Grading indoor putting

[Covert]

This subjective question might be goofy. But I am curious as to what good golfers might think about it. I purchased a 12-foot Odyssey indoor putting mat. I practice mostly with eleven-foot putts.  About how many “sunk” (it’s a simulated cup) putts in a row would be considered good putting? I don’t usually sink more than three before missing by an inch or half-inch.

The exercise shows me how psychological good shots are. When I make a putt I can feel that it is good in the stroke, and vice-versa. But I can’t usually will the right feel.

[No Mulligans]

Three in a row is good. 

I'd suggest not spending so much time at 11 feet.

@iacas has a better way to practice (not sure if I got it from LSW or this site)...

Take three balls.  Putt from 3 feet, if you make less than all three, repeat until you make all three.  Then, move to 6 feet.  If you only make 0 or 1 of three move back to three feet, if you make 2 of three continue at 6 feet, when you make all three move to 9 feet.

Continue in this manner and see if you can get to 12 feet.  If you get to 12 feet you are doing well.  If you can sink all three from 12 feet you are doing really well.

[Kalnoky]

20 minutes ago, No Mulligans said:

Take three balls.  Putt from 3 feet, if you make less than all three, repeat until you make all three.  Then, move to 6 feet.  If you only make 0 or 1 of three move back to three feet, if you make 2 of three continue at 6 feet, when you make all three move to 9 feet.

Continue in this manner and see if you can get to 12 feet.  If you get to 12 feet you are doing well.  If you can sink all three from 12 feet you are doing really well.

I made a very similar game for home putting. 

Also agree to spend more time in the 5 to 7 foot range. An 11 footer on the actual green will likely have some break which is hard to simulate at home. I mostly use my putting mat to get the "straight back and through" feeling from 3, 5, and 7 feet.  

[Covert]

I likewise use the indoor mat to develop a consistent pendulum back and through stroke. My new Ping Ketch Cadence mallet putter has a line on the back of its head whereby by stroking it back and forth I can gage by the blur if it is traveling on a straight line. At three or five feet I am virtually assured of making putts. When I back to eleven (12 is too close to the edge of the mat), I am on the cusp of consistency, as I occasionally get in the zone with three putts in succession, but then lose concentration and miss a couple before righting my mind.

While my wood floor heaves a bit with temperature and humidity changes, sometimes creating a break, it is of course much flatter than a typical green. Reading greens is my biggest challenge, which is very possibly the same with everyone. I plan to attend a green-reading class in Palm Beach this winter, although I suspect such classes might be more hype than help.

[Kalnoky]

8 minutes ago, Covert said:

I plan to attend a green-reading class in Palm Beach this winter, although I suspect such classes might be more hype than help.

Oh man, worth it for the warm weather alone.

I'm curious if they will teach you how to read the speed of the green. The practice mats have a very consistent speed (naturally). Some golf courses the speed of the greens is not very consistent.  

[Covert]

21 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

Oh man, worth it for the warm weather alone.

I'm curious if they will teach you how to read the speed of the green. The practice mats have a very consistent speed (naturally). Some golf courses the speed of the greens is not very consistent.  

About the only advantage of being old is retirement and snowbirding. Not to make you jealous, but we rent an oceanfront condo for the winters just north of Palm Beach, which opens out the front door onto a golf course. It might be 65 or 70 degrees at 7:00 in the morning in February, and I can walk out and get nine holes in before my wife gets put together. Obviously I want to keep playing decently as long as I can.

I wrote your name down in my notebook. I will likely take the course and let you know how it goes and what I learn. It's of course important if you can to make a few practice putts on a course's practice green before going out. Speed so differs with so many factors. But reading the slopes is the hardest part for me, and I assume for most golfers. So many optical illusions caused by surrounding landscape.    

[Covert]

The Florida green reading school I am checking out is called Aimpoint Golf. There are several associated instructors in Florida. Trump National Doral has one. If anyone reading this has any experience with the value of these lessons, I would be appreciative.

This morning using the blur stroke technique I mentioned, I sank nine eleven foot putts in succession. I think I could have sunk more, but I think I subconsciously wanted to quit, and missed the tenth. It would be fantastic if I could learn how to read greens a lot better.  

[No Mulligans]

There is a ton of Aimpoint information on this forum.  Just use the search function.

I've purchased the Aimpoint express video and I use the technique.  It definately helps me.  I plan on taking the course someday.

Another product I'm intrigued with is the Edel putter and the related fitting.  Look that up too.

[Covert]

2 hours ago, No Mulligans said:

There is a ton of Aimpoint information on this forum.  Just use the search function.

I've purchased the Aimpoint express video and I use the technique.  It definately helps me.  I plan on taking the course someday.

Another product I'm intrigued with is the Edel putter and the related fitting.  Look that up too.

 

Thanks for the information and reminder to look before I type.

[No Mulligans]

2 hours ago, Covert said:

Thanks for the information and reminder to look before I type.

Cool, I wasn't telling you to search before you type or anything like that. I just wanted to let you know that there is a lot of Aimpoint info available here for you. The vast majority opinion on Aimpoint amount folks around here is very favorable. 

