Thoughts on putting

[IrishGolfer]

At best I've been a mediocre putter. Over the last 3 or 4 years since I have been back to competitive golf, it has been my Achilles heel. Great shots not being rewarded with my putting. Playing off a 4/5 index has led to a huge amount of frustration in the game.

I have experimented with several flatsticks, no difference. I stuck with one putter a SC for about 18 months, no difference. I swapped out the SC for a TPAXVIII, cut down and back-weighted and it now feels so comfortable in my hands. The sweet spot seems like it is x5 times the size of the SC. Now some difference but it was not all the putter.

So reading and studying some of the great putters I decided to take a risk and change my whole putting technique. Actually my set up and stance is exactly the same. It's really my take-away. I have always been a stiff wrist putter. And my weakness is leaving a lot of putts short from anything over 5 feet. It seems the great putters have generally been wristy putters.

I have been experimenting for a few months now by breaking my wrists on the takeaway, the longer the putt the more break / flex. At first this seemed risky and inconsistent but I have to say over the past few weeks, my putting has improved tremendously.

My speed is now right on, especially from long range distance and I rarely find it a problem getting the ball to the hole. I'm still trying to ingrain it my putting without having to consciously think about it.

When I miss now it is usually a misread, rather than a mis hit.

And of course now that I have the putting sorted the rest of my game is in the shit house. Played Saturday 44 out and 36 back!!! :dead:

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

Sounds risky, hope it works out!!

I would think this would take alot of the technique question out of play and let you simply concentrate on speed. Seems like if speed is the big issue, adding another variable like wrist break and make it more difficult to assure you are hitting the sweet spot and still squaring the face on the putter would complicate matters. While your speed is more down now, has it come at the expense of your line by any degree?


Just curious, as it seems like you feel most of your issue is in relation to your wrists. Have you ever tried a chest or belly putter? If you intend to use your arms and wrists as opposed to your shoulders, it would seem a chest putter may give you a method to assure the face remains stable and consistent.

 

[eclark53520]

Sometimes the best thing is a simple technique change...when i start missing short puts i will go cross handed for a while and its like a miracle...i start making everything and when i switch back its great for a while and then it falls off so i do it again and so on

 

[Fourputt]

Since I started using my current putter, I never go through slumps with my stroke. Almost 100% of my misses are from misreading either the break or the speed. There are days when I seem to see the breaks almost instinctively, and other days when you'd think I'd never been on a golf course before in my life.

I don't consider myself a wristy putter, although I use my normal interlock grip for putting as well as for my full swing. Because of my grip, I do use a bit of a "chicken wing" setup with my left elbow, but that seems to keep the hands and wrists quiet during the stroke.

 

[DouginGA]

I try to be a fixed wrist putter and use an old macgregor response putter thats wider than dollar bill.

the last few months my putting has tanked, I feared every putt. Finally got my head together and and could see and feel every putt. they were falling. felt good.

its all in the mind.

 

[limpalong]

Watch some of the old golf films... or some of the Champions tour events. Ben Crenshaw, for one, breaks his wrists and "stabs" at the ball. Nicklaus was one of only a few who kept his wrists out of the stroke.

Over the years, it's become the norm to have quiet wrists. By keeping your wrists out of the stroke, it takes out another variable. Yet, it can also take out feel.

Putting strokes are more plentiful than visitors to Paris Hilton's bedroom. In addition to the interlock or reverse overlap or left-hand low we have the claw and other contortionist putting styles. We've worked overtime to find new ways to take the wrists out of the stroke. Yet, for many with some good feel in their hands, it may work well.

If one tries too long to analyze putting, you'll go pure nuts! What works for Jim won't work for Jane. What works for Jim today, won't putt a ball within 6 feet of the hole tomorrow. Some folks work a lifetime, trying to find a better putting style. Calc, O'Meara, Langer, Couples... Others just seem to fall into a specific style and it works forever.

Good luck as you try a more wristy stroke. Hopefully, it works wonders for your game and allows you to card some excellent scores.

