My Favorite Putts

[iacas]

No, I'm not talking about "six footers uphill, slightly right to left." I'm going to indulge myself and talk about my favorite putts that I've ever hit. In no particular order…

#9 at Whispering Woods

The hole was cut middle left, and I was back right with about 40 feet to the hole, and six to eight feet of break. @DrizZzY (he'll be a semi-common theme here) was about 25' from the hole and he said "Do you need me to mark that" as his ball was really close to my line. I saw the line really, really clearly and, like the cocky jerk I am, said something like "no, leave it. I think I have to just miss your ball to make this." I saw my ball as having to pass within a few millimeters of his ball… and going in the middle. Well, I hit the putt, and as it passed his ball missing it by maybe 1.5cm… I said "ahhhhh, pulled it a little…" and… the ball fell in the left-center of the hole. I smirked at Sculley and he just said "you're such an ass." 🤣

I know I said in no particular order, and that might be true for the rest… but this one is clearly tops on my list. I saw the line so clearly, it was a touchy, delicate putt… and I knew I'd pulled it just that little bit, and my speed was perfect. His ball was fifteen feet from mine, and the putt broke 8'! Might be the greatest putt, given the call I made, I'll ever hit.

#13 at Lawsonia Links

I cared about a few rounds in Wisconsin on our 2021 trip (thanks again @cipher), and the 13th had gotten me a bit. I was in a bunker, and someone not NOT named @DeadMan had told me I could just chip a 7I out and still be fine… well, the 7I left me 250 in, so my 3W finished just left of the green… and about 10' below the green. I hit a decent pitch to 25' or so… this putt broke only about 2-3', but burying that one was satisfying as it kept my "no sixes in Wisconsin" streak alive.

It was after this putt that someone said something like "You remember how you said you felt about Tiger at the 1997 Masters? That's how we feel right about now." It was one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me. 😄

#14 at Whispering Woods

Two putts are tied here. On one, Sculley and I hit tee shots to a back hole near the front of the green. I was a foot off the front, he was a few feet on. As we were getting back into the cart, I said "putting contest from here." He replied "Well, I lost." I made the 75-footer.

The other time, the pin was front-left. I was mostly middle right, barely on the green, putting across it from about 65 feet. The putt broke a good ten feet. Sculley was short left of the hole, and for the last 20 feet of the putt, I looked at @DrizZzY and the face he made — disgust, annoyance, resignation — as the putt tracked directly toward and eventually into the hole was one of the funniest and most satisfying expressions I've ever seen on the golf course. I watched him, not my ball, for the last 15-20 feet of its roll. Sorry Sculley!

#9 at Tan Tara Golf Course

It was my 77th stroke in my second round of the PAT. It was a ten-footer, broke a few inches, and was destined for the bottom of the cup the instant I hit it, all to pass the PAT on the number in my first attempt. (Tan Tara is now Pendleton Creek.)

#17 and 18 at The Old Course, St. Andrews

On the 18th, I hit it to about four feet from about 40 yards out, up and over the Valley of Sin, from the fairway. I didn't even really consider chipping or pitching it, because who does that? Not there, not me.

On #17, I had about a 15 or 18 footer, after playing a 6I from 180 that flew (on purpose) only about 90 yards, and took about 15 steps to run over humps and hollows before coming to a stop on the right portion of the hole. My caddie said "I see only one or two birdies a year on the Road Hole, so, well done." Lifetime scoring average on 17 at the Old: 3. I'll take that.

Far Hole (#?), Putting Course at Streamsong Black

@kpaulhus and I were screwing around. Calling out holes, and tee locations. I walked over to the fringe of the nearby green on the Black course… We putted from the fringe in case we scuffed the ground a bit. Well, I chose a putt from the fringe to the far side of the 18-hole putting course. In Google Earth, I measured the putt just now at nearly 400 feet. As in… 130 yards.

I hit the stick. My ball stopped less than two feet from the hole. The other diners let out a loud shout when I smacked it, and looked way over at me and yelled out "it hit the stick!"

