Lag putting

[VegasRenegade]

I truly think this is the most undervalued stroke in golf. The PGA does not even keep a stat for it.  I fell a good lag put is from outside 30 ft to getting it to within 3 ft of the hole. I have always been fairly good at this one area of the game. The other stat that  I do well at is scrambling. since I hit few GR I have lots of practice on this one.

[VegasRenegade]

Just found this table on the PGA site.  Amazing to be that the distance for a  50/50  put is only 7'10''

check out the rest of it at http://www.pgatour.com/r/strokes-gained-putting-baseline/index.html

[Truegolf]

Lag putting seems to get scorned at by some high handicapper cause they feel the sole objective is too just get it close and not get it in the hole Judgement of speed and distance control is really important but that does mean you are not trying to hole the putt with "lag putting" I'm happy if I get my fair share of long putts and they drop in the hole rather than running 5 feet past and having a tricky downhiller back

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by VegasRenegade

I truly think this is the most undervalued stroke in golf. The PGA does not even keep a stat for it.

see this link if the below didn`t format correctly http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/filter/?1

Three-Putt Stats.

• Total 3 Putts - > 25'
• Total 3 Putts - 10-15'
• 3-Putt Avoidance - Round 2
• Total 3 Putts - Inside 5'
• 3-Putt Avoidance - Inside 5'
• Total 3 Putts - 20-25'
• 3-Putt Avoidance - Round 1
• Total 3 Putts - 15-20'
• 3-Putt Avoidance > 25'
• 3-Putt Avoidance
• 3-Putt Avoidance - Round 5
• 3-Putt Avoidance - 20-25'
• Total 3 Putts - 5-10'
• 3-Putt Avoidance - Round 3
• 3-Putt Avoidance - Round 4
• 3-Putt Avoidance - 10-15'
• 3-Putt Avoidance - 15-20'
• 3-Putt Avoidance - 5-10'

[VegasRenegade]

Lots of info with those stats. Not sue they get at a true lag put stat.  I would like to see something like. Puts from outside 30 ft that end up within 3 ft.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by VegasRenegade

Lots of info with those stats. Not sue they get at a true lag put stat.  I would like to see something like. Puts from outside 30 ft that end up within 3 ft.

My guess would be that they don't keep a stat for something like that because it is somewhat arbitrary.  I get your point, but the goal in lag putting is really to get it down in two, with the distance of your second putt being irrelevant.

To me, it would be sort of like keeping track of how close to the center of the fairway your drives are, or which clubs are being used for your approach.  Those who tend towards the center of the fairway will have less trouble with trees on occasion, and those hitting 9 irons instead of 7 irons into greens will probably tend towards being closer to the hole on average as well.

[bigwave916]

Originally Posted by Truegolf

Lag putting seems to get scorned at by some high handicapper cause they feel the sole objective is too just get it close and not get it in the hole.

Not real sure what you meant, but as a high handicapper (compared to you) I scorn lag putting because I wouldn't shoot a gun aimed at anything but the bullseye. When somebody says "just lag it up there close" I can think of no better effort than one to put the shot in the center of the target (the hole). I am trying to hole out every putt regardless of length, and I take the same attitude about chipping. Just getting it close doesn't give someone the best focus for achieving best results.

I'm not putting for a 3 foot circle, my goal is the one that is 4 1/4 inches in diameter.

[wadesworld]

Originally Posted by bigwave916

Not real sure what you meant, but as a high handicapper (compared to you) I scorn lag putting because I wouldn't shoot a gun aimed at anything but the bullseye. When somebody says "just lag it up there close" I can think of no better effort than one to put the shot in the center of the target (the hole). I am trying to hole out every putt regardless of length, and I take the same attitude about chipping. Just getting it close doesn't give someone the best focus for achieving best results.

I'm not putting for a 3 foot circle, my goal is the one that is 4 1/4 inches in diameter.

The only time I would disagree is on slick downhillers, especially when the really slick part starts after the hole.  If you've got a really fast green with a severe downhill, trying to get it to the hole can result in going WAY past if you miss.  In those situations it may be best to hit the putt so you know it will stop near the hole, even if that means letting it stop a bit short.

However, those situations are few and far between.  I certainly agree that if you watch the touring pros, 99% of the time, they're trying to make it.  If they leave it short, it was generally a misjudgment, not a purposeful lag.

[MEfree]

Having good speed control will see you make more putts AND have fewer 3 putts.  Sure the pros are trying to make most shots, but the goal from 20+ feet is likely to have the speed to only go 6 to 12" by the hole if it doesn`t go in.  This will result in more putts coming up short than say if your goal is to have the speed to knock it 3-5 feet past the cup, but you will take fewer putts overall.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by MEfree

Having good speed control will see you make more putts AND have fewer 3 putts.  Sure the pros are trying to make most shots, but the goal from 20+ feet is likely to have the speed to only go 6 to 12" by the hole if it doesn`t go in.  This will result in more putts coming up short than say if your goal is to have the speed to knock it 3-5 feet past the cup, but you will take fewer putts overall.

Yeah ... what he said. ^^^

Check out this awesome thread about putting from Erik ... http://thesandtrap.com/t/46450/putting-capture-speed/0_30

[VegasRenegade]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Quote:

Originally Posted by MEfree

Having good speed control will see you make more putts AND have fewer 3 putts.  Sure the pros are trying to make most shots, but the goal from 20+ feet is likely to have the speed to only go 6 to 12" by the hole if it doesn`t go in.  This will result in more putts coming up short than say if your goal is to have the speed to knock it 3-5 feet past the cup, but you will take fewer putts overall.

Yeah ... what he said. ^^^

Check out this awesome thread about putting from Erik ... http://thesandtrap.com/t/46450/putting-capture-speed/0_30

Thanks for the link. I have always tired to get the ball to just make it past the front lip.