Putting - the frustration

[iacas]

I believe the saying "Its the Indian, not the arrow" is very true in putting. There is nothing wrong with getting truly fitted for your putter if you want to spend the money. It does have practical and real benefits. You can however, learn to putt with anything, as demonstrated by the recent pro who finished his round with a wedge.

Though I agree with the underlying sentiment here, in the specifics I'm going to disagree every time.

That wedge you cite is a good example. Yes, he could get through nine holes putting with a wedge. I can beat people putting with a wedge in putting competitions too (they have putters). Would I - or he - ever choose to forego a putter for a wedge? No.

If you putt 90% as well with a wedge, and 95% as well with the putter you've got versus a perfectly fitted putter (putters are fit not just for length/lie but for aim AND speed control), you're giving up that 10%, or that 5%.

You probably aim your two putters differently and unless they have similar weight profiles you probably control your distances pretty well with them too. You'll switch putters when your old faithful lets you down, but my putter never lets me down. It's fit for me, and so if I'm missing some putts I expect to make, it's my technique, not my putter. A fitted putter simplifies the process. It removes a variable.

P.S. I obviously recommend everyone see their nearest Edel fitter, even if it's just for a fitting so they can see what their tendencies are, but with weight you can use coins and tape and figure out your ideal weight profile, free, in about 20 minutes.

[saevel25]

That wedge you cite is a good example. Yes, he could get through nine holes putting with a wedge. I can beat people putting with a wedge in putting competitions too (they have putters). Would I - or he - ever choose to forego a putter for a wedge? No.

You can beat people putting with your foot

[mmoan2]

I realized today why there are so many times that I hit my goal scoring-wise, but still am not content with what I have done - PUTTING!!!!!

The part of golf I am worst at is putting and it's the last thing I always do for every hole.

I can't stand 3 putting and yet it seems like it happens far too often.

I noticed that if I am 5-10 feet away, I almost always miss as well.

There is this one particularly long par 4 (for me) - ~470 yard par 4. I can get it reasonably close due to a good chip/shot, but then I always miss the putt!

Today, I 3 putt on the last green as well. Made my bogey golf score but several 3 putts and that missed 8-10 feet putt ruined the round.

Anyone else have the dreaded putting problem?

I think putting takes a much greater mental toll on you, which is why you need  trust yourself and skills more. As others have said, even the best putters in the world only make half from 8 feet generally. Even a cold shank makes me feel like I just made a bad swing, but a missed 5-footer can drive you to drink. It's mentally more damaging to me.

I think you need to get a repeatable, GOOD putting stroke and just accept the consequences. Speed is most important for not 3 putting by far. From 40+ feet sometimes I just try to visualize a hole with a two-foot diameter and sink it. I sometimes practice that way as well by circling the hole with tees exactly 1 foot from the cup. Work on tempo and routine as well. Make it an almost thoughtless motion. Putting is a very different game than diving or iron play. This is one thing from Dave Pelz I agree with. They're very different skills.

[jamo]

Though I agree with the underlying sentiment here, in the specifics I'm going to disagree every time.

It's like asking a 5' Indian to use an arrow meant for a 6'5" Indian.

[dbuck]

Though I agree with the underlying sentiment here, in the specifics I'm going to disagree every time.

That wedge you cite is a good example. Yes, he could get through nine holes putting with a wedge. I can beat people putting with a wedge in putting competitions too (they have putters). Would I - or he - ever choose to forego a putter for a wedge? No.

If you putt 90% as well with a wedge, and 95% as well with the putter you've got versus a perfectly fitted putter (putters are fit not just for length/lie but for aim AND speed control), you're giving up that 10%, or that 5%.

You probably aim your two putters differently and unless they have similar weight profiles you probably control your distances pretty well with them too. You'll switch putters when your old faithful lets you down, but my putter never lets me down. It's fit for me, and so if I'm missing some putts I expect to make, it's my technique, not my putter. A fitted putter simplifies the process. It removes a variable.

P.S. I obviously recommend everyone see their nearest Edel fitter, even if it's just for a fitting so they can see what their tendencies are, but with weight you can use coins and tape and figure out your ideal weight profile, free, in about 20 minutes.

Obviously I was using the wedge as an extreme example, pretty sure I could not stay on the green with one.

While I agree with you in principle and detail, if I miss I also know it's my technique. I like, or rather once liked(still like it but don't have time)to shoot indoor pistol.Folks would discuss how this pistol would group in 1" at 50 ft and this one would group 3/4", etc. If you can only hold 2", a pistol that groups 3/4"is more than you can use.  With the pistol, if the balance and trigger are decent, and the group is centered, I will shoot as good as I can. I am sure at your level you can detect 5%, I am not sure at my 15 hcp 5% would matter.

[iacas]

Obviously I was using the wedge as an extreme example, pretty sure I could not stay on the green with one.

You'd be surprised. It's easy.