 

[Wi-Golfer]

The last week or so my putting has been horrible, but my driving has been stellar, go figure. Had more 3 putts in this time frame then I did all year combined, I think it's because I am simply not taking the time to properly read the green & possibly just want to hurry up to the next tee box so I can drive again.

Pissed me off on the 9th hole too, 450 yd par 5. Had a sweet drive & an even sweeter 4w which put me right on thr fringe so I was putting for eagle. Damned evil 3 putt robbed me.

 

[SilverUberXeno]

The older guys who were wristy putters NEEDED to be because the greens weren't as fast then as they are now. Check out Brad Faxon's putting stroke. As Stan Utley puts it, he can roll out of bed and start making putts.

I'd recommend reading Utley's book, "The Art of Putting." It's about getting out of your own way, and trusting yourself to make a natural move. Once you trust it enough to not try to control the putter after setting up properly, you WILL make putts.

Utley's method requires the least amount of effort to repeat, and is therefore the easiest to learn. The hardest part is letting go and actually TRUSTING it. But once you do, you'll be amazed at how easy putting really is.

 

[Howie77]

Talk about bad putting on a par 4 250 yards i hit a 3 wood on the green 10 feet to the pin and 3 putted so frustrating. I am usually an extremely good putter when it comes to putting for eagles(2/3) my putting seems to get worse as the more strokes i take on the hole.

 

[Fourputt]

Watch some of the old golf films... or some of the Champions tour events. Ben Crenshaw, for one, breaks his wrists and "stabs" at the ball. Nicklaus was one of only a few who kept his wrists out of the stroke.

Even Nicklaus in his early career putted with a wristy jab. He changed his style as the greens got faster. Watching him and Arnie and Gary in some of the "Big Three" matches from the early 60's, all three players were quite wristy. Jack is the only one who eventually took his wrists completely out of the stroke.

 

[IrishGolfer]

Some good feedback and comments here. My decision to go wristy has been adopted because so many of my putts were coming up short. By softening and flexing the wrist I have enabled the putter to accelerate through the ball more consistently and now find my weak putt is blowing is past the hole.

BY getting the ball up and past the hole I am holing so many more putts. I'm not asking for advise, just sharing my thought process.

Anyone else suffering from leaving their putts consistently short should maybe give this a go. And it is a subtle wrist break.

 

[PureStroke]

IMO putting is all feel and speed. Putting is my favorite part of the game because you can put the best stroke you can on a ball and still miss and to me be considered a good putt. There are so many variables that can cause a put to miss weather it be a divot, a spike mark, a crowned cup, or funky grain or even the wind. All these can come into play in one roll, so I think you should stop THINKING and start putting. Not stand over a putt and think did I take it away straight back, or am I going to hit it too hard etc etc. Just putt the darn thing and youll see just how great a putter you are. I used to think about these things all in one stroke until one day I said forget it Im just going to roll the rock with my own intelligent instincts. And guess what ......havent had one issue with my putting in almost a year. All thats on my mind when I putt is speed, and speed if I dont get the line then owell Ill just settle for par . No book is going to help you IMO ......its not the arrows, but the Indian using them. And Scotty Cameron putters are way over rated ,the only thing that makes them good is the resale value, they are over priced pieces of stainless steel. Just go and get your self a Tempo Tray and keep your favorite putter , and just tap it in , just tap it in, a little tapp tapp tapparoony

 

[subsonic]

The best way to become a better putter is to start telling yourself you are a good putter! Lead your mind and your body will follow. Try it. You may be surprised with the results.

 

[gwlee7]

My thoughts about putting are only about making putts. I don't think about getting it close, getting it there, three putting. I think about making the putt. This summer I averaged only 30 putts per round and had several rounds in the 26 to 27 range. It helps that I only think about making chips too.

 

[MCDavis]

My thoughts about putting are only about making putts. I don't think about getting it close, getting it there, three putting. I think about making the putt. This summer I averaged only 30 putts per round and had several rounds in the 26 to 27 range. It helps that I only think about making chips too.

I average a few more, but this is my thought 100% of the time. No matter where I am on the green, I putt to put it in...period.