Trouble with putting downhill

[Gary]

I hate putting on a downhill slope, i really do. It really frustrates me.

I spent extra time reading the green and try putting under power.

There many times that I was putting on a downhill slope, once the ball missed the hole and rolled downhill off the green.

Any tips?

[allin]

I feel we would need more information on what you try to do now before offering a very specific opinion. My experience has been that there is no substitue for practicing these types of putts and experiementing. In general a stroke that is smooth, not overly long, and using a light putter are best for downhill putts. Since you live in the West your greens may vary quite a bit from the ones in my area. Some people try to hit up on the ball a little or hit the putt a little on the toe of the putter. I dislike these types of adjustments, they seem to cause me to lose confidence, but the work very well for some pretty elite golfers.

[uttexas]

When I have a fast down hill putt, I imagine hitting the ball so that it would just trickle into the relative front of the cup (die into the hole). For a severe very fast down hill putt, I may aim at a point short of the hole and imagine the putt resting at that point short of the hole (very rarely will you leave a severely downhill fast putt short). This technique of a short aiming point also works for very fast downhill chips.

Obviously, you can use this technique with an aiming point past the hole for severe uphill putts.

What I wrote above is simplified--I don't literally aim at a point near the hole, but aim along the intended putting line/path.

[Gary]

Thanks for the replies! Let me try tomorrow and see how it goes.

[JetFan1983]

I'm reminded of the old Sam Snead quote where he said "there's only three things I fear on a golf course: lightning, a downhill putt, and Ben Hogan."

A lot of strokes can be saved by minimizing the amount of downhill putts you have to face. Easier said than done, I know, but there's a lot to be said for missing in the right spots and leaving yourself as many uphillers as you can.

[Leftygolfer]

There are some putts you can't leave yourself. Some you can't stop or play enough break. To be good at them, they have to be avoided. But the typical quick down hiller, I just have a nothing stroke to it, I play it like it is 2 feet or whatever, and just commit to the small stroke and trust that it will be good, don't get yeppy and be good at the 4 footer coming back. I think practicing the short ones helps allot as you don't fear the come backer. This helps me alot. A poor first putt doesn't matter if you make the second.

[04v8s4]

This may not be great advice but I try not to follow through as much as a flat putt. Just use a very small thru stroke.

[TaylorMadeTaylor]

This may not be great advice but I try not to follow through as much as a flat putt. Just use a very small thru stroke.

I think this is pretty good advice. You want to just give the ball a little tap and let it slide down the hill. You definitely don't want to follow through alot and try to "push" the ball into the hole.

[WUTiger]

One of the worst downhill putts is on terraced greens, when the pin it cut low and you're on the upper shelf.

I faced this one day on an uphill Par 5 in Denton, Texas. I had hit a wedge shot thin, and it skipped past the flag and up onto the upper terrace.

A big hitter had put his approach shot on the back fringe. On his eagle bid, he chipped the ball downhill and off the green.

The cup was cut three feet below the terrace, and I was three feet above the terrace. Instead of a putter, I took a 7iron, opened the face a tad, and hit a chip which checked up at the edge of the terrace, and then trickled downhill into the cup for a birdie.

Sometimes coming down a steep hill, a chip-putt is the only way to go. The check spin lets the ball work on gravity, rather than excessive momentum from the flat putter stroke.

[ksngolfer]

Yea downhill puts are wicked tough, I hate them too. I just try to trickle it in like other have said on here. One big thing though is to trust your stroke and not hesitate because that would make a hard putt worse.

[canadianpro]

Remember good putters never think about the next putt....make the first one