While I agree with you in principle and detail, if I miss I also know it's my technique.

You don't know that. If you aim a certain putter 4° right, you cannot make a putt with proper technique. You have to compensate somehow.

I like, or rather once liked(still like it but don't have time)to shoot indoor pistol.Folks would discuss how this pistol would group in 1" at 50 ft and this one would group 3/4", etc. If you can only hold 2", a pistol that groups 3/4"is more than you can use.  With the pistol, if the balance and trigger are decent, and the group is centered, I will shoot as good as I can. I am sure at your level you can detect 5%, I am not sure at my 15 hcp 5% would matter.

Of course it matters. Heck, it may matter more. While the guy on the PGA Tour could make 4 birdies with his wedge (maybe he'd have made 5 with a putter?), you likely have (and miss) more putts. So the strokes lost add up for you too, possibly more quickly.

Now, I'm not saying it's always a good "value" for someone to spend $400 on a custom fit putter when they don't break 100 (not talking about you now, just in general). Depends on many things. But it matters as much to you to be fit as a PGA Tour pro and possibly more so . They have more talent and skill and practice more. Tiger aims 4° right and pulls everything (or at least he did a few years back - that's why he always seemed to talk about "releasing the toe"), but he practices his putting for two hours a day. You aim 4° right and you're gonna miss putts left and right all day as you struggle to time it perfectly.

[808hacker]

Back with another zany idea.

Saw this on this website from long ago. I verified that yes, this guy is right in that there is a stance which makes the arms move together nicely. Verified that it seems to smooth out my putting motion.

Used it on the course not expecting much. Had 2 birdies and no 3 putts in 9 holes. Hope it continues to help - like any other golfing tip - take it with a grain of salt!!!!!

[RH31]

I realized today why there are so many times that I hit my goal scoring-wise, but still am not content with what I have done - PUTTING!!!!!

The part of golf I am worst at is putting and it's the last thing I always do for every hole.

I can't stand 3 putting and yet it seems like it happens far too often.

I noticed that if I am 5-10 feet away, I almost always miss as well.

There is this one particularly long par 4 (for me) - ~470 yard par 4. I can get it reasonably close due to a good chip/shot, but then I always miss the putt!

Today, I 3 putt on the last green as well. Made my bogey golf score but several 3 putts and that missed 8-10 feet putt ruined the round.

Anyone else have the dreaded putting problem?

I'm in a putting funk as well. What I've found is that if I don't practice my putting, correctly, eventually I get sloppy with my fundamentals and then start to look up and mishit putts.

You might try going to the practice green and experiment with slightly different setups, hands a little forward, bend over or stand taller,whatever. When you find something that works, practice that technique, a lot. I think you'll find if you gain confidence inside 10 feet, your longer range stroke may free up a bit.

[iacas]

Back with another zany idea.

Saw this on this website from long ago. I verified that yes, this guy is right in that there is a stance which makes the arms move together nicely. Verified that it seems to smooth out my putting motion.

I don't think that makes much sense. I don't think how wide your feet and thus legs are affects how your shoulders, elbows, and arms work. They're "connected" but not really - there are a lot of independent joints and things in between.

[MrDC]

I returned to left hand low for lag putting this past weekend and was much better, even drained a long one, I abandoned the grip for some strange reason not long ago but am now a believer- it works.

So those that struggle with two putting should really consider trying it, feels strange at first but quickly becomes second nature because your shoulders are level, and that's really what helps with control.

[saevel25]

I returned to left hand low for lag putting this past weekend and was much better, even drained a long one, I abandoned the grip for some strange reason not long ago but am now a believer- it works.

I know a guy who switches between left hand low on short putts and more tradition grip on longer putts. So he does the opposite.

I find with lag putting that most people don't make a long enough back stroke with the putter. I rather over do the back stroke and slow down the putter than make a short back stroke and try to bash the putt.

[Fourputt]

To the OP:  The leader on Tour this year is only hitting 64.81% of his putts between 5 and 10 feet.  that means that no player on tour is making 35% of those putts, so as a 16 handicap, you probably can't expect to even make 50%.  If you are expecting to do that well, then you are putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on that part of your game.  We can all work on that part of the game and hope to improve, but I certainly don't expect to ever achieve anything close to Tour stats in this life.  You read miraculous things from internet golfers all the time, but you can't base your expectations on that or you will just drive yourself insane.

I typically consider myself a fairly good putter, but last week I had a 3 rounds where I felt that I was totally clueless.  I honestly don't know what was going on.  The course is one that I play rarely, and one that I've had some trouble with before (the greens have always been hard for me to read), but never to the extent that I did this time.  I couldn't even make a straight in 3 foot putt more than about 10% of the time, and that is simply not normal.  Then the next couple of days on two equally unfamiliar courses and my putting was back, even holing a couple from the 10 foot range.

