Do you line up your putts with the straight line on the ball?

[Kevin18]

Hello,

For the longest time now, every time I putt I naturally mark my ball on the green, wipe it off, and then aim where I want it to go using the straight line already on the ball or one that I previously drew. Lately, however, I am noticing that behind the ball, where I line up usually is off line- when I am over the ball, I almost always adjust and stray away from the line, and usually my gut feeling is correct. I had added too much break or not enough from looking at behind. So, my question is, would it be smarter to just simply place my ball back down without using the line to aim and just glance to see what kind of break I am to encounter? What would the point of using a false aiming point?

Also, does anyone else have/had this problem, and what did you do?

(By the way, I do not pull or push putts, so it is not my stroke. My stroke is technically sound.)

Thanks so much and may God bless you all! ^_^

[GaijinGolfer]

I personally dont use the line.  IMO, its more for telling if you are putting sidespin on the ball or not.

[iacas]

Most (80% or more) of the players in our testing were unable to put the line on the ball where they wanted to anyway. You'd be surprised. So no, I don't.

[saevel25]

I don't use a line, honestly i rather there be no alignment markers on the putter or ball.

[irishmike27]

Nope. I place the ball so that I can't see any markings, it's just what I've done for as long as I can remember. I've tried using alignment lines on the practice green, but I find them more of a distraction to me. The less I have to think about the better.

[Kevin18]

Wow thank you guys! I thought I was really one of the only ones, since I have never really played with anyone who hasn't lined up their putts using alignments such as the line on the ball. Glad to know there are others who have the same perspective

[PirateJim]

I know people do it.  I believe I see pros doing it on TV.  I tried it on the practice green and didn't find it to help in any appreciable way and to be more of a distraction really, though I'm not a good enough putter to give any sort of blanket condemnation!  I like a bit of a line on my putter, but really focus on the face for alignment.  For me, that's enough to think about.

[tristanhilton85]

I don't use it either...

[gnorris74]

I don't use it as a guide for putts

[SCfanatic35]

I do not use the side stamp as a line for putting.  I tried to do it for a short while when I saw a few pros doing it.  It didn't work.  It actually made my putting worse because I was trying to keep the lines (side stamp and line on putter) in a straight line and it was messing with my mind.

[grubby98]

I always use the ProV1 with lines to line up my putt.  What I do though is find a spot a foot or so in front of where my ball is that I want my ball to rollover and aim at that.  Then I just worry about speed of putt.  Just started doing it this way and putting is improving.  I used to try and line the line up 2 balls outside of hole, etc.. and I seemed to never make anything.  I guess in my mind its easier to roll the ball 1-2 feet on the line you wants and let it go from there.

[mchepp]

I used to paint the line on the ball, but realized it was hurting more than helping, so I stopped.

[jamo]

I draw the line for identification's sake, but I don't use it to line up my putts.

[onephenom]

It doesn't help me, seems like it would hurt since most people don't putt with the eyes right over the ball or perfectly in the line of the putt so it won't look right, imo

[Mr. Desmond]

I do not any longer - I think it interferes with the ability to line up my putt using the optics of the putter.

[boogielicious]

I don't.  I found that it was much harder to align and took much longer.  I put the ball down with no marks visible.

[NM Golf]

I have used it, but figured out that it didn't help one way or another so I stopped. Why spend the time?

[mvmac]

What Erik said and I find it distracting...so no