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Drive for show, putt for dough

TheTrueReview

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The final hole on Tuesday’s club competition says it all.

Standing on the tee in a position to win it with par or birdie. I’d just 3 putted 17. Slow fluffy greens were playing havoc with putting pace.

I smoked my drive but an unfortunate push right onto the tree lined neighbouring fairway. Walking down to the ball, I could not believe I hit it 306m I should have swabbed myself immediately.

No shot to the green. Trees in the way. Low punch through a gap in the trees to give me a look at the green.

Chip onto the green. Not one of my best.

Longish uphill putt. If made would win.

Instead a freaking 3 putt!

Putted short. Just missed the second and tap in third.

Yet another example of the putt for dough maxim [insert face-palm]

ImageUploadedByShot Talk1587647962.984177.jpg
 
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TheTrueReview

TheTrueReview

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I think that "Drive for show, putt for dough" is overused and over rated. You rarely get to putt for dough unless you also drive for dough.

I understand what you’re saying. No use having a good short game if you’re always OB off the tee.

But when I reviewed the round none of the long game shots hurt me that much. Didn’t lose a ball

However I do remember:
1. The putt that bounced off the flag stick on the front nine
2. A couple of chips on the back nine where I tightened up unnecessarily causing them to stop short and leaving long putts
2. The two 3-putts on 17 and 18.

All of this in a round where I played under my handicap.
 

IrishGolfer

Fac ut gaudeam
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Sep 1, 2004
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Standing on the tee in a position to win it with par or birdie. I’d just 3 putted 17.
Slow fluffy greens were playing havoc with putting pace.
Longish uphill putt. If made would win.
Instead a freaking 3 putt!
Putted short.
View attachment 32012

A few things I picked up on here. Take all this with a pinch of salt.

Did you know you were in a position to win, or did you only find out afterwards? Makes a difference if you put a lot of pressure on yourself on 18th tee.
If the greens are not good, then 3 putts are always likely, for everyone. It's not like they were lovely and it was a poor stroke that was causing it. If you have to bash your putt to get it to the hole, that is going to impact your feel and accuracy. So expect 3 putts.
Did you hit the first putt too hard in an attempt to hole it to win? Again, what I'm saying is did you know you needed it to win, or did you only work that out afterwards?
The % chance of holing a long putt is small. Your goal should have been to 2-putt. I'd look back to the chip onto the green. How far were you away from the green?
Players go on about how poor their puting is, when in fact it is their iron play that needs work. Hitting it to 35 feet puts a lot of pressure on your flatstick.
I often find that I tense up on important shots, especially a chip or a putt. It's a killer. Relaxing the hands and forearms, gripping lightly makes a huge difference.

Long and short, it's easy to blame the putter, but you might want to consider other areas too.
 

Hoganman1

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Feb 10, 2018
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There are always differing opinions on this thread and others about driving versus putting. I am one of those that thinks putting is more important. In a perfect even par round of golf on a par 72 course with four par threes, ten par fours and four par fives one would have fourteen drives, eighteen second shots, four third shots and thirty six putts. Granted this rarely happens, but I believe it still shows the importance of putting. My other example happened on the Tour this past weekend. DJ won because he made a lot of putts. Granted his length off the tee was a huge advantage, but Rory and Bryson both were long as well. They just didn't make as many putts. I know I'll get shouted down by all the long knockers and maybe they're right and I'm wrong. However, as someone who has been playing for fifty five years; I think the statistics support my opinion.
 

Hoganman1

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I bet if you look at the stats for all the former world #1 players, one thing they'd have in common is being the best putter on tour.

If you Dechambeau it 350 and lob a 60 yarder to 4 feet and miss the 4 footer, the 350 means squat.
My point exactly.
Thanks for your comment.
 

BigJim13

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Aug 13, 2006
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Jordan Spieth has made his career with good putting. The kid is all over the place but makes more long putts than anybody I can remember I’m recent memory.

That being said, I’d say they are of equal importance. I get the math behind how many drives vs how many putts per round. But bad driving puts a lot of pressure on all other aspects of your game, putting especially. If you get to the green in 3 because if a bad drive, on tour, you can’t afford to miss the putt and give up a stroke to the field.

Sure winners putt well but as a whole, they are both equally important in my mind. And eventually the putts stop dropping...we’ve seen it over and over in countless pros. Even Tiger doesn’t make them like he used to. Jack, Hogan and so many others.
 

ernesttbass

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I love the old adages in golf! But Bryson D. Disproved this one!

die at the hole is my favorite!

can’t stand to see a pro on 3 or 4 foot putt hit it 3 or 4 feet past!
 

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