Kyle lost that hole. And most of the other ones. 😉 

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Some stats:

• Count: 8
• Shortest: 10 feet.
• Longest: 130 yards.
• Average length: ~93 feet. But, y'know…

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Those are my favorite putts. What are yours?

[boogielicious]

My only eagle.

#18 Far Corner Golf Course Par 5

It was a cold spring day about 15 years ago and I was playing with my oldest friend who is a good player, but more importantly very competitive. Since 7th grade we would play board games, ball sports, table games, cards, you name it, with bragging rights as the trophy. If we ever bet, it’s just for $5 or a beer.

I hit a decent drive and I had 180 to the pin over water. I was going to lay up because it was cold and I was really just starting to play more than a couple of times a year, but he said, “You can’t lay up you wuss!” Challenge!

I took out my 5 wood and somehow hit a beautiful high shot that landed and stayed on the severely sloping back to front green. I had about 20 feet to the pin, but like at the Masters had to putt 90 degrees away from the hole and just let it go down hill. I did just that, hit it and it slowly worked its way down. Plunk. Eagle. I still have the ball.

[snapfade]

Unfortunately I don't have a mental record of putts that stand out, most recently a putt for eagle Sunday I think it was, but I mentioned it already. However last night I had a putt that, to me, was mood altering. I had a very stressful day at the cancer doctor with wife, waited over an hour and a half for a 2pm appointment. Then all of the chemo talk and hospice talk and anyways, just not pleasant. Our league kicks off at 5pm and I got to the course at 4:50, no warm up, just walk to the first tee and go. Got to the par 5 6th sitting at 6 over, I pushed my drive 260ish up the right into the other fairway rough, had a clean lie and good angle to green, promptly sliced a 5 wood to back left of green wide and long. Left me 60 yards plus or minus. Fatted my wedge to 16 foot of the hole. Keep in mind I was fuming, had been since the first hole, I was entertaining thoughts of walking off, I told my putter I was going to feed him to the gators, it was brutal. I got behind the ball and took some BS look at the line and just hit the putt and the damn ball went in for birdie. I leaped like Phil and fist pumped like Tiger all in the same move I think. I needed that little brief moment. It put me in a better mood and clamed me down. I still played like a hack the rest of the round, but so did everyone else now that I think about it. Extremely windy. I walked off with a 46, thats with a birdie. LOL 

[mcanadiens]

One that comes to mind ...

#2 Jasper Hills GC, par 3

Naturally this one was to save par. 

Hit two awful shots to find myself on the very front of this fairly large size green. The hole was in the back, left corner with a decent amount of right to left break. I'd only be guessing what the actual distance was, but it was easily over 50 feet. There was so much bend on the back end of the putt that it just seemed really unlikely until the last few seconds when it broke back to the hole, hit the stick dead center and dropped. 

 

[klineka]

I don't remember a ton of favorite putts (maybe I need to make more) but here's two that I do remember. 

18th at Kyber Run 

We had been playing a 4v4 Scramble for $25 a guy and it had been absolutely pouring the entire day. Talking like 4+ hours of non-stop rain, but we had this money match planned for a while and the course was happy to take our greens fees. The foursome we were playing against was the group in front of us and they just finished and were watching us come up 18 from under a pavilion out of the rain. We thought we had a 1 stroke lead going into 18, but they had birdied 17 to tie things up. They parred 18. So they knew we were tied as we played 18. We had about a 35 footer straight up the hill for birdie and by this point water is starting to pool up on the green. I'm the last person to putt in the group, step up and hit it about as twice as hard as I normally would from that distance, water is spraying up behind the ball as it's rolling, ended up being perfect speed and drops in for a birdie, giving us the win and not realizing why they were so shocked about the putt until we realized that it was for the win.

 

12th at Talamore

We had been playing 2v2 best ball and our opponents hadn't been playing great as we had a 3up lead through 8 mainly due to their mistakes rather than our great play. I went on a bit of a heater, holing a 10 footer on 9 for par to win the hole, birdied 10 after hitting a wedge to 12 feet and pouring that in, birdied the par 5 11th after hitting my 3rd shot to 4 feet to put us 6up with 7 to go. Par 4 12th, pin is front left and I am on the green back right after hitting a great punch slice recovery shot from the right trees. I had 50 feet left for birdie and was just trying to lag it close, it ended up going in the hole and I walked it in for my 3rd straight birdie and ended the match right there as my two opponents just shook their heads and my teammate was cracking up with laughter.