Sometimes even the best pros have bad putting streaks.  When it happens to me, it's usually due to misreading the break, and it only takes a tiny misread to lip out a 5 foot putt.  I look at it like, if I'm lipping them out from over 5 feet pretty often, then I'm hitting some pretty good putts, so I try not to let it get into my head.

[MrDC]

I know a guy who switches between left hand low on short putts and more tradition grip on longer putts. So he does the opposite.

I find with lag putting that most people don't make a long enough back stroke with the putter. I rather over do the back stroke and slow down the putter than make a short back stroke and try to bash the putt.

I go LHL for long, RHL for the short ones, strange, but I may stop that and go LHL for all.

But I think the reason is not the backstroke but the stroke itself, because my left shoulder is raised with RHL my putter face comes up on the ball and loses power and control, with LHL I putt though the ball better so I have much better speed and direction control when a fuller stroke is needed, maybe it's in my mind but hours spent on the practice greens trying both ways doesn't lie.

[808hacker]

I know that video seems crazy, but  someone please try it. I have never putted as good as I have recently. Of course it's only been a few days but my stroke is so much better with the correct stance. I always used to fight my stroke going back and forth - either being too wrist or not, or seeing the putter go offline. This stance change actually made a difference for me.

[dchoye]

Best thing I ever did was to totally commit to the putt. By that I mean, don't baby it. Hit the ball in the hole. Once I realized I could not be afraid of missing the putt and watching it roll past the hole 3, or 4 feet, I started making more putts. Before, I would be hesitant with the stroke figuring if I missed, at least I would have a tap in left over. I am not a "die at the hole" type of putter. Too much can effect the roll of the ball as it gets near the hole, and starts slowing down.

The extra speed also helped by straightening out breaks a little more, and I also became a better long range putter.  Yeah, I still miss putts,and have longer next putts, but in the long run, I make more than when I was afraid to miss. My way of putting is not for the faint of heart.

A fitted putter is must. It helps with hitting straight putts. All putts are straight to some point at, or near the hole. I practice by rolling putts, on a level surface, over a dime 2 feet in front of the ball. If I can roll the ball over the coin, then I am hitting straight putts. I also practice my green reads when on the practice greens. I size up what I see, and then see if the ball rolls like what I thought it should.

Another type of practice do is to use two balls. As I am walking across the green, I will drop a ball behind me. That dropped ball is my target from where ever I decide to putt from, The smaller target helps with focus.

I been finding that I dont react well to a miss putt that lips out or goes 5 foot past the hole.(no one does) But I have seen some great players make the best of it and make their long  comebacks. I really dont have this mentality and can get down on myself and three putt.. So I tend to be more of a die at the hole putter than a charge putter. I feel I can make my fair share of putts over 3-4 rounds rather than be hot and cold.

I do tend to be more agressive on slower greens and uphill putts and aim at the back of the cup and dont get to concerned if if gets three feet past the hole.

I think trying to be agressive on the fast greens with more break and missing and ball goes >5 feet by makes it hard for me to accept the risk:reward

[808hacker]

Thanks Rick,

But the tour players are playing much more difficult greens that I assume I am. I get frustrated when I ask other people to try the putt and they make it nearly every single time. I am not kidding you, I am one of the worst putters I have seen but things are looking up! (BTW: LSW said that most people feel this way about their putting).

[Duff McGee]

I am getting much better at putting. What I have done that has made a world of difference is always (well, almost always except two times today......) hitting the putt hard enough that I am trying to get it past the hole or in the hole on long putts. The most surprising thing for me is that I always feel like I'm going to just crush the putt by the hole but it just never happens. The ball always slows down somewhere near the hole. This is from 20 ft uphill puts to 70 foot bending putts. The cool thing is that I don't think I've hit a ball further past the hole than I've ever left them short. Just think about it. How many times have you have a long putt and left it basically halfway to the hole? It is demoralizing! Now think how often you have ever hit it that much further than the hole. Meaning take the distance left and add it on to the back of the hole. You would never hit it that far past the hole. So it's a game of averages and the more aggressive putts on long putts beat the averages 90% of the time. As for the shorter putts, I'm still putting them to or past the hole more often than not (unless I mishit the putter which unfortunately happens way too often). But the difference is that now I'm not scared of those 2-3 foot come backers. I've just changed my mindset and hit those aggressively too. I had a couple of 3 putt holes today on extremely difficult greens (and one of the three putts was from not taking my own advice and hitting it to or past the hole on a longer putt) My strategy is paying off.

[DrvFrShow]

Putting - right now it's killing me. 3 putting. Whereas it's not a high separation value skill, it's something that can't be neglected. I need to practice putting.

Chipping - that's another thing that's killing me right now. I'm getting pin high with my second shot if it's a mid iron but wasting strokes around the green.

Approach shots - if it's inside 110 yds I'm hitting poorly. I'm probably flipping again. - something I'm not doing with my mid and long clubs.