[dennyjones]

I took the Aimpoint class last year.   It is an eye opener.   I'm a firm believer and it helped tremendously.   I also purchased the video for a refresher.   I highly recommend the class.  It will be some of the best $$ you can spend on the golf course.

[JonMA1]

On 12/20/2016 at 2:10 PM, Covert said:

This subjective question might be goofy. But I am curious as to what good golfers might think about it. I purchased a 12-foot Odyssey indoor putting mat. I practice mostly with eleven-foot putts.  About how many “sunk” (it’s a simulated cup) putts in a row would be considered good putting? I don’t usually sink more than three before missing by an inch or half-inch.

The exercise shows me how psychological good shots are. When I make a putt I can feel that it is good in the stroke, and vice-versa. But I can’t usually will the right feel.

Just last night I received an 11 foot putting strip, hole and ball return as a gift.

I really like it. I've been varying not only the distances but also the angles so as not to get to used to the straight edges. The strip is about a foot wide so I'll putt with the ball near the edges to create a slight angle and even putt from off the strip.

I hope it helps improve my starting line as I believe that's my priority for better putting.

Good luck with your practice this winter @Covert.

[dennyjones]

If you want a serious challenge for indoor putting, get a metal 3' yard stick.  Try putting the length of the yard stick. 

[Covert]

15 hours ago, dennyjones said:

If you want a serious challenge for indoor putting, get a metal 3' yard stick.  Try putting the length of the yard stick. 

I don't get this!!??. I am easily making repeated 11-foot putts. What is it about your three-foot example that makes it challenging? Unless you are suggesting putting on top of the yard stick. Now, if someone were to come into my house and offer me $1 million against me signing over my house on the result of me making a three-foot putt, that would be a challenge.

[Covert]

Thanks everybody for your confidence building regarding Aimpoint. I sent $39.95 for the online lesson, but am having trouble accessing the video. Their website is refusing to recognize my email address or password I set up.

But I will almost assuredly take the course in Florida this winter. I've finally turned the corner on making nearly all my straight putts indoors at 11 feet, and the cup is slightly smaller in diameter than regulation. I putt at least one ball almost every time I pass by the mat, in a main walkway.

The other thing one can easily practice is chipping, and I plan to put as much effort into repeatability in that as in my putting, and maybe I can finally improve.

I mentioned in another post that I started playing golf seriously less than three years ago. I essentially goofed around a little on courses as a young man with other people's clubs. So I have a lot to learn, but over the last year, I didn't improve nearly as much as I thought I should have. I know, that's golf. Frustrating at times. But hugely rewarding overall.

  

 

[No Mulligans]

9 hours ago, Covert said:

Thanks everybody for your confidence building regarding Aimpoint. I sent $39.95 for the online lesson, but am having trouble accessing the video. Their website is refusing to recognize my email address or password I set up.

 

If you bought the Streaming Video, it is confusing on how to login and get it to stream.  Even though you will see places to login to AimPoint, there is a seperate area to login for the DVD.

On the home screen use the instruction drop down window and select Aimpoint Express DVD.  On the following screen scroll down and click on the Stream DVD Now button.  On the following screen is where you login.  Don't try to login on the first two screens, login on the third screen.  See attached images:

 

[Covert]

On ‎12‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 6:43 PM, dennyjones said:

On ‎12‎/‎26‎/‎2016 at 8:41 PM, No Mulligans said:

If you bought the Streaming Video, it is confusing on how to login and get it to stream.  Even though you will see places to login to AimPoint, there is a seperate area to login for the DVD.

On the home screen use the instruction drop down window and select Aimpoint Express DVD.  On the following screen scroll down and click on the Stream DVD Now button.  On the following screen is where you login.  Don't try to login on the first two screens, login on the third screen.  See attached images:

 

If you want a serious challenge for indoor putting, get a metal 3' yard stick.  Try putting the length of the yard stick. 

I don't get this!!??. I am easily making repeated 11-foot putts. What is it about your three-foot example that makes it challenging? Unless you are suggesting putting on top of the yard stick. Now, if someone were to come into my house and offer me $1 million against me signing over my house on the result of me making a three-foot putt, that would be a challenge.

Thanks, No Mulligans, I will try that. I also emailed the company and asked them to snail me the DVD.

Thanks, No Mulligans. I also asked the company to snail mail me the DVD.

[Covert]

I received my AimPoint Green Reading Fundamentals DVD snailmail. I think it is great to quantify slope perception. I’m looking forward to additionally taking a class.

Wanted to reiterate how I think I got a pendulum stroke down on my indoor putting mat. I look at the line which points toward the target on the back of my Ping putter head and stroke the head back and forth. The white line on the black head then becomes a blur that is easy to see when it is not going in a straight line. To get it perfectly straight, as I use a straight stroke and not an arc, I have to roll my wrists and hands ever so slightly in a clockwise direction on the forward stroke, otherwise the head face would turn left of square and the ball would pull left of the target.  After a while the amount of rotation becomes automatic and putts are virtually assured most of the time, even at 10 feet. I'll take this technique into my slope reading practice in order to eliminate, as best as possible, the variable of just a bad stroke. I am so hoping this will work and I can putt well this winter and beyond.