Putting strategies, need help please

[tazrestling27]

Hi everyone I have been playing about two years now. I have my handicap down to about a 6. Today I shot a 77, with 67% of greens hit, 78% of fairways avg 287 yds. However I had 2 shots that were Out of Bounds and I had 37 putts. I have never seen a coach for my swing or short game. Just you tube and watching the golf channel. However, I need to get my putts down. If I could learn to putt I would be par or better. I bought a scotty cameron putter and I use an interlocking grip when I put with my elbows against my sides. I was just wondering peoples opinions on setup and posture, grip and everything. How you practice ect.

thanks

[lumpuckeroo]

Putting is very individual and what works for one may not work for another.  That being said this is my 2 cents worth.  My set up, I putt left hand low, I am right handed but putt with my left hand lower then my right hand.  My eyes are over the ball, or slightly inside and the ball is about even with my left eye.

While I don't have a lot of specific drills for putting, when I go to the putting green I start out with 1 ft putts and hit then from above and below the hole, then move back a step, and do that until I'm hitting 20+ ft putts.  Then I play a little game, my course always has 5 holes cut on the practice putting green, I start at one hole and my objective is to play the 5 hole in 10 strokes or less.  Once I accomplish that, I reverse my order of play and attempt the same objective.

[awmgolfer]

Just as mentioned above, putting can be very individualistic, however there are some commonalities. First thing is to make sure the putter fits your stroke. Is your putting stroke straight back and through with the face of the putter facing the target the entire time or do you have more of an arcing stroke, that will determine what style putter you need. You also need to make sure your eyes are over the ball. After that, you need to determine what do you struggle with. Do you struggle with distance control, aim, hitting your line, reading a green, etc.. Once you can begin narrowing it done then you can begin practicing drills to help with those weaknesses.

[saevel25]

Pelz has a new putting device that creates a gate infront of the putter, so you putt through it. I would try putting through tees put in the ground. Starting the ball online is critical.

I found i like to feel like i am pushing with my right hand. I am so right hand dominant that its easier for me to focus on my right side.

I like to set up so my eyes are close to over the line as possible. Its not, but i don't want to stand away from the ball.

Keep the head still, and down.

[dsc123]

go to an aim point clinic.

[ks8829]

Putting is simple

1) distance control

A) practice under hand throws to the hole and watch how you judge distance

B) I currently use the same distance back and forward to judge my distance for each putt

C) practice your distance control so that you can lag a putt within a 3 foot circle from any distance

2) making a 3 foot straight putt

A) use a long string with two stick and use the string as a guide to make putts

B) I make sure that my wrist does not break down during the putt and remains one piece with my arms and shoulders

If you are practice everyday for a few weeks you will develop into a better putter.  If you are taking 37 putts your goal is to get to 30 and under.  Where can you take off 7 strokes in your round.  By doing the following below:

1) eliminate three putts with distance control and making a 3 foot putt

2) keep your up and down to one putt stats during your round

3) practice your chipping within 10 - 20 feet.

4) practice, practice and more practice until putting becomes the strongest part of your game, because that is how you shoot low scores with the flat stick.

[Gerald]

Quote:

Hi everyone I have been playing about two years now. I have my handicap down to about a 6. Today I shot a 77, with 67% of greens hit, 78% of fairways avg 287 yds. However I had 2 shots that were Out of Bounds and I had 37 putts.

67% GIR is very good, 37 putts is very bad !!!

Further 2 OB shots means it it would have been a 73 round ....... Maybe (I don't know the course) it would be wise not to risk the OB at these holes......

Shooting a 73 with 37 putts means ..... 36 strokes ....... 67% of GIR .... that is 12/18 (or 14/18 if you forget the OB's) ...... let's asume you hit all par 3 in one and par 4 in two, that would be normally 24 strokes (4x1 and 10x2) leaving 12 strokes for 4 par 5 holes ....... so if you would be using about 30 putts or less you might be a PLUSSS-5 something golfer asking how to putt .......

It is internet ...... of course ......

From what I conclude from your numbers ...... work on at least two things ....... of course your putting, but I can hardly imagine it is your putting, because if your shot to the green is let's say 30-50 ft. from the hole ..... it is quite normal to average 2.0 putts ...... so if you can improve your ballstriking (and maybe move up to irons with less dispersion) getting it closer gives you more opportunities for a few 1 putts.

Being 30-50 ft. from the hole, is mostly nothing less than just taking toooooo less club to the green !

And what you really should be working on is on getting Up & Down at the holes you miss the GIR ...... maybe first you have to figure out what to be a good spot to miss GIR and from there make sure that your scrambling gets you within 1 putt range.

Apart from putting - putting - putting - putting - putting - putting - start practicing dropping let's say 10 balls at different places around the putting/chipping green and practice getting Up & Down in two !!! Always chip/pitch AND putt, never think OK it is within 2 ft ...... do the complete excercise ! Chips/Pitches/Sand etc. should be within 6 ft. to make a chance, but actually they should be within 3 ft. to be sure of a 1 putt !

[Fatphil]

Originally Posted by Gerald

Shooting a 73 with 37 putts means ..... 36 strokes ....... 67% of GIR .... that is 12/18 (or 14/18 if you forget the OB's) ...... let's asume you hit all par 3 in one and par 4 in two, that would be normally 24 strokes (4x1 and 10x2) leaving 12 strokes for 4 par 5 holes ....... so if you would be using about 30 putts or less you might be a PLUSSS-5 something golfer asking how to putt .......