[saevel25]

I am in the same boat, I just don't remember this kind of stuff. It's an interesting topic though. I look forward to reading other responses. 

[bkuehn1952]

#4 - 1st hole at Kingsbarns I rolled in a 15 footer for birdie. Showed my caddie an old guy could still play a bit.

#3 - 18th hole at Basin Harbor Club, Vergennes, VT. I had played matches against my nephew over the years. He had never beaten me although through the years he had become a long hitting teenage golfer. I was 1 up but bunkered near the 18th green. My nephew had a long putt for birdie. I splashed out of the bunker to 4 feet. He rolled his first putt close and I gave him the par. Sadly for him, I rolled mine in and won our last match. He went off to college and then Europe for a Ph. D. It was our last match. Family champion forever.

#2 - First playoff hole in the City of Livonia, MI “65 & Over” division. I rolled in an 8 footer that broke about 4-5 inches. #10 Whispering Willows GC.

#1  18th hole at TPC Prestancia, Sarasota, FL. A 4 foot slicing putt for par to beat the prior year’s Member/Guest winners and win the Member/Guest with my father at his club. I was having heart palpitations as I played the final hole solo when my father put two in the water. There was never a better golf sight for me when that ball dove into the hole.

Edited May 2 by bkuehn1952

[DrizZzY]

I dont know if I really have a favorite, but there are two that have stuck in my mind for a very long time.

#15 at Erie Golf course during the Finals of the EDGA Matchplay. Was up early and then lost a few holes in row so the match was close again. My opponent had a short putt for birdie. I hit past hole high, but 35 feet right. I drained the putt and looked over at my opponent who was in disbelief.

 

#8 at Whispering Woods during another year of the EDGA Matchplay. Was playing a very cocky opponent who made sure to mention on the first tee how many times he won the club championship at this course. I hammered this 30 footer that clanked off of the pin and dropped. My opponent was disgusted and that made me weirdly happy. I went on to win 5&3 or something like that, so that entire day has stayed in my memory. 

[Clemsonfan]

August 2010 Woodfin Ridge 18th hole

Playing in a large tournament with a slew of friends and the last day was two man best ball. The 18th, when it was bent grass, was very fast due to a steep slope on the right side. I had seen many people over the years putt off the green from above the hole.

I hit a great drive and 3W to 30’ left of the hole. With everyone watching my partner hit it way too fast and never high enough and his ball rolled all the way to the bottom of the green.  I hit mine much higher and the ball came to rest about 20” above the hole. Then it slowly started trickling towards the hole for a walkoff eagle! Nobody said anything except my partner who was yelling pretty loudly. I looked at the crowd and told them it was okay to clap because it was a great putt, and they gave me a bunch of polite golf claps and brought me a beer!

[GolfLug]

Some great stories here. I'm more inclined to remember good wedge or iron shots than putts. Here's a few that stand out in recent memory. 

#17 at Elizabeth Manor (my home course):

Last year at Schaubach Cup. It is the toughest par 4 on the course. Long, uphill, OB on both sides, a large bunker guarding majority of front, another lining the right and a steep fall off on the back. Par is always a great score here. Needed a two putt to go in to flight playoffs. Good drive and a decent 7 iron put me on the green but left a long meandering 45 feet carrom putt with green rolled out to 12 on stimp. All but guaranteed a 3 putt for anyone who knows my poor distance control. This one felt good right from the second I walked up. Saw the six-ish break, and executed almost perfect speed and line for the best tap-in I've ever had. We made the playoffs and lost on the second hole eventually but damn that putt felt good!

#14 at EM: 

North-South (Ryder cup knock off with our sister course Williamsburg GC). This was one of those 30 footers where you putt up a ridge and let it fall off. Higher you hit, more it breaks. Anyway, read both line and speed perfectly aaaannndd executed to drop it from the side door. Demoralized the opponents and soon after shut the door on them the next hole. They had a chance until then. I had felt like I had turned the corner on match play prowess earlier last year. 

