What is more fun? ballstriking or putting?

[boogielicious]

12 hours ago, billchao said:

Funny enough, as much as I like and work on my ballstriking, I have never once thrown a fist pump or let out a shout after a good tee or approach shot. My ballstriking sets me up in the hole, but I want to see that ball roll in the cup.

I have. I think good to great approach shots are my favorite part of playing. A GIR feels very satisfying. The tee shot is the set up. The approach shot is the most important and the putts are the finishing touch. Short game shots are the rescue. 

[DaveP043]

14 hours ago, caniac6 said:

When did Hogan say this? Was it when he was younger, and was winning a lot, or when he was older, and couldn't draw it back? I have been an average putter at best. My index is 3.1, and I would love to be a better putter.

If you believe the internet, those quotes were following the 1957 Masters.  

[jsgolfer]

Ball Striking by far, although it is nice when the putter is going well too.  But when you're hitting good shots, it makes the round much more enjoyable for me.   

[Jeremie Boop]

Yeah, no contest here for me. I have much more fun when I'm striking the ball well. A few missed putts won't impact my game/score nearly as much as a few bad tee shots or approaches do. Plus, anyone can sink a long putt now and then, but not many people can drive the ball 300+ or play a 5 iron onto a green from 200+.

[Vinny Cap]

Ball striking for me tops putting every round.  While it is true good putting will bring me good scores but I have to have good ball striking as well.  If it takes me 6 shots to get on the green and I 1 putt everything I am not breaking 90.  On the flip side, if I can get on the green in 2 or 3 and then 3 putt I have a better chance of hovering around 90.

While I do like putting and am pretty good at it, it is always great rolling in anything over 15' in one shot.  A nice 2 or 3 foot breaker that's read right and goes in is awesome as well.

I drained a 33' last week in a tourney for a birdie and that was very sweet.

Now on ball striking... sure fat, topped or just a duff will stink but nothing is better than a well hit iron that goes exactly where you want it. 

A nice long iron with a lil draw that rolls out to give you a nice chip.  A sweet mid iron straight as an arrow right down the middle.  A high low iron that stops right where you want it.  A perfect chip that checks up or rolls out or spins back for hole high.... man I wanna go golfing right now!!!

[krupa]

I guess it's ball-striking for me.  To be more specific, the shots I really enjoy the most are the shorter chips, pitches, and flop shots.  I think those are most akin to shooting pool, where you need the right balance of precision, delicacy, and power to execute a good shot. 

[Groucho Valentine]

Making putts just makes the round feel more satisfying and complete to me. Ive had rounds were i hit the ball like a tour pro and scored like crap. I feel angry enough to punch kittens when that happens. But I've had rounds where I've hit the ball like a 15 handicap and shot around even par. I feel like a BO$$ when that happens. 

Edited October 28, 2016 by Groucho Valentine

[CarlSpackler]

If the answer was putting, I would save myself time and money and go to a putt putt course. 

[RH31]

Putting is the best part of my game. 9 out of 10 rounds it will be what I'm the best at that day.

That said, I enjoy ball striking much much more. There's is nothing like hitting that big drive that is shaped peferctly for the hole or knocking down a little 8 iron to gimme range or hitting a par 5 in two with a chance for eagle....

Ball striking is far and away my favorite part of golf!!!

22 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

Making putts just makes the round feel more satisfying and complete to me. Ive had rounds were i hit the ball like a tour pro and scored like crap. I feel angry enough to punch kittens when that happens.  l vut I've had rounds where I've hit the ball like a 15 handicap and shot around even par. I feel like a BO$$ when that happens. 

I've had days like that too. I feel great making the putts but then I feel sick when I analyze how crappy my ball striking was!!!

 

[The Recreational Golfer]

A good putting day is more satisfying, but nothing beats watching the ball go up in the air, hang for a few seconds, then come down right where you wanted it to.

[mvmac]

Always found practicing my putting to be boring. Even when you play little games with yourself it's never as fun as hitting a full shot.

[MacDutch]

Hmm, to me scoring is the best part. Crappy approach that lands near the flag makes me smile. Big smiles are for tap in birdies, but I enjoy the 15 footer for birdie more. So I like.... scoring low the best.

[boogielicious]

6 hours ago, mvmac said:

Always found practicing my putting to be boring. Even when you play little games with yourself it's never as fun as hitting a full shot.

I can only practice putting alone for 15 minutes tops. I do more of it at the beginning of the season. Hitting the green from long distance is the most satisfying thing for me.

[NJpatbee]

While it is satisfying to drain a key putt, striking the ball is much more fun and exciting to me.  If I am striking the ball well (for me) but 3 putt a couple of greens I am much more satisfied than dropping a bunch of putts for 6 or 7.  I should practice putting more but i get one practice session and one round of golf a week.  As a 17 HCP I always have to get my full swing tuned after a week layoff.  Also, if you took putting out of the game and just added 1 or more strokes depending upon where you hit the green I would still play.  Take away the full swing and I would give it up.

 

[Buckeyebowman]

On 10/28/2016 at 8:10 AM, DaveP043 said:

If you believe the internet, those quotes were following the 1957 Masters.  

I also read a story where Hogan, near the end of his career, played with a young(ish) Billy Casper. Those my age will remember Casper as an outstanding putter. In that round Casper wasn't all that great tee to green, but ate Hogan's lunch because he made nearly every putt he looked at. After the round Hogan told Casper that if he couldn't putt like that he'd be selling hot dogs behind the 10th green. Casper said all that told him was that Hogan couldn't play the game any more!

To get back to the original point, I don't enjoy practicing putting very much, but have found a way to make it more enjoyable. Putt with a friend for something. Pick a long, difficult putt. First one to make it wins a beer, or whatever. Or choose a short, straight "easy" putt. First one to miss it buys the beer. Definitely gets the concentration going better than usual. My friends and I will go around and around the putting green doing this. It's a heck of a lot more fun than grinding away out there all by yourself.

[Strandly]

Ballstriking, easily.