Really long putts on really slow greens?

[jkelley9]

The courses I frequent the most often have really, REALLY slow greens. I believe the grass type on these greens are tifdwarf and I don't believe they're being mowed as frequently as they should be. 

The greens are fairly large on most holes. I frequently will have 60-80 ft putts. I've noticed I'm developing a really bad habit where I pull the club head back and then accelerate with a vengeance to "pop" the ball toward my target. Obviously, this level of acceleration makes distance control ridiculous. 

Yesterday on the practice green I started working on trying to break that habit, by bringing the club head back farther and allowing it to fall down naturally (gravity-acceleration only, not muscular). I couldn't get the ball to go 60 ft with a slight uphill. 

How the heck should I play these shots? I'm really starting to hate slow greens.

[Valleygolfer]

It was said during the Women's PGA when Brooke made the loooong putt, to open your stance so it is a little like hitting chip so you can come through the ball better. It does work, I tried it on my long greens and off the green.

Edited June 28, 2016 by Valleygolfer

[RH31]

On long slow putts, I let the putter head hinge a little going back and then release on the follow through. On slow greens I sometimes look to a spot 2-3 feet past the hole in an effort "program" the distance of the putt easier. So, instead of trying to hit the ball harder, I try to hit the putt farther.

[Groucho Valentine]

Along with the 50 yard bunker shot, i think 70-80 yard putts on slow greens are among the hardest shots in golf. So hard to gauge. On a putt like that, i tend to consciously drag the putter head away first and absolutely make sure i accelerate through the ball. No quitting at the ball. Even add a bit of hip turn to make sure i don't cut across it too much. I view it as a trouble shot that you have to practice.  

[jkelley9]

17 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

It was said during the Women's PGA when Brooke made the loooong putt, to open your stance so it is a little like hitting chip so you can come through the ball better. It does work, I tried it on my long greens and off the green.

Interesting. Maybe this coupled with putting the ball farther forward in my stance to give it a nice long arc?

When I was trying on the practice green yesterday (the absolute slowest condition I had ever seen a green) I HAD to POP the ball. It was almost a jerk-like movement, to get the ball to go 80-100 feet with only a SLIGHT uphill. There are 120+ ft greens with even more sever uphills on this course than even the practice green to boot. 

I'm wondering if maybe going to my 2H on the green to give it a little lofted pop would be beneficial? I know this is a common way to address fringe putts, but has anyone here tried that on the green itself?

[CyboNinja]

7 hours ago, Valleygolfer said:

It was said during the Women's PGA when Brooke made the loooong putt, to open your stance so it is a little like hitting chip so you can come through the ball better. It does work, I tried it on my long greens and off the green.

The longer my putt the wider I take my stance. It helps me to keep everything lined up on my longer strokes. Also I use my back foot as a reference for how far to draw back on my backswing so when I widen my stance it naturally makes my swing longer for longer putts.

[Buckeyebowman]

11 hours ago, jkelley9 said:

 

I'm wondering if maybe going to my 2H on the green to give it a little lofted pop would be beneficial? I know this is a common way to address fringe putts, but has anyone here tried that on the green itself?

That thought also occurred to me. Make some of that distance in the air. But that's another stroke to practice and try to master.

Here's an idea that doesn't seem to have occurred to anyone else. How about improving your approach shots? If the greens are that slow, why aren't you firing at the flag? Why leave yourself 70-80 foot putts? Especially if the greens are that huge. Get out your clubs that comprise your usual approaches and head to the range!

[jkelley9]

9 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

That thought also occurred to me. Make some of that distance in the air. But that's another stroke to practice and try to master.

Here's an idea that doesn't seem to have occurred to anyone else. How about improving your approach shots? If the greens are that slow, why aren't you firing at the flag? Why leave yourself 70-80 foot putts? Especially if the greens are that huge. Get out your clubs that comprise your usual approaches and head to the range!

My interpretation of LSW regarding going for the flag was that in almost all situations you should be aiming for the center with the center of you shot zone. This is what I do, and it has saved me many GIR. But the bad approach shots are the ones that end up on the edge of the green but still a GIR. These are the ones I'm wanting to putt out a little better. 