#17 Stoneliegh, Round Hill

This one was with @DaveP043. A 25 footer from a high shelf to a low shelf, where the putt required to be placed just at the right pace up to the precipice of the upper shelf for it takes the slope to anywhere close to the hole. Had been putting decent all day on fairly difficult greens. Dave gave me a good line and spot to nudge it up to. I took and executed for a birdie! Made it even sweeter since I had just birdied #16.

#5 at the 6-hole Par-3 course at Belmont, Richmond:

Was having a bit of fun with @iacas. Had a match going with him for a soda. Had to make par from 5 feet to tie him going into the 6th and final hole. The greens had heavy aeration holes so it wasn't exactly a skill test. Anyway, I pushed a nervy stroke for the ball to rim out half an inch away from the hole. On most normal the ball stays out, but lo and behold the large aeration hole cut on the edge of the hole comes to my aid and tilts the ball back in the hole! 

I don't know what was more satisfying, the putt or the look of annoyance/disgust on @iacas's face at the ensuing run off celebratory dance. 😂. He managed to save face by beating me by a stroke on the last hole but man that was a fun day!

[jsgolfer]

I too, like @GolfLug, remember great wedge, iron shots, or my missed putts, more than my made putts. My most memorable recently, would be:

#17 Old Course St. Andrews (last year)

I had been putting awful all day (I started 3 putt, 4 putt, 3 putt, 3 putt), but found a putting stroke on the back 9 and was 1 under on the back going into 16 and of course I 3-putted it for a bogey. Got to 17 and my playing partner just hit it into the hotel, so I went a little more left and decided to not try and hit it over the hotel.  And as soon as my ball was in the air, I heard one of the other caddies do the chicken noise.  LOL

My shot was a little more left than I wanted, about 185 yards, I hit a 6-iron and it was drawing right at the flag.  The pin was just to the right of he bunker and towards the front of the green. My ball hit short (and just missed going into said bunker) and stopped about 15 feet left of the hole. Had a little left to right break and as soon as I hit it, I knew it was in.  Birdie on the road hole, looked at the caddie and said not bad for a Chicken.  Parred 18 (missed 10 foot birdie putt) for a 35 on the back 9 at the Old Course.

#18 Springfield G&CC

Last year while playing in our season long match play event, my partner and I get the 18th hole needing to win the match to move on into the knockout round.  We are tied going into 18.  A tie and we lose on overall points by .5.  Our teaching pro is on the other team (very good golfer), so we were pretty sure we needed a birdie to have a chance to win the match, I hit on of the best drives I hit all day and had about 135 yards to the pin, but it was in a place where you didn't really want to be long.  So I hit a PW and it landed just short of the flag but released about 12 feet past the hole, so have a devilish putt coming back down the hill.  Our competitors were away and the pro missed his birdie putt by inches, I thought it was in when he hit it.  So after reading the putt, which probably had a 2 cup left to right break, I made the putt to win the match.  

#15 Springfield G&CC

A few years back, was playing in the first round of the Club Championship (against the previous years runner-up) and my putter was balky all day.  Got to the 15 hole, 2nd Par 5 on back, and was 3-down with 4 to play.  We both hit good drives, both hit good second shots and we both hit decent 3rd shots.  I was about 15 feet and he was just a hair longer.  He missed his putt, I had another slider putt down the hill, with about a foot of right to left break and made the putt. 

I birded the next hole, to go 1 down, but not a memorable putt as I only needed a bogey to beat him on that hole, he had all kinds of issues going on.  Lost on 17, as he birdied it, right after I missed mine to lose 2&1.

[DeadMan]

I don't remember a ton of putts, but I've thought about this a bit and came up with 2 good ones.

