Averaging 37 putts per round????

[JapanDave]

Hey all, so over the last six months I have averaged 37 putts per round with an average score of 79. I have come to the conclusion that I suck at putting. Anyone have any advise on how to improve this? And BTW, my most missed putt is usually within 4ft, which of coarse entrails a 3 putt.

 

[boogielicious]

2 hours ago, JapanDave said:

Hey all, so over the last six months I have averaged 37 putts per round with an average score of 79. I have come to the conclusion that I suck at putting. Anyone have any advise on how to improve this? And BTW, my most missed putt is usually within 4ft, which of coarse entrails a 3 putt.

 

Three things come to mind: Read, bead, speed. You have to determine what is the issue. Are you mis-reading the break? Is your aim off or does the ball start in the wrong direction? Is your speed off?

From there:

1. Read: Learn AimPoint and don't use your eyes to read the break.
2. Bead: Check you putter fit to insure the the face is actually aimed where you intend the ball to start.
3. Speed:

I average 31 - 32 per round. I've done all three.

[DaveP043]

Mrs. Hogan, when her husband complained about his putting, suggested that he simply hit the ball closer to the hole.

That same suggestion holds true for you, but more for your longer putts.  If you leave a lot of 3 and 4 footers, you may need to work on your speed.  If you leave more putts inside two feet, you'll make fewer 3-putts.  

[Dave325]

I usually average in about the 36 putts range. It is one those big areas that I am working on fixing. I did however notice that I have a better putt average when my chipping and pitching is doing better. Putting a chip within two feet and twenty feet means the difference between a one putt and a two putt. But I noticed if I hit a GIR and end up with a 40 footer, I may end up with a 3 putt (arg). Not sure how to fix that one either.

[DaveP043]

2 minutes ago, Dave325 said:

 But I noticed if I hit a GIR and end up with a 40 footer, I may end up with a 3 putt (arg). Not sure how to fix that one either.

Speed.  In my experience, most 3-putts occur because the first putt is either woefully short of aggressively long.  Its rare that you'll be offline by 4 or 5 feet, much more common to be that far short or long.  You can find drills around here to help you learn to control distance better, I don't claim to have the answers on how to fix the problem.  Of course the other factors, green-reading and proper direction control, are important, but the further you get from the hole, the more important that distance control becomes.

[Dave325]

2 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Speed.  In my experience, most 3-putts occur because the first putt is either woefully short of aggressively long.  Its rare that you'll be offline by 4 or 5 feet, much more common to be that far short or long.  You can find drills around here to help you learn to control distance better, I don't claim to have the answers on how to fix the problem.  Of course the other factors, green-reading and proper direction control, are important, but the further you get from the hole, the more important that distance control becomes.

Thanks, Dave. Yes, I can see you are correct there as many of my long putts yesterday were left considerably short. I'll check out the drills. 

[Mr. Desmond]

I am a detail guy, to me poor speed is a symptom of an issue with fundamentals. Missing 4 footers could be anything without more knowledge of your setup and stroke.

1. Each time I go to the putting green, I start with fundamentals - are my feet, hips, shoulders square? I find by looking at most people, that what they think is square is actually slightly open - so I pretend to close, and I am square. Is my body neutral - not leaning to one side or the other?

2. Is my putter grip around my zipper line? Does my putter hang neutral so I am not manipulating it into a position behind the ball

3. How about my feet - too close to each other?

4. How about ball position? Is the low point of the putter just before the ball?

5. Where is my weight? Neutral or slightly on front foot so my shoulders are more even with each other?

6. My grip - (they are all different)

7. I like to position my forearms slightly bent and against the ribcage so I get a slight arc.

8. Do my hands start slightly before my core? Hands starting slightly beforehand gives me a wider arc.

9. Am I slouched over and is my head hanging down? I like my shoulder blades down and my neck in neutral when putting.

10. Am I relaxed?

11. After my read, how do I approach and setup to the ball so my aim does not vary from the read?

etc....

12. I was also reading a site about balancing and width between feet. My instructor is biomechanically inclined, and last year he tried to get my feet wider in the putt but did not say "Why." I need the "Why." So I had a "ah-ha" moment recently when this balancing guy (biomechanical)  on an internet site went through the exercise of finding the width between the feet that is correct for you. I am finding that the greater width is affecting my speed (more speed at what I feel is same effort). Still experimenting. Always something new in the game to learn.

13. To your point, I'd find fundamentals with which you are comfortable. Your fundamentals may be great, or you may have an area in your fundamentals where you are not feeling it and that affects your confidence.

14. I've also found that where you try to fake a tempo, or go with a tempo where your hands outrun your putter head or vice versa, will lead to consistency. Find a tempo where your grip and putter head stay with each other -- if not, I'd suggest either more weight in the head or counterweighting in the grip, depending on the issue.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Mr. Desmond

[TN94z]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

Three things come to mind: Read, bead, speed. You have to determine what is the issue. Are you mis-reading the break? Is your aim off or does the ball start in the wrong direction? Is your speed off?

