How to Practice Long Putts

[billchao]

http://www.golf.com/instruction/adam-scott-and-distance-secret-making-more-long-putts

Quote:

To save strokes from far out, like the players above, your goal should be to leave your long putts as close to the hole as possible. If they go in, it's a bonus.

Try my "Perfect 10" game, which gauges your distance control and measures your progress on long putts. Here's how to play: On a practice green, hit 10 putts from 25 to 35 feet in length to different holes—say, three from 25 feet, four from 30 feet, and three from 35 feet. Switch up the distances and combine a mix of uphill, downhill and sidehill putts. Give yourself one point for each putt that finishes within three feet of the hole, and subtract one point for each putt that finishes outside of three feet. As the name suggests, 10 is a perfect score, but don't expect to reach such lofty lag-putting heights. I've found that 90-shooters average a score of zero, 80-shooters average two points, and Tour pros typically score five points. My advice: Simply try to improve on your score.

Good piece on how unrealistic it is to expect to make long putts, followed by solid putting instruction. I was honestly surprised when I started reading the article, but then I scrolled back up and saw who the author was.

[DrvFrShow]

Make sure those 3 footers are automatic. You should be good from 6-10 feet, but pros miss these.

Learn to lag putt pretty much everything from 15 feet out. The closer you are to the hole, the closer you should lag for a tap in. Chances of making a 15 footer are pretty small anyway get as close as you can.

[Abu3baid]

To save strokes from far out, like the players above, your goal should be to leave your long putts as close to the hole as possible. If they go in, it's a bonus.

Try my "Perfect 10" game, which gauges your distance control and measures your progress on long putts. Here's how to play: On a practice green, hit 10 putts from 25 to 35 feet in length to different holes—say, three from 25 feet, four from 30 feet, and three from 35 feet. Switch up the distances and combine a mix of uphill, downhill and sidehill putts. Give yourself one point for each putt that finishes within three feet of the hole, and subtract one point for each putt that finishes outside of three feet. As the name suggests, 10 is a perfect score, but don't expect to reach such lofty lag-putting heights. I've found that 90-shooters average a score of zero, 80-shooters average two points, and Tour pros typically score five points. My advice: Simply try to improve on your score.

This part I thought was very interesting..  Doesn't this really reinforce the idea that Pro's are great putters when compared with 80 shooters and 90 shooters?    When a lot of what I have read here is that on average what separates pros and non pros is the ball striking.. according to this, it is both putting and ball striking.

[billchao]

[COLOR=181818]This part I thought was very interesting..  Doesn't this really reinforce the idea that Pro's are great putters when compared with 80 shooters and 90 shooters?    When a lot of what I have read here is that on average what separates pros and non pros is the ball striking.. according to this, it is both putting and ball striking.[/COLOR]

Pros are better than amateurs at pretty much everything. What separates[/i] them from amateurs is their ballstriking. Even though their distance control tends to be better, 7% make is just not that high. What they are good at is avoiding 3-putts. If you had putting contests with PGA Tour professionals, chances are, you'd win one every now and then. Can't say that about ballstriking.

[boogielicious]

The hard part is being able to practice long putts in the off season in the frozen north.  When I go to a golf store, I always sneak in some long putts on their practice green.  I have a putting green at home, but it is only 12 feet. I practice my bead drills there.

At the store, I grab a putter close to mine then hit to the farthest hole.  My intention is to get as close as possible.

[scorpion12]

Bead drill? What's that?

[Ernest Jones]

Bead drill? What's that?

Generic reference to pretty much any drill designed to work on hitting your intended line. Part of the 3 keys of great putting - Read, Bead and Speed. Read is establishing the line you want to roll the ball on, Bead is the ability to actually get the ball to roll on that chosen line and Speed is being able to get the ball to roll at the correct speed to travel the distance you want it to travel ie: not leaving it 3 feet short or blasting it 8 feet past the hole.

One of the best "bead" drills is just stretching out a piece of string between two knitting needles (about 6" off the ground) and putting under the string to see if you can putt it under the line created by the string without pushing or pulling the putt off-line. You can also make a "gate" with two balls or tees and practice putting through the gate from various distances. Another one is the two ball drill - place two balls 5 feet apart and try to put the first ball into the second, then putt to wherever the second ball rolled to and keep "chasing" that second ball.

[Shindig]

One of the best "bead" drills is just stretching out a piece of string between two knitting needles (about 6" off the ground) and putting under the string to see if you can putt it under the line created by the string without pushing or pulling the putt off-line. You can also make a "gate" with two balls or tees and practice putting through the gate from various distances. Another one is the two ball drill - place two balls 5 feet apart and try to put the first ball into the second, then putt to wherever the second ball rolled to and keep "chasing" that second ball.

