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Missing putts from 1-2 feet


mazza78
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Hi I'm after some advice on my putting. I'm playing off 11 but losing silly shots on putts from around 1-2 feet for some reason. I've worked on my putting and keeping my arms tucked in slightly more. But when playing in comps and having to hole out I tighten up on them putts and drag or push putts wide of hole! Can anyone help!? Grip lower down? Narrower stance? Heeeellllpppp!

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First stop thinking about it so much. You are psyching yourself up.

My best advice, develop a consistent pre shot routine and train yourself to let go of all the negative thoughts in your head while you are over the putt.

Basically this is what I do,

Take as much time as I need to read the putt.

Pick out a spot a 1-2 inches in front of the ball to aim over

Line up parallel to my target line, about half a foot from the ball. Take a few practice strokes.

Line up the putter behind the ball

Step forward

Get into a comfortable stance. I do a bit of a waggle with my body. Just to loosen up the shoulders and arms.

Look from my ball, tracing the path to the hole twice.

Stroke the putt.

It looks like a lot, but I do this for every putt, so its ingrained. It makes putting pretty much automatic. The probably people have is their head gets in the way.

As for drills, just practice till you can hit putts on your intended line. I would stop messing with the grip or stroke and try to get back to putting more naturally. You start getting all those thoughts in your head and keep changing things you will never improve.

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These are mental for me. The solution for me is systematically practice short putts to build confidence. I don't leave my basement after morning workout until I have made 18 short putts in a row on my BirdieBall practice green. I switch it up from 1-4 feet and rotate it. Can't remember the last time it took me more than twice to make it through. The idea is even if I face 18 short putts during a round I know in my mind I can do it.  I go though my full routine each and every time. When I was missing those short putts it was a combo of head problems and shoulders not being square, repetition fixed both from that distance.

Dave :-)

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What I see happen with most misses on short putts is de acceleration, trying to coax the ball in never works if anything I sometimes hit them a bit firm and my buddy always comments "you don't have to damage the back of the cup with that thing" I just feel as if I can hit it straight for 2 feet with little break affecting it then I would rather do that than try and get cute and die it in.

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I agree with everyone, once it gets in your head you just think about it too much. I had the same problem for awhile last year, it was the short puts that were killing me. I would push and pull my misses. I started to prefer putts outside of 4' lol. I started looking at the hole vs the ball on short putts and have never looked back. It works! Think of shooting a basketball, you focus on the rim when you shoot a free throw, not the ball, but somehow your mind takes over and gives you the right distance as you follow through to the rim. Same thing applies here. I even do it on short putts with break, but I putt to my spot ( while looking st the spot). Check out the end of the video in the link below, Shawn clement gave me the idea. I think I heard the announcers on last weekend pga tour event mentioned one of the players closes his eyes on really short putts. Give it a try. It feels very strange at first, but it will get you to finish your stroke long and to the hole [VIDEO]http://youtube.com/watch?v=mEsDmcudEEU[/VIDEO]

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I agree with everyone, once it gets in your head you just think about it too much. I had the same problem for awhile last year, it was the short puts that were killing me. I would push and pull my misses. I started to prefer putts outside of 4' lol. I started looking at the hole vs the ball on short putts and have never looked back. It works! Think of shooting a basketball, you focus on the rim when you shoot a free throw, not the ball, but somehow your mind takes over and gives you the right distance as you follow through to the rim. Same thing applies here. I even do it on short putts with break, but I putt to my spot ( while looking st the spot). Check out the end of the video in the link below, Shawn clement gave me the idea. I think I heard the announcers on last weekend pga tour event mentioned one of the players closes his eyes on really short putts.

Give it a try. It feels very strange at first, but it will get you to finish your stroke long and to the hole


There definitely is something to this technique, doesn't Ray Floyd do this now? One day messing around on the practice green I tried this out a bit and noticed my pace was at least as good or better on the 20' +putts and the greens there are quick which further backs up the assertion of a more momentum stroke versus a hit IMO. I'm always willing to make changes if I think it's beneficial and I feel this needs to be looked at more, like this guy said you have to build up your trust that your going to strike the ball squarely.

Rich C.

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missing from 1-2 two feet????? That really severely poor putting.

try closing the eyes and make a "normal" stroke, that is the stroke you feel confident with from 1-2 feet.

there should be no reason to miss from 1-2 feet.

i think the cutup point is 3 feet when the percentages go down.

I do a drill where I try to make as many short putts as possible with my left hand (i m lefty) so it feels like my palm pushes to the hole.

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I agree with everyone, once it gets in your head you just think about it too much. I had the same problem for awhile last year, it was the short puts that were killing me. I would push and pull my misses. I started to prefer putts outside of 4' lol. I started looking at the hole vs the ball on short putts and have never looked back. It works! Think of shooting a basketball, you focus on the rim when you shoot a free throw, not the ball, but somehow your mind takes over and gives you the right distance as you follow through to the rim. Same thing applies here. I even do it on short putts with break, but I putt to my spot ( while looking st the spot). Check out the end of the video in the link below, Shawn clement gave me the idea. I think I heard the announcers on last weekend pga tour event mentioned one of the players closes his eyes on really short putts.

Give it a try. It feels very strange at first, but it will get you to finish your stroke long and to the hole

I like this idea for long putts. I dont look directly at the hole, I pick about spot 2/3 of the way there and try to roll the ball over my spot. The green will do the rest. if I do have any mechanical thoughts for long putts it is the back of my hand/knuckles is pointed to my spot.

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@mazza78

Try this drill at home or on the practice green.  Instead of aiming at a cup, place another ball about 1 foot away on a relatively straight putting line.  With another ball, putt to hit the first ball dead center.  Try to move the target ball straight back on impact about 8 inches or less, but definitely move it.  After 1 foot seems easy, move to 2 feet.  Then try it on a side slope from 1 foot.  Try getting the target ball to go straight back from the actually direction of impact, meaning you are still hitting the ball dead center.  Do both right to left and left to right breaks.

Now on the course, focus first on where the ball will enter the cup considering the break.  If it is a straight putt, see the ball entering at 6 o'clock.  If it will break, 7 or 5 o'clock or 8 and 4 o'clock if it is more of a slope.  That is your entry target.  Putt so the ball will enter at the target.  This gives you the entire width of the hole as your error.

The visualizing entry is from Dave Stockton's book, Unconscious Putting .  The ball drill is something I came up with in my basement because my mat didn't have a hole to work with.

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Note: This thread is 3680 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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