It is internet ...... of course ......

glad you called shenanigans Gerald, I didn't feel like doin the math.

[sonicblue]

I've made a lot of strides in my putting just in the last, say, year or so, based on the following, and I think they're somewhat universal concepts.

First, my comments on speed and line.  While certainly you can hit a putt way too hard (too soft is obvious), or you can misread the line, I think a lot of putts on a lot of the courses we amateurs play, are quite straightforward as respects both of these parameters.  While some breaks can be very sensitive to speed, I think speed has a pretty wide berth.  I also believe that most lines are not all that cryptic.  If you get behind your putt, take a look for about five seconds, most of the time, I'm willing to bet you've got that line correct, within makeable tolerances.  Stated another way, I'll say that, I can almost guarantee that I could put anyone over a putt and say, "miss it left," or "miss it right," or "hit it a little too hard," etc..., and even an average or below-average putter could do all of them.  The right speed and line are just in between all of those misses.

With the above being said, I'll go out on a limb and say, though speed and line can be off a little, the real reason most putts are missed is because of a lack of committment. You get sideways over the ball, suddenly the line looks different, or you feel something in your feet and start to doubt your line, or something.  While those may be valid, what one should do, is then back off the putt and look at it again.  Instead, what I think a poor putter does, is tries to make an adjustment while over the ball ('I'll just aim a bit more right') or during the stroke ('I've got too much speed, better hit it softer').  Not only is that highly unlikely to work, I would proffer that, the adjustment was probably unnecessary.  You can't read a line while over the ball, the (IIRC) 'parallax effect,' they call it, can skew your perspective.  For speed, you have to get a feel beforehand, in your practice stroke if that's what you do, nothing you experience while over the ball should change your mind....except doubt.  Doubt kills putts.

I tell my 10 y/o son about 'the putting robot.'  Once you pick a line, you should look exactly the same.  Feet, putter, grip, stroke...all of it, exactly the same, every time.  All of the work deciding where to aim the putting robot, and how hard the putting robot should hit, is done beforehand.  Once over the ball, you simply execute the same square putting stroke at the chosen speed.

[TheGeekGolfer]

Originally Posted by Gerald

Quote:

67% GIR is very good, 37 putts is very bad !!!

Further 2 OB shots means it it would have been a 73 round ....... Maybe (I don't know the course) it would be wise not to risk the OB at these holes......

Shooting a 73 with 37 putts means ..... 36 strokes ....... 67% of GIR .... that is 12/18 (or 14/18 if you forget the OB's) ...... let's asume you hit all par 3 in one and par 4 in two, that would be normally 24 strokes (4x1 and 10x2) leaving 12 strokes for 4 par 5 holes ....... so if you would be using about 30 putts or less you might be a PLUSSS-5 something golfer asking how to putt .......

It is internet ...... of course ......

I'm confused, this reply doesn't really make sense.  The OP said he shot a 77 with 37 putts, following the logic above, then this seems about right with the 12/18 GIR.  If he could get it down to 32 putts, then he would save those strokes and be shooting 'around par'.  Of course, you only putt sometimes as well as you chip.  If the OP had gotten those 6 GIR misses within makeable distance that would save those strokes for sure.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by TheGeekGolfer

I'm confused, this reply doesn't really make sense.  The OP said he shot a 77 with 37 putts, following the logic above, then this seems about right with the 12/18 GIR.  If he could get it down to 32 putts, then he would save those strokes and be shooting 'around par'.  Of course, you only putt sometimes as well as you chip.  If the OP had gotten those 6 GIR misses within makeable distance that would save those strokes for sure.

Again he shot aa 77, but two went out of bounds, so without the OB's it would have been a 73 right ....?

Distract 37 putts ...... 36 strokes ,,,,,, means his long and mid game is almost scratch ...... you get the picture.

This guy is asking us how to putt, because he thinks that he needs to improve his putting, but I have my doubts .......

With his average drive of 287 yds he was about 80% in the fairway and made 12/18 holes in GIR .....

Yep it is the internet ..... LOL !!!

This actually means the OP must reach GIR, but is at least 10-15 yds from the hole, oyherwise it is hard to make 37 putts.

When I miss GIR, I miss it only just mostly and chipping qualities, make me save a few pars (about 50%) ...... svaing pars at missed GIR means a 1-putt and at any hc, 7 round there will mostly be a few birdies.......

SO if the OP makes 37 putts in a round he is so very good at ballstriking there are a few options : he is really a lousy putter, he is a lousy scrambler or he is a great ballstriker chosing the wrong clubs into the green......leaving himself those 40 - 60 feet putts.

[TheGeekGolfer]

Originally Posted by Gerald

Again he shot aa 77, but two went out of bounds, so without the OB's it would have been a 73 right ....?

Actually, no... he could've one-putted the two holes that he went OB on or came up just short and chipped in, both scenarios resulting in bogies, not doubles.

He could've 4-jacked each of the par-5's, after reaching them in 2?  Maybe this works out for the right stats and his card, don't have time to work it out.  I'm going to table this as I'm willing to believe the OP or he's just a couple off on his stats.  Either way, he does need some short game help, maybe he should putt with his driver

[Gerald]

Hmmmm I am done with this, to me the stats suck ..... and I cannot imagine becoming a 7 index player with 37 putts, besides that maybe he hit the two OB's at one hole ..... Getting to zero, isn't putting only ..... he will have to work hard at all parts of the game !

[The Recreational Golfer]

How about signing up for a lesson?