I've been meaning to get the knitting needles and ... was it elastic string that was suggested elsewhere? The problem is that I literally don't know what to get -- I don't know anyone who knits, so I'd even have difficulty figuring out what to buy at a supply store. Or is there literally a product called "knitting needles" and any brand/spec would be okay within it?

[iacas]

I've been meaning to get the knitting needles and ... was it elastic string that was suggested elsewhere? The problem is that I literally don't know what to get -- I don't know anyone who knits, so I'd even have difficulty figuring out what to buy at a supply store. Or is there literally a product called "knitting needles" and any brand/spec would be okay within it?

Any JoAnn Fabrics store.

http://www.joann.com/needle-arts/knit-and-crochet-supplies/knitting-needles/

http://www.joann.com/search?q=elastic%20cord

[Ernest Jones]

I've been meaning to get the knitting needles and ... was it elastic string that was suggested elsewhere? The problem is that I literally don't know what to get -- I don't know anyone who knits, so I'd even have difficulty figuring out what to buy at a supply store. Or is there literally a product called "knitting needles" and any brand/spec would be okay within it?

Well, it appears that your "man card" is safe for the foreseeable future.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorpion12

Bead drill? What's that?

Generic reference to pretty much any drill designed to work on hitting your intended line. Part of the 3 keys of great putting - Read, Bead and Speed. Read is establishing the line you want to roll the ball on, Bead is the ability to actually get the ball to roll on that chosen line and Speed is being able to get the ball to roll at the correct speed to travel the distance you want it to travel ie: not leaving it 3 feet short or blasting it 8 feet past the hole.

One of the best "bead" drills is just stretching out a piece of string between two knitting needles (about 6" off the ground) and putting under the string to see if you can putt it under the line created by the string without pushing or pulling the putt off-line. You can also make a "gate" with two balls or tees and practice putting through the gate from various distances. Another one is the two ball drill - place two balls 5 feet apart and try to put the first ball into the second, then putt to wherever the second ball rolled to and keep "chasing" that second ball.

@scorpion12

@Ernest Jones ere a bunch of drills you can do indoors and even make up your own to create variety.  I do the gate and the last drill Jason mentioned which is like playing pool with your putter.  The idea is to nail your aim and start line down, then you only need to worry about speed on the course.

[billchao]

The idea is to nail your aim and start line down, then you only need to worry about speed on the course.

Technically, those are two separate functions. You can nail your start lines but still suck at aiming on the course. At least that's how it works for me; it's one of the biggest reasons I'm going for an Edel putter this year.

[Golfingdad]

I've been meaning to get the knitting needles and ... was it elastic string that was suggested elsewhere? The problem is that I literally don't know what to get -- I don't know anyone who knits, so I'd even have difficulty figuring out what to buy at a supply store. Or is there literally a product called "knitting needles" and any brand/spec would be okay within it?

Any JoAnn Fabrics store.

http://www.joann.com/needle-arts/knit-and-crochet-supplies/knitting-needles/

http://www.joann.com/search?q=elastic%20cord

Yeah, no need to overthink this.  You need two pointy thingies that you can stretch a string between.  Heck, you can go outside in your front yard to the stick store and fine a couple of those fairly cheap too.

[Morkin]

I always try and visualise a long putt by first imagining the pace to get it 1/3 way to the hole, then 2/3, then all the way. That way I've appreciated the distance and the borrows.

[Torres9]

I always try and visualise a long putt by first imagining the pace to get it 1/3 way to the hole, then 2/3, then all the way. That way I've appreciated the distance and the borrows.

Interesting.

[turtleback]

I've been meaning to get the knitting needles and ... was it elastic string that was suggested elsewhere? The problem is that I literally don't know what to get -- I don't know anyone who knits, so I'd even have difficulty figuring out what to buy at a supply store. Or is there literally a product called "knitting needles" and any brand/spec would be okay within it?

Yeah, no need to overthink this.  You need two pointy thingies that you can stretch a string between.  Heck, you can go outside in your front yard to the stick store and fine a couple of those fairly cheap too.

Or check the kitchen for some bamboo skewers.

[joekelly]

Found this video, pretty informative on effects of posture, take-away, line of putter head, etc in moving towards a better putting technique.  Where all what Mike Shannon says is totally accurate or not, his ideas do have some merit.  He also discusses why some pros are better than others.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I calibrate longer putts this way.

When I take the putter back and my right bicep meets my right side, that's the length of backswing that sends the ball ~15 feet.

Taking it back farther, I feel a slight tug on my lower left side from the torque of turning. That's the length of backswing that sends the ball ~22 feet.

When take the putter back still farther, the sensation transfers to the center of my lower back = ~30 feet.

Going back more, the tug is felt on the lower left side = ~40 feet.

Much beyond 40 feet, I use the 40 feet stroke and add a little pop with my right hand.

Practice these strokes during a warm-up before the round to see what they deliver on that course on that day to adjust the distances if necessary.