Plumb Bobbing (Putting) Master Thread

[watrboy4]

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.

I agree totally. One thing that has helped me a lot is to stand behind the ball and take a couple practice strokes while looking at the hole. Try to visualize the line and then trust the stroke that your mind created while looking at the hole. It really helped me with my speed. Don't leave them short or blow them by anymore. Just throwing that out there. Have a good one

[jeffhale08]

Just curious as to how many of you out there plumb-bob your putts when reading a green. What are you looking for?

[denver_nuggs_15]

I read that a few tour players say that it does absolutely nothing. I don't plumb-bob, but it is supposed to help show the contours of a green better (becuase it's compared to a straight shaft).

[Jay-Bird]

I read that a few tour players say that it does absolutely nothing. I don't plumb-bob, but it is supposed to help show the contours of a green better (becuase it's compared to a straight shaft).

because those

few tour players who would say that on record, probably don't understand how to plumb bob correctly. If done correctly ( http://www.drputt.com/deardrputt/plumbob.htm ), it works. And by "works" - I mean it helps you determine the contours of the green. My dad does it on lengthy putts, and he's a ridiculously good putter. Laying flat like Camillo also helps one see the green's curves. If you can't do the spider, you might try to plumb bob.

[GaijinGolfer]

I dont do the plumb bob and I honestly dont see the point of it, but if it works for someone, I say good for them.
The plumb bob is just like Camillo's spiderman move; its not for me.

[wedge player]

Just curious as to how many of you out there plumb-bob your putts when reading a green. What are you looking for?

i use it line putter shaft up with ball and wateverside the cups on it breaks that way

[ebough]

Another one of those areas where some no-nothings prefer opinion over fact.

First, if the handle does not line up with the hole, there is slope somewhere and it is up to you to find it.

Second, if the handle does line up with the hole, the ground you are on and the hole is on are likely horizontal, but there may be slope in between.

Third, as already mentioned, the shaft is a helpful vertical reference for your eyes.

Please spare us these I don't understand it so it must be no good comments.

[microcrayfish]

So how's it supposed to work? I've seen people do it but never understood how it's supposed to help. From what I gather from the other posts you hold the putter up between you and the ball and depending on what side of the putter shaft the hole appears on determines break?

[ebough]

So how's it supposed to work? I've seen people do it but never understood how it's supposed to help. From what I gather from the other posts you hold the putter up between you and the ball and depending on what side of the putter shaft the hole appears on determines break?

As already noted above, if you are standing behind the ball, holding the putter at the end directly over the ball, the hole will be to the right for a left-right break and to the left for a right-left break. The more dramatic the slope/break, the further the hole is from the vertical. Try it on a steeply sloping green to see how it works. In practice, it is more useful for detecting more subtle slopes and breaks.

[David in FL]

As already noted above, if you are standing behind the ball, holding the putter at the end directly over the ball, the hole will be to the right for a left-right break and to the left for a right-left break. The more dramatic the slope/break, the further the hole is from the vertical. Try it on a steeply sloping green to see how it works. In practice, it is more useful for detecting more subtle slopes and breaks.

I agree......plumb bobbing can help with very subtle breaks. Another tool in the arsenal, so to speak. As a reminder too, that to properly plumb bob you need to know which is your dominant eye. For those that may not know, easiest way to find out is to extend your hand out in front of you. With both eyes open, cover a distant object with your index finger. Now close your left eye. If your finger didn't appear to move, your right eye is dominant. If your finger appeared to move in relation to the distant object, your left eye is dominant. Dominance in eyes tends to agree with your hands.....but not always, so it's worth checking.

[Eeryck]

Here is an article I came across recently from the golf.com Top 100 teachers:

http://blogs.golf.com/top100/2009/01...e-top-1-1.html

They reference a study in there about the effectiveness of plumb-bobbing, for what it is worth.

-E

[David in FL]

Here is an article I came across recently from the golf.com Top 100 teachers:

I especially like that he admits that some great putters plumb bob but discounts the worth of doing so. I think the comments after the article tell a lot.

Plumb bobbing isn't a miracle cure. But it works for those that understand how to do it properly......and understand it's limitations.

[Jay-Bird]

I'm re-sumbutting this link, Please read the info. All of it.

It's not just about holding up the putter and looking at the hole. The putter shaft must be vertical. You have to know exactly at what point your putter is perectly vertical, evertime. If not done properly, yes, it's useless.

http://www.drputt.com/deardrputt/plumbob.htm

[ebough]

I'm re-sumbutting this link, Please read the info. All of it.

This was a good reference. It explains the theory behind plumb bobbing and the biggest potential problem, namely that the observer may not be vertical if standing on a slope. Best way to limit this problem is to kneel down so that you are closer to the ground. A prior post states what should be obvious, namely that you have to hold the putter so that it hangs true vertical. Lastly, the technique does not tell you how much the putt breaks, only whether or not there is a break.

For the technically illiterate, it probably is best to forget about doing it. For those who can understand simple physics and geometry without an instruction manual, it is a useful aid which can usually be accomplished in a few seconds.

[imtomtomim]

plumb-bobbing just doesn't really fit my eye. I can see the contours and it definitely gives me an idea of the slope but not my thing. I have gotten down low in a pushup position to get a good look at the breaks though. It helps a lot. I decided to pick this method up through playing tigerwoods 06. I was sinking more putts on the game with that view so I decided to try it on the course and voila! Getting your eyes low to the ground helps a lot, even going to the slope outside of the green and getting a good look low from there would do a lot. It gives me the idea that I gotta steer that ball.

[PiKapp23]

The only time I will plumb-bob is if I'm confused on the break around the hole. If a hole looks like it 'should' break a certain way, but I'm not seeing break or seeing it opposite for design elements actually looking at the hole, then I'll try it just to help determine if there is a subtle break at the hole and/or which direction. It can help in these cases, but most of the time it's pointless.

[warbirdlover]

I plumb bob and it works. Especially on double benders. I'm not saying it's the only thing to do (look near and behind the cup also) but it works if you do it right and figure out how to make it work with your putter in regard to...

How far back of the ball to stand.

Making sure when you hold the putter so it is square (the head weight will affect this). Find the way you have to have the head pointing so the shaft is vertical. (Use a level at home before you go to the course).

Then just hold it up so the bottom of the shaft is splitting the ball and read the direction to hit the putt at the top of the shaft.

I can't count all the golfers I've played with ask me to show them this after I've sunk a long bender. We all can't read putts like Tiger and this is a good way to do it unless you are at a very high level. I see many pros doing it also.

And it's fast. My biggest gripe now is all the "pros" lining up and reading putts like they were in a PGA tourney, taking forever to hit the dang thing.

[iacas]

I maintain that plumb bobbing doesn't make the least bit of sense, and I have no idea why anyone does it.

I was going to point out why, but I'd just be repeating what this guy already said:

Source: http://www.puttingzone.com/MyTips/plumb.html
It's not possible to construct a scenario of ball, green contour, and hole in which one cannot position the head and eye so that the ball and hole align along a vertically suspended putter shaft. It's just a matter of the direction you aim your dominant eye's gaze. If you actually aim the gaze along the true line from ball to hole, the shaft will always align both the ball and the hole, regardless of slope and regardless of posture.

In other words, I prefer to just read the greens, not rely on some hokey routine that is darn near 100% ineffective.