Putting disenchantment

[IrishGolfer]

Boy what a way to start the new year! I played in a 4 ball match yesterday and we lost thanks to my inability to use a flatstick. To say my putting was bad is an understatement. In 19 holes of golf (only played over 16) I proceeded to 3 putt 7 times!! And I didn't single putt anything!! I reckon I had 45 putts in 19 holes of golf. Excuse me while I barf!

Trying to get a positive, it was a great day. Sunny and cold, but a light breeze. It was a great match, never more than 1 hole in it all the way. I hit the ball great for this time of year. But I still felt gutted.

I know I outplayed these dudes from tee to green, but it all counts on the dance floor, right? My distance putting was terrible (left most short) and then I missed a bunch from 4-5 ft, clearly not good enough. I'm not even sure what exactly was going wrong. I didn't change my normal routine. I pulled a lot of putts, and had a lot of spin-outs, or putts where I hit the hole. Possibly I'm hitting the putts too hard.

Case in point. I hit the par 5 2nd with 2 drivers to about 12 ft. Our opponents were nowhere, but managed to get it up and down for a bird, including holing from 25 ft from off the green. I proceded to 3 jack to lose the hole, when mentally I had the hole won and was thinking to the hole ahead. Classic match play lesson to be learned there.

Anyway, it went to the 3rd tie hole (about 430 into the wind) where I proceded to screw up again on the greens. I hit 2 tremendous shots to about 20ft left of the pin, just off the green. Although my partner was out of it, we are looking favorite at this point. But both opponents managed to get up and down in two, where I managed to hit a poor approach and miss from 5ft. Game over. I felt really gutted, for my partner especially. Fair play to our opponents. They holed a bunch of putts and deserved to win, but it makes me feel even more frustrated. Hit the ball like a low handicapper, putted like a beginner!

Kinda makes me lose enthusiasm for the game, putting disenchantment!

Anyway............

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

Yikes, it almost sounds like you are psyching yourself out, and it's a bad mental state. I don't know--have you considered doing the the Vijay Singh route and go to something different? Try a belly or long putter, just so you stop thinking about how your current routine is, and get a feeling that's fresh and different?

Just something to consider.

If that doesn't work, you could always grab a billiards' cue...

[Loop]

lol IG ! How many putting thread are you going to spawn?

Sometimes, it takes just a little thing for your oiled machine to behave erratically. Or maybe the greens this time of year is too slow.


But....

.... feel free to vent all you want, it's hard being in your shoes.

[IrishGolfer]

Originally Posted by Loop

it's hard being in your shoes.

Hey Loop, outside putting I love being in my shoes. It ain't hard at all, LOL!

[Rockford35]

IG,

You're going through what everyone goes through. A rut.

What you need is some change in your routine. Perhaps try focusing more on getting the ball close rather than getting it in. Read speed more than break. Just something to change your focus. Usually, this triggers something in the melon for your usual routine and you start to mix the two.

Before you know it, putts get closer and closer and you start to make a few.

Trust me, it's all mental. I did exactly the same thing as you described, bought a Two Ball, it sucked and I went back to my #2 White Hot and lit it up. So it's obviously not equipment related...

R35

[Pa Jayhawk]

You might go to the Putting green for about 1-2 hours, or until you can't take it anymore. Try as many different techniques as you can think of or create on your own. Although do not try your own technique that you normally use. You may find one that works better, doubtfully, but maybe. But that is not the idea. The next time you step on the course you should feel more comfortable with your own technique. I do this anytime I have putting woes, it doesn't always help, but in most cases I will feel more comfortable and confident in my own technique the next time I play. That alone is enough to help me somewhat

I forgot to mention, it is even better when there are other people on the Putting green, you can laugh at the concept of what they must be thinking. If they don't haul you away for being crazy, it is cheap entertainment.

Good Luck

Actually, thinking about it, I think this is how I found my technique for lag putting, which is kind of rediculous, but it works very well for me.

[Lady golfer]

know the feeling -I am just the same - is there any help out there?

[Eracer]

Great drill for you.

Find a flat area on a green, stick 4 tees to make a square two feet on a side. Put 9 balls down starting 3 feet from the front edge of the square, then extending back to about 9 feet. Try to make the distance between balls about 6 inches at 3 feet, then widen the gap a bit as you place the balls back to the 9 foot mark. Don't worry about being too precise.

Start with the closest ball, and putt each of the balls into the square without touching the ball directly behind the putter. Imagine that the hole is in the front center. Success is when you can putt all 9 balls into the square.

Then do it with your eyes closed.

This drill literally forces you to putt with an accelerating stroke. Deceleration is without doubt the number one putting killer. And when you do the drill blind, you WILL keep your head and body still. (Killer #2) Try to call out whether you think you are short, in the box, or long - say it out loud).

For a variation on this drill - create the same box, then put the 9 balls down in groups of 3 (at 3 feet. 6 feet, 9 feet.) Do the same drill, putting the balls into the square, then doing it with eyes closed.

Then do it with the toe of a 5-iron.

These drills remove the pressure of worrying about getting the ball into the hole, and let you focus on feeling the proper speed. Once you get your rhythm back, you can put a quarter down and putt to it for precision.