Is it worth learning to putt from off of the green?

[jshots]

I have a decent short game with my 60 degree wedge. It's not great but not horrible and I don't practice it very often. The thing is, that is literally the only club I use for short game. I play bump and run shots and flop shots and everything in between with the same club.

I rarely ever putt from the fringe unless the ball is very close to the green. I would rather fly the ball onto the putting surface than ever have it contact the fringe because you can get weird bounces, and the big reason is because I have a horrible time judging speed from off the green.

I played with a fairly good player this past week who putted a ball from literally 30 yards from the green and everywhere in between, even from the rough and he wasn't that bad but not great either. It got me thinking maybe it is stupid not to putt from off the green, but I can't really see why for the reasons I said above.

[LovinItAll]

I've played with guys that won't ever use putter from off the green, and I've played with guys that'll putt it from out of bunkers if they can. Whatever gets it in the hole, you know?

[Wallstreet]

I'm kind of like you.  Except I always use my 56 degree anywhere around the green. If I need to flop it, i open the face up.  If I need to bump and run it, I put my hands forward.  I don't know what it is but I am most confident with that club around the green.  I have tried putting from off the green, and I just don't feel as confident as I do with my sand wedge.  I will say that I do put mostly from the fringe.  Unless there are some noticeable terrain issues.  But I have never gotten into the 3wood from the collar or the 7 iron bump and run.  I stick with my SW and it has worked for me.

[jshots]

Originally Posted by Wallstreet

I'm kind of like you.  Except I always use my 56 degree anywhere around the green. If I need to flop it, i open the face up.  If I need to bump and run it, I put my hands forward.  I don't know what it is but I am most confident with that club around the green.  I have tried putting from off the green, and I just don't feel as confident as I do with my sand wedge.  I will say that I do put mostly from the fringe.  Unless there are some noticeable terrain issues.  But I have never gotten into the 3wood from the collar or the 7 iron bump and run.  I stick with my SW and it has worked for me.

Well that is good to hear. I feel like if I just use the same club and learn it really really well, that i could be better at that then learning how to use several clubs around the green.

[AmazingWhacker]

When I'm playing well, I use my 56 from anywhere around the green.  However, when I develop "stone hands" then I go to the 7iron bump and run.  I use a putting stroke if I'm close enough.  I might hit it too far but I rarely flub it that way.  So I would say, yes . .worth it . .especially if you have rounds (or parts or rounds) where you struggle with your wedge.

[GaijinGolfer]

As they say, "your best chip is a putt".  IMO, knowing how to putt from off the green is a neccesary shot to have in the bag simply because its a much, much safer and more reliable shot than a chip.

[TourSpoon]

At my home course it is 54 or 60 for most chips. There are 2 courses, one is a links style and the other is closely shaven, that putting is the play even from 20 feet off the green. Both courses set up for it with tightly mown areas that just look like you should putt it. I have learned that I need to access the situation and usually if I see a putter working then it is almost always a good play. The key to around the greens is to be versatile and the putter is just another tool to consider.

[LovinItAll]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

At my home course it is 54 or 60 for most chips. There are 2 courses, one is a links style and the other is closely shaven, that putting is the play even from 20 feet off the green. Both courses set up for it with tightly mown areas that just look like you should putt it. I have learned that I need to access the situation and usually if I see a putter working then it is almost always a good play. The key to around the greens is to be versatile and the putter is just another tool to consider.

When I was in Scotland playing the links courses over there, putter from off the green was absolutely standard. Our caddies would shake their heads in disgust when guys in our group would pull wedges out from <10' off the green. Glad I had a decent bump and run game, as that was invaluable as well.

The courses we played were in wonderful shape, but many of our guys (there were 16 of us) hated not playing target golf. I never understood that.

[Tuflehundon]

I got my first birdie in a while by putting from off the green last weekend. Just started playing again so my game isn't were it used to be yet. Ended up with a 40ft putt. Didn't want to chip it in, so I putted it up to the green, ended up with a 3ft follow up put. Don't think I could have chipped it that close.

Seems I have better control with the putter from the fringe.

[uttexas]

In the southwest (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona) greens are often surrounded by closely mowed dry grass or hardpan. The ball will roll true in these conditions and putting from yards off the green is your best shot if you know how to play it. In other regions (northwest and great lakes), the greens are surrounded by wet, thick grass where putting off the green is far less accurate/precise.

[dsc123]

I used to fly everything but now I putt when I can.  I don't putt through 15 feet of fairway, or if the grass doesn't look consistent, or if the green has some major slope change that I'd prefer to fly.  But if I've got a good lie, a good line, and i'm only going through 7-8 feet or less of fringe, I putt now.

I'd say its worth doing because its actually very simple.  I think a half hour of practice will do the job.  Fringe rolls at something like 1/4 the speed of a green, generally.  So if I've got 3 feet of fringe i just putt like normal but pick a spot 12 feet past the hole.  Even if I'm off its a matter of 2 feet or so.  The margin of error on a bad chip is a lot more.

[sean_miller]

There's a sh**load of options and shots between the putter and the LW. To only choose between those two clubs every time woule be a nauseatingly boring way to play the game.

[dpgator33]

I always to prefer a putter, but I will use an appropriate wedge if the rough is long enough to disrupt the blade of my putter.  I'll actually take a putter and a wedge if I'm not sure and take a practice stroke or two with the putter to guage how I think the grass might affect my stroke before deciding.  I do believe though, that except for professionals, the putter is a much safer play.  Even if I have a "bad" putt from off the green, it's still within 15ft on even the most difficult efforts, and that's not always the case when chipping.

One exception to this would be if it's just such a long distance from the hole (>75ft) that the effort it would take to get the ball to the cup with a putter would offset the accuracy, then I have gone with a 7 or 8.  Anything higher than that and I'm probablt close enough to putt.

[glock35ipsc]

I always try to putt before chipping, if possible.  At least for now it's a safer option than rocketing one across the green!

[Mattplusness]

Putter, lob wedge, 8 iron.

My three tools for destruction around the green.

[boogielicious]

For me, it really depends on the ground conditions between the ball and green and then the green itself.  A smooth fringe or fairway and relatives smooth green with straight forward slope I will putt.  Sketchy fringe or undulating green I will more like go with my 58 and pitch it.  The pitch works for me because it takes the ground variables out.  Chipping works if I can predict how the ball will roll but I need to get it over something.

[NuclearMike]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

There's a sh**load of options and shots between the putter and the LW. To only choose between those two clubs every time woule be a nauseatingly boring way to play the game.

I'll use whatever feels right, from a hybrid to any of my irons to my wedges or putter.  I've been playing for a long time and over the past year I've finally gotten comfortable with my SW when needed.  Really, though, I want the ball to be on the green as long as possible.  Fewer things can go wrong with the ball rolling rather than being airborne.  Now, if I was a better player than I am I might feel differently.

[Dubya D]

Using my putting stroke, I'll take anything from a 3 hybrid or 6i to 9i from up to 15' from the green. My goal is to use the loft of said club to fly the ball to the green using a fairly safe stroke. I heard Gary Player say once "your worst putt is as good as your best chip"...I'm a firm believer.