Plumb Bobbing (Putting) Master Thread

[iacas]

I agree with microcrayfish though in that the ends justify the means. Mathematically I think its balderdash, but if it helps why the heck not

Because I think what helps more is actually reading the putt, consciously, and most people who rely on plumb bobbing are robbing themselves of that opportunity.

It helps more than not reading the putt at all, but it doesn't help as much as "actually reading the putt," so to speak.

[Prairie Golfer]

I'll believe Martians will land in my backyard to hand me my first Social Security check before I'll believe in plum bobbing.

[Marmitetoo]

If I recall rightly, Gary McCord in his book 'Golf For Dummies', explains the theory for finding your strong eye and how to 'Plumbob', but then dismisses the whole thing as nonsense himself.
Unfortunately, my dog ate this book and I didn't have a copy to hand to check. So we need someone who has this on the shelf somewhere, to confirm that my memory is still intact.

Steve

[DaveLeeNC]

I can see plumb bobbing (I don't do it) actually doing two useful things.

1) If your putter will hang straight down it and you can stand perpendicular to the ground (that you are standing on), it should be able to tell you the slope of the ground that you are standing on.

2) If you get down low and your putter shaft is verticle, then the edge of the cup (when viewed from close to the ground) and the shaft will form a right angle if the ground is flat. In theory it could reveal a slope left or right. I've never seen anyone claim that they do this, but (in principle) I can see this working (and this would be more useful than knowing the slope that you are standing on I'd think).

Maybe seeing a verticle line hanging across/around the cup helps people see things. God knows I'd do it if it was helpful in reading short putts (my putting nemesis).

dave

[microcrayfish]

Because I think what helps more is actually reading the putt, consciously, and most people who rely on plumb bobbing are robbing themselves of that opportunity.

I always figured that plumb bobbers did read the green normally and used the plumb bob for something extra or to confirm their thoughts. I guess we'd need some of the plumb bobbers to set the record straight on that one.

I agree that people should read greens consciously but if you're done with that and then need to plumb bob or spin around three times before you hit the putt and that's what works for you then go for it.

[pjsnyc]

I always figured that plumb bobbers did read the green normally and used the plumb bob for something extra or to confirm their thoughts...

I think iacas' point is that plumb bobbing is a bad way to

'confirm their thoughts' because it will ALWAYS confirm your initial read (which I agree with) whether its right or wrong (or left).

[HSip]

I'll believe Martians will land in my backyard to hand me my first Social Security check before I'll believe in plum bobbing.

Hey, maybe the Martians will know if plum bobbing really works? Ask em' OK?

[billm408]

I don't plumb bob, but know someone who does on occasion and he does it from behind the hole back to his ball- which makes more sense to me if you're going to do it. I can see validity in the practice if you're unsure about a subtle slope in the green, but there's not many courses I play where the slope or break is subtle anymore.

[DaveLeeNC]

Here is a plumb-bogging like methodology that I believe would be workable (and prove-ably workable).

The basic assumption is that plumb-bobbing can be used to determine the slope that you are standing on by ..

1) Take a truly verticle position at a point. Standing on one foot (with the other on top of your foot) with both arms outstretched staight (holding a vertically hanging putter) would do the trick, I think.

2) Line up the vertically hanging putter with something (taking care to use your 'lead eye').

3) Then take a 2 foot step to the right with the "top foot" (if the right is the "top foot" in step #1)

4) Take a 2 foot step to the left with the bottom foot (see previously assumption)

5) If you are standing on level ground the verticle putter will still be lined up with whatever in step #2. Otherwise the slope that you are standing on is shown by how the putter appeared to move.

Now I do believe that the slope around the cup is the most important slope to read. So to apply the above to an actual putting scenario.

1) Stand on one foot on top of the cup with both arms outstretched ....

OK - I guess I need to think about this some more

dave

[whit53]

Since some have used Geoff Mangum as their primary grounds for calling the practice "B.S.", here a portion of that same article that was left out.... along w/ two lesser excerpts from other sources.


Geoff Mangum's PuttingZone™ Instruction
As plumb bobbing is actually used, with upright posture and biased sighting alignment, the technique nonetheless provides a reference of true vertical. The brain is doubtless thankful for small favors. The visual system and the balance system in effect get calibrated by the true vertical shaft. The golfer is then more accurately able to assess slope and break just using his eyes, feet, and sense of balance -- so this limited sort of plumb bobbing helps here.
And if you want to know where the baseline runs along a straight line from the ball to the hole, plumb bobbing helps, but it is just as well to use the shaft as a "ruler" in visually aligning the two targets (ball and hole). This sense of the actual location of the baseline can then be used in judging the SHAPE and LOCATION of the breaking path of the putt all along its route, as this the total putt combines the read of slope and contour with the envisioned speed or energy pattern of the putt. And this is what you really need to get down to.


2008 Study
Putting isn’t just about feel. It’s also about information processing. In other words, the better you are at reading greens, the more likely you are to sink a putt. You don’t need a golf tip to tell you that. Plumb-bobbing is an old-school technique for generating information that’s useful in putting. Some players swear by it. Others disregard it. The question is can it help you sink a putt.
The biggest knock against plumb-bobbing is that it tells you how a putt breaks but not how much. But a computer model developed by Fredrick Haney, Ph.D., a few years ago, is changing the way golfers think about plumb-bobbing. Haney’s model suggests that there’s more to it than meets the eye and that with a little effort you can use it to help determine how much a putt breaks.

GolfLink.com
Plumb-bobbing can be used to determine the slope of the ground around the hole; in addition, it's quite helpful in allowing you to better visualize the target line of your putt. Many people also use plumb-bobbing to determine how much a putt will break.

[Phil McGleno]

Plumb bobbing is a myth You ever see Tiger plumb bob? No, because he knows it's crap. If you see a golfer plumb bobbing, they're a crap golfer.

[Fourputt]

If plumb bobbing was anything more than a placebo you would see a lot more players using it, especially on Tour. A lot more Tour players bought into the Q-Link myth than buy into plumb bobbing. That's all that should need to be said.

[AmenCorner]

Thank God. I've seen people do it but never tried it. It just makes no sense to me.

[Zeph]

I've seen people do this, but never known why and what you can see by doing this.

Like the guy on the right here:

[ScottRempel]

It's called plumb bobbing. You can google it to find out more, but it is basically something some people use to estimate the amount of break in a putt.

[iacas]

I've seen people do this, but never known why and what you can see by doing this.

It's called plumb bobbing and it's pointless.

[Saint]

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.

get as low as you can, and thats your best bet always. Always get below it. like on the downhill side of either the hole or the ball, just get on the downhill side and you will read it better.

[pingman]

Man, I haven't heard of this in years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I used to do it, but I've gotten really good at reading my putts there's no use for it. Out on tournaments, it's very seldom that anyone plumb bob's anymore. Personally, I say there's no use for it, but then again it can either be for 1 of 2 reasons: (1) it's too complicated (2) it doesn't work. Either way, does anyone still use it, or do you know someone who uses it? I saw someone on the Senior PGA Tour I believe, but again, it's rare! Any opinions on plumb bobbing?