Lag Putting Is Awful

[aleph]

 

I can't seem to judge how hard to hit a putt from 20+ feet even on greens that I know well. Typically I will blow it past at least 5 feet if it doesn't touch the hole. From 40+ feet I am hopeless, it's almost a guaranteed 3 putt.

Perhaps "lag putting" is inaccurate as I am generally trying to give the putt a chance to go in rather than knock it close. When I do actually have the goal of getting a 25 footer within a 3 foot circle, I can do it, but usually short or just barely to the hole where it dies and breaks. I just can't seem to find the sweet spot of rolling a foot or two past the hole.

What have you done to improve your speed control?

[boogielicious]

7 hours ago, aleph said:

 

I can't seem to judge how hard to hit a putt from 20+ feet even on greens that I know well. Typically I will blow it past at least 5 feet if it doesn't touch the hole. From 40+ feet I am hopeless, it's almost a guaranteed 3 putt.

Perhaps "lag putting" is inaccurate as I am generally trying to give the putt a chance to go in rather than knock it close. When I do actually have the goal of getting a 25 footer within a 3 foot circle, I can do it, but usually short or just barely to the hole where it dies and breaks. I just can't seem to find the sweet spot of rolling a foot or two past the hole.

What have you done to improve your speed control?

Welcome to The Sand Trap. Check these threads out.

 

[iacas]

From long range, stop trying to make them.

[Zeph]

On the PGA Tour, they make 15% of the putts from 20 feet. From 25 feet it's 10%. And those guys do it for their living.

Stop trying to make those long ones and focus on getting them close. Every now and then one will drop for you too.

[biodarwin]

The faster the ball is traveling on the green, the less it will break.  You can't use the same lines when putting a 10fter as you do from lagging distance.

Edited August 18, 2019 by biodarwin

[Patch]

I don't try to make all my longer putts. I put my longer putts at anything over the 10' - 15' range. Depends on the situation, and what might be at stake. Maybe I need to make that 15' + footer to break 80, or win a skin. The risk/reward factor.

I just try to pick, and roll the ball on my chosen line. If they roll in the hole, that's great, but close is always going to be  good enough.

I have this little practice thing I do for longer putts. I use a metal yard stick. I use it as a guide on how far my back stroke should go, for the length of roll required, on a level green. Basically it's so many inches past my rear foot, for the length required. Obviously when playing, the yard stick is not there physically, but the idea is still there in my mind. 

Up, and down hill putts I adjust that back stroke length accordingly. This adjustment comes from many, many decades of play, and practice. 

Then there is always that really long putt, where I just give the ball a good "smack", and hope for the best. 

[GolfLug]

I think lot of players suffer from hyper focus and manufactured tempo. Myself included.

I have been trying to 'pop' the ball at impact and that seems to make a difference.

Edited August 18, 2019 by GolfLug

[aleph]

7 hours ago, boogielicious said:

Welcome to The Sand Trap. Check these threads out.

That second link is interesting. I am probably firmly in the "bad" category of accelerating too much as it is how I was always taught to putt. I don't have an egregious "hit/pop" in my stroke, but contact always sounds better than the times I feel decelerate (but probably wind up in that 3 foot circle despite coming up short).

[Piz]

I try to make every putt.  It is impossible to do but I don't care.  Sometimes that means I've got to hit the stick just to keep the ball on the green.  So I try to hit the stick.  If it doesn't work it doesn't work...but at least I gave it the old junior college try.

[Zeph]

Taking a longer backswing can help you prevent the accelerating swing. If you accelerate with a long backswing, you'll hit it in a bunker.

[aleph]

I worked on a longer putting stroke (and it does feel more like a stroke) today. I am definitely more of a hitter than I thought. A couple where I accelerated and blew it a mile past the hole, a couple where I came up well short, but it's nice to see putts nestling up near the hole again.

It feels like I have better control over the face (more important to me with short putts) when I hit at the ball, but that might be because it was windy today.

[boogielicious]

7 hours ago, aleph said:

I worked on a longer putting stroke (and it does feel more like a stroke) today. I am definitely more of a hitter than I thought. A couple where I accelerated and blew it a mile past the hole, a couple where I came up well short, but it's nice to see putts nestling up near the hole again.

It feels like I have better control over the face (more important to me with short putts) when I hit at the ball, but that might be because it was windy today.

I go with the feel of letting gravity start the downswing of the putt. I just use a longer stroke for longer putts. Obviously, the feel ain't real, but it helps me from pushing it too far on the downswing.

[Craigers]

I would recommend creating a video of your lag putts. Then you can post it here or have a good instructor take a look.

You might be ahead/behind with your hands or your alignment might be off. It's hard to notice these details on your own.