#5 at Mid-South: 2017 Newport Cup

I remember the putt pretty well, but the surrounding details are a little hazy. I believe this was in my singles match against @cipher, and it was a hole he was stroking on. I had hit a mediocre approach to the front of the green and had what must have been a 50 foot putt to a back pin. If I remember correctly, @cipher was pretty close for an easy par at worst. I had @mvmac help me out with a read, which ended up being a great read by him. Hit the putt and jarred it for birdie. It was perfect speed, too, would have been an easy 2 putt if it hadn't gone in. I think we ended up tying for the hole. But I rarely make putts that long, and doing it to steal half a hole was really nice.

#3 Fox Hollow (Links): 2023 Match Play

This was on the third extra hole of a scratch match against a legitimate 0 handicapper. We had tied after 18 holes and traded pars on the first two extra holes. On the third extra hole, he had about 30 feet for birdie; I had about 25. We were on pretty much the exact same line. He missed his putt just on the low side, and I conceded the par. I felt good over this putt - I knew the break well and just needed good speed. I hit a great (not perfect) putt, and BAM, back of the cup for the victory on the 21st hole. I will say that the speed wasn't great, as it would have been a few feet past if it didn't hit the cup. But I wanted to give the ball a chance and take a bit of break out of it. I went on to win the match play tournament, which is my only tournament victory in a scratch event.

[billchao]

I had to think about this topic for a while. I don't tend to remember specific details about my putts, but a few do stand out in my mind so I guess they're worth noting. I don't know that I'd call them my favorite but it's close enough.

#18 at Spooky Brook

Might be the hardest 4' putt I've ever had. Pin was back right and I hit my third shot just to the right of it. The green slopes fairly severely back to front. I read the green but I knew the putt anyway as I've seen it before. I told the guys I was playing with that the putt was it was going to break almost 3' and if it doesn't go in I'd have a longer coming back up for par than I was looking at. It went in.

#12 at Quail Brook

I'm not even sure how to describe this green properly. It's not quite a two-tiered green, but the back and front are separated by a ridge that goes across the middle of it, with the green sloping harder off the front than the back. You can generally putt from the front to a back hole location but good luck keeping the ball on the green if you putt from back to front. On this particular day, I was looking at the latter. I had to putt up into the apron due to how the ball was going to break and that helped slow the ball down enough to hit the hole at the perfect speed. One of the rare birdies I've seen on that hole.

#2 at Hyatt Hills

Short par 5. This makes the list because it's the first eagle putt I've ever made, which funny enough happened the day after the first eagle I've ever made. I've made two eagles in all my life and they came on back to back days. I wasn't even planning on playing golf - it was a Monday - but I was doing some work at the place I used to work at when I was younger and catching up with some of the guys I've known for years. They were going out to play in the afternoon and had a spot available. I used to see these guys every day for years but we've never played together, so I said I'm in. I hit a really good approach shot into slope that separated the two tiers on the green and spun the ball closer to the hole. Had roughly 8' left to the hole, a downhill right to left breaker. One of the guys said, "You've got to make this, I've never seen an eagle before," and I said, "I've never made an eagle putt before." And then I made it.

#17 at Stoneleigh

@GolfLug's post reminded me of my own heroics on #17 a couple of years ago. The hole was back left, in the bottom tier. I hit my approach short of the green and flubbed my chip so it stayed on the top tier. I read how the putt was going to break after the ramp (is that what you call it?), then read my putt up to that point. It needed to basically die at that point because if it hit the slope with any kind of speed, it would long past the hole and possibly off the green. I hit the putt perfectly and holed the 40-footer center cup.

#6 at Meadow at Neshanic Valley, #15 in the Round

This was during the stroke play qualifier of my tournament. It might be a little bit of recency bias and I hit some really good long putts in the four rounds I played, but this 7-footer was my favorite putt of the entire tournament. The hole was cut on the top of a ridge. I hit my tee shot short right but hit a pretty good chip just long and below the hole. Play had backed up at this point, with the ladies waiting on the tee while we were finishing up. I hit the putt just a hair on the high side and it curled around the hole, fell back a couple of inches and stopped on lip. We all looked at it incredulously, "How does that not fall in?" Before I took my first step towards the hole, the ball must have thought the same thing and decided to drop.

