Line or No Line Putting

[Strat-Pack Rick]

I checked for a thread on this, promise.  Ive always put a line on the ball when i mark them for I.D. The line helps when i practice to see a wobble from my stroke. I thought the line would help on the course with lining up putts but i have recently quit using it and im putting way better. The line just causes me trouble when playing but i still practice with it. Just curious about who uses a line and who doesnt. Maybe im just not using the line correctly or its more trouble than its worth.

[JxQx]

I currently putt without using any sort of mark/line. I have tried a handful of times on but never really committed to it because I seem to putt better without it. May give it another try at some point if my putting causes me any issues.

[DaveP043]

I've never used a line on my golf ball to help align my putting.  I don't know about anyone on TST, but I've seen lots of players really get slow, aligning the little line, back up and look at it, re-aligning it, etc, its maddening for me to watch.  I've even seen one or two guys using it on the tee, which is even more maddening.  I find it hard to believe that a 1.68 inch long line can be aligned precisely enough to be any real help.  

[Strat-Pack Rick]

3 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I've never used a line on my golf ball to help align my putting.  I don't know about anyone on TST, but I've seen lots of players really get slow, aligning the little line, back up and look at it, re-aligning it, etc, its maddening for me to watch.  I've even seen one or two guys using it on the tee, which is even more maddening.  I find it hard to believe that a 1.68 inch long line can be aligned precisely enough to be any real help.  

It sure doesnt help me at all. When im practicing, i like the feedback it shows with the wobble but it doesnt help me on the course. Spieth has a line so i figured it was worth a try, haha. BUT he does take the longest to hit a putt ever, geeze

[iacas]

I've found that most people can't line that line up very well, either.

[Patch]

I put all my golf balls through one those spinning things, and mark it with a sharpie once it gets up to speed. I can't say I use to line up putts,  but more for I.D. purposes. 

What ever putting line I decide on, I pick a spot on that line about a foot in front of the ball. When I putt the ball, I want the ball to roll over that spot. 

One of my putting practices is to roll the ball over a dime that's about a foot in front of the ball. 

I have also tried, and know golfers who look at the hole, or a spot left or right of the hole, and putt to the hole, or spot. They don't look at the ball when they contact it with the putter face. 

Putting is such an individual thing, that what ever works for the golfer is the way to go. 

[Kalnoky]

For those 5'-7' putts I do choose an intermediate point on the green to align with. Lag putts are mostly feel.  But I have never marked my ball. 

[jsgolfer]

I don't use the line on the ball and i don't have any lines on the putter.  

[rehmwa]

Hate the line. 

1 - Doesn't work for me.  So I don't bother.

2 - Can't stand waiting on others to use theirs.  Then I remember it's just a game so I enjoy the outdoors and don't worry about them doing what works for them

 

(practice - rolling the ball so the line doesn't wobble can be a good drill I hear)

[Vinny Cap]

I use the line on the ball most of the time unless I am having a bad day of putting.

A good way to see if you are lining the line up correctly is to use a little 16 oz water bottle on your carpet at home.  Line up 4 balls and then try putting using the line only.  Do not look at the bottle.  If the ball rolls straight and you hit the bottle, you are doing pretty good.  Obviously if your floors are way out of level, this will not work.

I have a really good eye from finishing concrete and doing drop ceilings.... I think that helps a lot.

[DeadMan]

I mark a line on the ball and use it for putting. I think it helps my putting, especially on long putts. It helps to some extent on short putts to ensure I'm not lining up in an insane way. I don't know if it actually does help my putting at all, but the mental help is all I need. It feels like I hit lines more frequently using it, too. Could be completely in my head. Don't really care.

I can generally line it up pretty quickly. Combined with Aimpoint Express, I don't take nearly as long as most people who walk up and down their line and take multiple looks at the green. I try my best to line up the putt while others are playing. It might take me an extra 5 seconds to do it as opposed to just dropping the ball and hitting it. I can make up those 5 seconds in other areas, so no big deal.

[Vinny Cap]

Oh yea, just because I use the line on the ball doesn't mean I take 15 mins to line up my putt.  I have seen that and played with people like that many times.  We are NOT pros playing for $1.3 million so line it up and putt the ball!

I am sizing up the green as I approach and usually have the break down by the time I mark my ball.  Put it back down on the line, two quick practice strokes and off to the hole it goes.  Kind of like how Brandt Snedeker putts.  He is fast!  Wish everyone putted similar to him.

[CarlSpackler]

I don't draw a line on the ball, but I use the arrows on the Pro-V1 to line up to my AimPoint spot. It's not something I spend a lot of time doing, it just gets me lined up so I only have to focus on the ball. 

[newtogolf]

2 hours ago, Patch said:

I put all my golf balls through one those spinning things, and mark it with a sharpie once it gets up to speed. I can't say I use to line up putts,  but more for I.D. purposes. 

What ever putting line I decide on, I pick a spot on that line about a foot in front of the ball. When I putt the ball, I want the ball to roll over that spot. 

One of my putting practices is to roll the ball over a dime that's about a foot in front of the ball. 

I have also tried, and know golfers who look at the hole, or a spot left or right of the hole, and putt to the hole, or spot. They don't look at the ball when they contact it with the putter face. 

Putting is such an individual thing, that what ever works for the golfer is the way to go. 

I used to use the spinning devices to mark my balls but stopped after I found that running the same ball through the process multiple times resulted in multiple lines that were not very close in proximity.  If the device was working as advertised, the line should be consistent no matter how many times you run it through the process.   

[metbid]

I tried lines a long time ago. but they did not work for me, so I don't use lines. As a matter of fact I do something quite opposite.

I usually try to get my line while waiting on others putting.  Then I walk up behind my mark, visualizing my line, and set the ball down with the logo perpendicular to the hole or line.  It helps me square the  putter head for alignment.  Weird......maybe, but it works for me

Edited November 14, 2016 by metbid

[Strat-Pack Rick]

Well , thanks everybody . I believe that for the most part, the line isnt very helpful . I appreciate the insight and Hit Em Good !!!!!!!

[Mr. Desmond]

Tried the line a long time - late '90's. I could not get comfortable because the line seemed a bit "off." Took more time over the ball. Since not using a line, but using my eyes and the putterhead, I've improved my reading.

[Ernest Jones]

I used to. Then I learned to understand what affected the way I aimed a putter and purchased one that I could aim properly. Most people are gaming a putter that they perceive to be open or closed when it is in fact square and that wreaks all kinds of havoc. Easiest way to test this is with s laser and a mirror. 

Now that I have a putter that I see as square when it is square, I just pick a spot on my line about 2 feet out to help me see my line and then putt my line.