still about to puke.. i cant putt

[Nyper]

well.. i just cant putt on greens I'm not familiar with...

I posted a message a few months ago about how poorly I was putting. I've since got a pretty good handle on it (been playing the same couple courses and have a good feel for speeds of the greens).

This weekend I played a different course that I haven't played in over a year, and I shot an 85 with 6 three-putts . I played badly aside from the putting, but as bad as I played I could have still shot 79 easily. The next day I played a course I'm familiar with and shot 75 with one three-putt.

I wasn't leaving myself 40ft putts or anything either. I was 3 putting from 15-20ft! I simply couldn't make a decent lag. I knocked it 4ft past or leave it 4ft short.

Aside from just putting, I had no feel for how my chips would check/release.

I had about 5 minutes on the putting green before the round, but just couldn't get a feel for the speeds. Many courses today have a "no chipping" policy on the putting greens, which I understand but is aggravating.

I have a tournament this weekend on a course I've never played. I plan to arrive plenty early before my tee time to practice putting and try to get the feel.

What tips do the rest of you have for getting the feel of greens you've never played? Unfortunately the course is far enough away that driving out there before the tournament isn't an option.

[Scrape-o-TheClown]

Whenever I show up for a tournament the first place I go is the putting green. I will pick one hole on the green and putt three balls from every direction around the hole. This helps me get a feel. You can move out as far as you need. I was having alot of trouble with putting last year and my pro at the course told me to not try and make my 20 foot putts but instead just try to get them inside the gimme range. I have made more putts using that philosophy than any other. It is hard to teach putting it is something you have to learn from practice. Hope it gets better.

[jorruss]

Start by hitting long putts to get a better feel for the speed. Go into the grain and down grain also, as there can be a dramatic difference. A good drill to work on developing feel for distance is to putt 20 footers looking at the hole, not at the ball.

The best putting practice I know of is to play a game developed by Dave Pelz called Safety Drawback. Once you've mastered Safety Drawback, you can try Double-Safety Drawback. At the very least, you'll become a deadly short putter...

http://www.golfputterssite.com/golf-...g-practice.htm

[CarlSpackler]

I always walk off 10 paces and practice putts from that length on a flat part of the green. I often have to put a tee in the green and putt to that if I can't find a flat place with a hole cut. By always practicing from the same length, I get a better feel for the speed since it is always the same length.

[GDWindowpane]

interesting drill. I'll have to try it. Didn't see double-safety drawback. How does that work?

[mruseless]

One suggestion would be to spend more time on your short putts. Once 3-footers are automatic, then work on 4-footers, then 5-footers. If you can make 90% of your 4-footers, it becomes less important to lag it close!

[Lefty22]

...my pro at the course told me to not try and make my 20 foot putts but instead just try to get them inside the gimme range.

I personally hate this way of thinking. I think you should always expect to make it and try to do so. Putting "scared" and "tentative" is what leads to those three putts in my mind, the way of thinking this pro recommends is one (small) step from putting scared in my opinion...

[mruseless]

I personally hate this way of thinking. I think you should always expect to make it and try to do so. Putting "scared" and "tentative" is what leads to those three putts in my mind, the way of thinking this pro recommends is one (small) step from putting scared in my opinion...

I agree with you. I try to make every putt, even the 50 footers. I think it sharpens your focus to try and make the putt, rather than a hoola hoop or whatever some people use in their mind. After all, if you are trying to putt into a hoola hoop, and you miss by 3 feet, now you are 6 feet away.

Getting really good at short putts does take some of the pressure off, though. Its nice to know if you have a poor putt that leaves you 5 feet away that you still have a good chance of making it.

[opie]

I personally hate this way of thinking. I think you should always expect to make it and try to do so. Putting "scared" and "tentative" is what leads to those three putts in my mind, the way of thinking this pro recommends is one (small) step from putting scared in my opinion...

We just have differing opinions but.. I'm the opposite... I imagine there's a 5 gallon bucket around the hole and I'm pretty damn sure I can get it in the bucket which gives me confidence. Every once in a while one goes in the hole

[deafheaven]

Best tip I ever got (can't remember where) was to picture in your mind the speed you desire to hit the ball (speed necessary to sink the putt). The swing speed of your putter to ball should be that same speed.

Try it , it works.