[Ty_Webb]

I have two contenders here that stick out to me:

In second place, a putt to win the hole playing the 16th hole at Burnham and Berrow. Playing foursomes and the green has a big bank at the front then a flat bit and then it goes up again to a back shelf. My partner had hit our second shot onto the back shelf. We were 2up at the time and he was being a little wobbly so we didn’t want to lose the hole. Our oppo were conceded a 4 and my partner told me to just lag it down there nicely. 20 year old me meant to do that and failed. I hit it a bit hard and it was definitely going to clear the tier and probably run off the front of the green, but it hit the hole right in the middle and went in. My partner was very happy we won the hole but quite upset at my ability to follow instructions. 
 

Number 2 is my most memorable. I was about 16 playing in the junior knockout at my club. We get to the 10th hole - long par 4 and index 2. I didn’t hit a very good drive, hit my second up about 60 yards short and pitched on to maybe 25 feet. I started walking and I got this feeling. I knew I was going to hole it. There was no doubt at all. I’ve never felt like that any other time in my life but this one putt was a certainty. It was February and the greens had been recently hollow tined so they were in awful shape. I didn’t even line it up. I hit my putt and it bumped and bounced all over the place until it went in the middle of the hole. If I could bottle up that feeling and sell it I’d be up there with Bezos and musk. Mind blowing!

[iacas]

10 hours ago, GolfLug said:

I don't know what was more satisfying, the putt or the look of annoyance/disgust on @iacas's face at the ensuing run off celebratory dance.

[DaveP043]

I can't say that I remember a lot of individual putts, but I do have one specific memory.  The first time I played the Old Course, I had hit a pretty good drive on the 6th hole.  I had about 60 yards left, and due to the swale in front of the green, there was no chance of flying a wedge on or near the green and having it stop on the green.  My caddie recommended either a running 7-iron chip or a putt, and I took the putter and a pretty hard swing.  The ball rolled over humps and through hollows, disappeared into the swale in front of the green, and re-appeared heading right at the hole.  I ended up maybe 12 feet away.  The caddie turned and held out his hand to shake mine, and said "Now THAT was a golf shot!"

[trombettista_vecchio]

Once, on a course in Middleton, Massachusetts that I used to love but has since closed down, 
I hit the wrong half of a huge, UK style double green.  Then I made the hundred foot putt.  Tough to 
forget that one.

[iacas]

I'm reminded of two more, and I'll periodically stop in to post some others.

#6 at NCR South

@cedrictheo missed a putt and said something like "I don't know how that putt doesn't do…" something. I went over to him, about 18 feet from the hole, and quickly looked at the putt (obviously I'd also seen his ball rolling).

I said something like… "Well, you can take this line, way up here, if you barely get the ball to the hole." I hit the putt, and with the last few dimples of roll, it fell in the highest part of the hole.

I then said "if you're going to take the line you took, you've gotta hit it pretty good." I hit a putt on a much lower line pretty firmly… and it went in as well.

I think I got a "you're such an asshole" as thanks. 🙂

#16 at Southern Pines

I was playing a Nassau against @CodyStinson and had won the front, and could close out back/total if I tied him on the 16th, a short-ish par four. Well, I just about topped my 3W a hundred yards or so while Cody drove into the fairway/greenside bunker. I had a 6I that I pushed a bit right of the green, which sat 10 feet above my ball. I pitched that to 20 feet or so. Cody had splashed out to 25 feet, and putted up to a little tap-in for par.

Given how far ahead I was, I was pretty casual about reading my putt. I set the putter down, and as I looked up right before taking the putter back, I decided my line was off by like 16" or so. So, I just pulled the putt, on purpose, mid-stroke.

It went in. I won all three ways. My comment-as-payment was "Of course!"

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I played with Cedric this weekend at Cog Hill and I was talking and walked in a 25-footer for birdie on #3, made a 22-footer for birdie on a later par four, scuffed a long putt from the fairway, and casually "tapped in" a 10-footer for par on a par three.

Combined with the comment @DeadMan threw back at me about how I felt after Tiger won the Masters in 1997… it's become obvious to me how often I've almost demoralized or brutalized others with my putting. And I take tremendous joy in that. 😄 🤣 😄