and then wait until I really feel that before I continue on with the routine.

Do I have a little demon that makes me want to miss? Sounds crazy, but who knows what kinds of demons there are in there?? Anyway, I tried it yesterday and 1-2 putted instead of 2-3 putted. I had two birdies on nice long benders.

I don't know if this is some kind of Dr. Phil affirmation Stuart Smalley kind of nonsense, but just connecting with the feeling that I really want to make the putt helps.

Probably a useless thread, but it's working so I figured I'd share it.

**bogeyhitter25** · April 23, 2009

I just pick a line and step up. Take one practice swing and hit it. No negative thoughts. The quicker swing doesn't let my mind wander.

**JGulkCG** · April 23, 2009

OK, maybe I will be the only person this works for. It's not mechanics, it's psychological, and if I am the only one with that tweaked brain then so be it.

well first off, i would change the "want" in "i want to change this putt" to "going". "i'm going to make this putt"

also what i do is fight the line, i find it so i can visually see the line on the green and see the ball going in the hole. thats all behind the ball, then i step up and putt. Seems to work for me.

**Seven Iron** · April 23, 2009

Golf is definitely a mental game. I swear I have a "voice" that agrees or disagrees with where I aim. Not lying, but everytime I go against what this thing says I'm almost always wrong. Yes I know this sounds completely insane.

**Fat Slice** · April 23, 2009

Golf is definitely a mental game. I swear I have a "voice" that agrees or disagrees with where I aim. Not lying, but everytime I go against what this thing says I'm almost always wrong. Yes I know this sounds completely insane.

No, that's not insane at all. I swear I have a little putting speed/break calculator that works in the back of my brain. If I don't wait long enough for it to do its work, I will have a lousy putt. I don't actively THINK, I just look back and forth and relax...after a while, I will know I'm ready and putt - that's why rushing doesn't work for me. If I try and overthink and 'override' that back-of-the-brain calculator, it's almost always a big mistake.

***iacas*** · April 23, 2009

Why would that be weird? I believe I can (and try to) make every putt.

**Fat Slice** · April 23, 2009

Why would that be weird? I believe I can (and try to) make every putt.

That's the thing, it's not the "I believe I can make this!" - it's the "I *want* to make this." Working up the desire seems to help. That's the strange part - that it may otherwise be lacking.

**JGulkCG** · April 23, 2009

I'm with Iacas. I almost expect to make every putt. especially anything within 15ft or so.

**microcrayfish** · April 24, 2009

I get what you're saying. I think it's in Nilsson and Marriott's 'Every Shot Must Have a Purpose' when they mention a problem that a lot of athletes have about being almost scared to succeed, like they feel they shouldn't want to succeed all the time (they explain it better than I can).

I can recall one occasion when I was teeing off and thought to myself "I've hit all my drives well today so far, it's about time I missed one", I felt that it didn't matter so much if this one was bad because I was due for a bad one. I had to focus on really wanting to hit a good one to make sure I did, which sounds similar to what you described with your putting.

It's a funny thing the mind .

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Bizarre putting tip.

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