Plumb Bobbing (Putting) Master Thread

[Pinseeker81]

What exactly is it people are doing when they plumb bob? I can only assume it's to help read break somehow, but when I try doing it I can't figure out what it is I'm supposed to be looking at/for.

[TD22057]

I have no idea - especially since your putter generally doesn't hang straight down. Grab a level and check your putter. Mine requires the head to be about 50 degrees off line to make the shaft perpendicular to the ground.

[marpr]

What is hard to understand? If you let your putter hang from your fingers, like a "plum bob" your putter is now (by the law of physics) hanging precisely vertical/perpendicular to the "flat" ground.

This classic method it used as a visual comparative point-of-reference. Basically some people find it easier to read degrees of left/right/left slope if they have this point of reference.

I personally do not use it. But quite a lot of golfer’s do.

[Dub]

As stated above, you have to know ahead of time how your putter hangs (no pun intended).

It can help evaluate the area near the hole and how it breaks (tails off at the end).

I don't always do this. Every now and then you'll get on green that is almost an optical illusion and you have no idea what it does. A plumb bob check can get you visualizing the actual break.

[Rusty2228]

I don't do it because it doesn't help me. (or anyone?: http://www.drputt.com/deardrputt/plumbob.htm )

But the simple way of looking at is this...Plumb bob and keep your dominant eye open. If there is more green on your right the putt will break left, if there is more green on the left the putt will break right.

[pjsnyc]

I use it to help line up the line i drew on the ball to the line i intend to start the putt on. As stated before - if you let the putter hang loosely, it will be perpendicular to the ground (and no - it doesn't matter if the putting surface is undulating because you're using the putter just as a reference point).

[Linkster]

I think most people who use the plumb bob method really have no idea what they are looking for, they just happen to see someone else doing it. Imagine if Tiger started reading putts like Camillo.

[TD22057]

What is hard to understand? If you let your putter hang from your fingers, like a "plum bob" your putter is now (by the law of physics) hanging precisely vertical/perpendicular to the "flat" ground.

Sorry - the laws of physics say that the center of mass of the putter will be located vertically below the suspension point. The center of mass of the putter is not in the shaft because of the weight of the head. The only way for the shaft to appear vertical to your eye is if you rotate the shaft so that the center of mass is in line with the shaft and your eye.

[Intgolf72]

Sorry - the laws of physics say that the center of mass of the putter will be located vertically below the suspension point. The center of mass of the putter is not in the shaft because of the weight of the head. The only way for the shaft to appear vertical to your eye is if you rotate the shaft so that the center of mass is in line with the shaft and your eye.

i think you dropped these

I understand what you said.....just kinda jerky about it.

[twotacosfor99cents]

You should first check the angle of the cup - that's your first reference. From there, you should be able to easily read the green against the horizon and your brain's natural leveling mechanism and read a line from there.

Your inner ear has a balance mechanism, so your brain and your visual cortex know what's exactly level and what isn't. Use it.

Not to brag, but people tell me I have an uncanny ability to read lines. Judging speed is something else I'm still learning though.

[pjsnyc]

Sorry - the laws of physics say that the center of mass of the putter will be located vertically below the suspension point. The center of mass of the putter is not in the shaft because of the weight of the head. The only way for the shaft to appear vertical to your eye is if you rotate the shaft so that the center of mass is in line with the shaft and your eye.

which is exactly what one ought to do if utilizing this method (at least thats how i do it)...it wouldnt make sense to me to hang the putter with the toe pointing to the left or right making the shaft appear slanted now would it?...just hang the putter and point the toe towards the hole as accurately as you can (sure the shaft might lean forward a bit - if its positioned in front of my left eye - my dominant eye - its perpendicular so far as i can tell). its just a reference point...i mean some people actually walk off putts (full swings too for that matter) just to get a better feel and some sort of reference point so as to give the ball the most confident stroke one could muster. if it makes u feel confident, why not use it?

[Augusta Hacker]

I do exactly as pjsync describes above except that I use my right (dominant) eye. On longer putts I try to imagine the line and go with it but in the 6-10 foot range, you aren't going to have too many double breakers so I plumb my putter and reference it to the cup. Assuming that the cup is along the level of the green and the putter is plumb, I can judge or guesstimate how much break should be in the putt based on the grain and type of turf.

It is just another tool but it does work.

[watrboy4]

You know you really need to learn the first rule of putting. If you have the right line and the right speed it will go in. And that is whether you plumb bob or stand on 1 foot. Just wanted to share that little tid bit wich ya.

[Augusta Hacker]

You know you really need to learn the first rule of putting. If you have the right line and the right speed it will go in. And that is whether you plumb bob or stand on 1 foot. Just wanted to share that little tid bit wich ya.

The line is directly related to speed. More speed, less break......less speed, more break. The idea is to "feel" the speed you want to execute and determine the line that matches that speed. Once you know the speed, you analyze the line by evaluating the contours and levelness of the putting surface.

[907golfer12]

After reading this whole thread I have realized that I am not very smart, or didn't think t find out about what this was. When I do this I do not do it with the intention as has been stated. I have been using the shaft as basically a straight line to see if the line drawn on my ball is lined up with my intended starting line.

[Augusta Hacker]

After reading this whole thread I have realized that I am not very smart, or didn't think t find out about what this was. When I do this I do not do it with the intention as has been stated. I have been using the shaft as basically a straight line to see if the line drawn on my ball is lined up with my intended starting line.

I don't think there is a right or wrong way of doing it. You use it as a reference to determine your best line. Everyone does it different.

[Fourputt]

I don't think there is a right or wrong way of doing it. You use it as a reference to determine your best line. Everyone does it different.

And most of us us don't do it at all.

I never bought into it as I never knew anyone who used it who managed to find the line any better than I do just using my eyes and my feel. Even when you do have a good line, you still have to match the speed to that line, and then you have to make a good enough stroke to hit the ball on that line.... As with most putting eccentricities, if it feels right to you, then go ahead and use it, but don't expect it to be a magical cure for a bad stroke.

[glebert]

I don't plumb, but have been have improved my green reading significantly lately by doing two things different. First I actually get down low (not like CV but pretty low) and then also do two readings, one right behind the ball and one from 8 feet back or so. Stepping back a bit has really helped me see the overall break of the green much better.