I would still rather be on the green with these slow greens than off. The green side rough around these greens are in kind of rough condition (washed out, weeds allowed to grow in, big tufts of grass).

[Valleygolfer]

2 minutes ago, jkelley9 said:

My interpretation of LSW regarding going for the flag was that in almost all situations you should be aiming for the center with the center of you shot zone. This is what I do, and it has saved me many GIR. But the bad approach shots are the ones that end up on the edge of the green but still a GIR. These are the ones I'm wanting to putt out a little better. 

I would still rather be on the green with these slow greens than off. The green side rough around these greens are in kind of rough condition (washed out, weeds allowed to grow in, big tufts of grass).

In my experience, I would rather be off and run a nine iron up but I don't usually plan on being short of the hole by 20 yards. But it happens.

[saevel25]

5 minutes ago, jkelley9 said:

My interpretation of LSW regarding going for the flag was that in almost all situations you should be aiming for the center with the center of you shot zone.

Your shot zone is your dispersion based on your aim. If the center of your shot zone is 5 yards left of where you aim, then you need to account for that. 

23 hours ago, jkelley9 said:

The greens are fairly large on most holes. I frequently will have 60-80 ft putts. I've noticed I'm developing a really bad habit where I pull the club head back and then accelerate with a vengeance to "pop" the ball toward my target. Obviously, this level of acceleration makes distance control ridiculous.  

Take a much longer backstroke. On those type of putts I rather end up taking a much longer backswing than trying to gauge it by hitting it harder. For me it's easier to slow down the putter than speed it up and control the distance. 

 

[jkelley9]

26 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Your shot zone is your dispersion based on your aim. If the center of your shot zone is 5 yards left of where you aim, then you need to account for that. 

Take a much longer backstroke. On those type of putts I rather end up taking a much longer backswing than trying to gauge it by hitting it harder. For me it's easier to slow down the putter than speed it up and control the distance. 

 

That's what I said, isn't it? lol

[saevel25]

Just now, jkelley9 said:

That's what I said, isn't it? lol

Yea, sorry. I somehow read it as, "aiming for the center of your shot zone". 

 

[Patch]

When I get on slow greens, I sometimes switch out my regular putter for a heavier model. It's a 500g+ putter. Using my normal stroke, I can get some extra feet of roll with it. If I need more roll, I still don't have to swing for the fence, and still have distance control.  

[RayG]

I would equate it with putting from the fringe. A bit back in the stance and hit down on it to get it up and forward with topspin so it rides on TOP of the grass instead of through it. At least until momentum takes over and it rolls normally after a few hops.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 6/29/2016 at 8:03 AM, jkelley9 said:

My interpretation of LSW regarding going for the flag was that in almost all situations you should be aiming for the center with the center of you shot zone. This is what I do, and it has saved me many GIR. But the bad approach shots are the ones that end up on the edge of the green but still a GIR. These are the ones I'm wanting to putt out a little better. 

I would still rather be on the green with these slow greens than off. The green side rough around these greens are in kind of rough condition (washed out, weeds allowed to grow in, big tufts of grass).

I can understand that, but what kind of greens were being played during the writing of that book? If the greens are as slick as glass, yeah, you don't want to miss them on the short side, but if they're slow? Why not take the chance? From your description you're facing extremely long putts on very slow greens. What's to lose?

[iceman777]

Odd as it seems , try using a hybrid club to get it close 

[iacas]

16 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

I can understand that, but what kind of greens were being played during the writing of that book? If the greens are as slick as glass, yeah, you don't want to miss them on the short side, but if they're slow? Why not take the chance? From your description you're facing extremely long putts on very slow greens. What's to lose?

Any greens.

You're more likely to shoot a lower score from 40 feet on the green than you are 20 feet from the rough.

You should buy the book if you're interested in that sort of stuff (shooting lower scores).

[No Mulligans]

On the really long putts I'll add a bit of wrist action to my swing.