From there:

1. Read: Learn AimPoint and don't use your eyes to read the break.
2. Bead: Check you putter fit to insure the the face is actually aimed where you intend the ball to start.
3. Speed:

I average 31 - 32 per round. I've done all three.

Agreed. Good advice here. The first question would be what are your misses? For me personally, I found on the shorter putts that speed was my "main" issue.

[Mr. Desmond]

7 minutes ago, TN94z said:

Agreed. Good advice here. The first question would be what are your misses? For me personally, I found on the shorter putts that speed was my "main" issue.

Well, yes, the post repeats the TST mantra, which is great. But then you've got to diagnose the issue.

[dchoye]

3 hours ago, JapanDave said:

Hey all, so over the last six months I have averaged 37 putts per round with an average score of 79. I have come to the conclusion that I suck at putting. Anyone have any advise on how to improve this? And BTW, my most missed putt is usually within 4ft, which of coarse entrails a 3 putt.

 

So that means that need to improve short putts from the 4-5 foot range. If you leave yourself 4 foot putts then longer putting isn't terrible. 

I find when I missing short putts I pay more attention to my line . My speed is such that if I miss the whole cup it goes 3 feet by

[Golfingdad]

Just based on two things: 79 and 37, it sounds like you strike the ball well enough to hit a lot of greens, but not necessarily within close proximity to the hole.

I average several fewer putts than you, but it's a safe bet it's for one reason alone: my approach shots stray just enough more than yours such that I miss the green and then pitch it closer.  It's very easy to average 31 putts while hitting only 7 greens.

Your solution is threefold:.

1. Work on hitting your line every time on those 4-5 footers so you make more of them.

2. Work on the speed of the lag putting such that the 4 and 5 footers are 2 or 3 footers more often.

3. Work on the ball striking such that the lag putts start from closer as well.

Youve possibly got the makings of a scratch game based on what I'm guessing!!  Good luck!!!

[TN94z]

36 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

Well, yes, the post repeats the TST mantra, which is great. But then you've got to diagnose the issue.

Exactly, hence the question. You have to find the issue to be able to diagnose, right?

[Mr. Desmond]

19 minutes ago, TN94z said:

Exactly, hence the question. You have to find the issue to be able to diagnose, right?

Agree, the issue is tough to answer. The symptom is 3 putts, and then not making 4 footers...

1. As members have posted great advice, you can look at it from a larger viewpoint - get the ball closer with your GIR and chips/pitches. It's a long term approach.

2. You're leaving yourself too many 4 footers -- It's a speed issue.

3. You're missing too many 4 footers -- it's read, bead, speed issue.

Those have been hit - so where do you go from the generalities? To the details and putting fundamentals, and putter fitting.

All are good answers - one can only respond so much ... it's up to the OP.

[TN94z]

20 minutes ago, Mr. Desmond said:

Agree, the issue is tough to answer. The symptom is 3 putts, and then not making 4 footers...

1. As members have posted great advice, you can look at it from a larger viewpoint - get the ball closer with your GIR and chips/pitches. It's a long term approach.

2. You're leaving yourself too many 4 footers -- It's a speed issue.

3. You're missing too many 4 footers -- it's read, bead, speed issue.

Those have been hit - so where do you go from the generalities? To the details and putting fundamentals, and putter fitting.

All are good answers - one can only respond so much ... it's up to the OP.

Agreed but I had yet to see a response from the OP on the questions asked. But our conversation is leading down a road that steers away from the original topic, so I'll leave it at that. But you made a great point. I should have thought about what was causing the 4 footers to begin with.

[iacas]

5 hours ago, JapanDave said:

Hey all, so over the last six months I have averaged 37 putts per round with an average score of 79. I have come to the conclusion that I suck at putting. Anyone have any advise on how to improve this? And BTW, my most missed putt is usually within 4ft, which of coarse entrails a 3 putt.

As has been said: why do you leave yourself a four-footer? Is it because of poor lag putting?

[DrvFrShow]

Considering I have the same problem... poor lag putting. My back gets sore after 10 minutes of putting practice. Solution - I'll three putt a number of holes.

[Mr. Desmond]

15 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

Considering I have the same problem... poor lag putting. My back gets sore after 10 minutes of putting practice. Solution - I'll three putt a number of holes.

I think Ray Floyd has a back issue; he went to a 36 inch putter.

[Patch]

Since everything that needs to be said about putting has been,  I have one question for the OP. 

Do you every use your putter instead of a wedge when off the green? I might be wrong but I have always thought that when using a putter when not on the actual green, did not count as a putting stroke. If this is the case, then perhaps you are averaging something less than 37 putts.

On another note I average 29 putts per 18 holes,  and can shoot 79s. Go figure. 

Edited December 20, 2015 by Patch