Great round with a horrible putter - Common?

[gioguy21]

guys,

i know some might consider this bragging but i have an honest question - have any of you had a phenomenal ball striking round paired with a horrendous putting display? I played yesterday and had one of the best ball-striking rounds of my life and couldn't putt worth a damn. here's how it went down:

 

1) 423y - hit driver into the left rough, 132 left - GW to 15', 2 putt

2) 391y - hit driver into right rough (6" into the first cut), 82 left - LW to 12', 2 putt

3) 206y - hit 4i to 22', 2 putt

4) 496y (s shaped) par 5 - 4i to middle fairway, 7 iron tried to go over the trees, into the crap, out to the fairway, wedge to 13', 2 putt bogey

5) 380y - hit driver into fairway, 54 left - LW to 3', lipped it, tap in par

6) 417y - hit driver to fairway, 102 left - SW to 12', 2 putt

7) 184y - hit 6i to 14', 2 putt

8) 561y par 5 - driver to 272, 3w left and short, chip to 6', 2 putt

9) 346y - hit driver into fairway, 62 left - LW to 14', 2 putt

10) 392y - hit driver into fairway, 74 left - LW to 10', 1 putt birdie

11) 518y par 5 - hit driver into the fairway, 186 left, 6i to 33', 3 putt par

12) 179y - hit 7i to 24' - 2 putt

13) 414y - hit 3i to fairway, 171 left - 8i into right greenside bunker pin-high, lw outta the bunker to a foot, tap in par

14) 397y - 3i to fairway, 127 left - GW to 11', 2 putt

15) 367y - hit driver to right cart path, in the trees hit a low PW from 92 to the back rough behind the hole, chip to 2', 1 putt par

16) 502y par 5 - longest drive of the day so i had to measure it - GPS'd 330y drive to right first cut, 161y left - 9i to 14', 2 putt birdie

17) 154y - uphill par 3 - hit 9i to 22', 2 putt par

18) 445y - (might've been the longest of the day if i measured it) hit driver to fairway, 84 left - hit LW to 12', 2 putt

 

putting is so tempermental for me, i'm either on fire or i can't make a damn thing. i'm waiting for the tee-green game and my putting to match and it hasn't happened yet.

 

my question is this -

 

when every part of your game is going well - are you able to 'on the fly' make fixes to get the one part that is lacking back on track? if so, any advice/tips for getting it figured out right away?

 

thanks guys (and girls)

 

-Gio

[Golden Domer]

Yes . All the time

[gioguy21]

can anyone provide insight? opinions/comments/advice?

[golfcarte]

i have the opposite, horrible round with a great putter. i love my putter.

[golfcarte]

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409840514' post='10062949']
can anyone provide insight? opinions/comments/advice?
[/quote]

when i was playing better than i am now, there was ALWAYS one part of my game that was lacking, and it was NEVER the same part. and i'd have to say, it was a mental thing. i think i was pressing too hard, not trusting my abilities.

you can get every part of the game working at one time or another, so it follows there should be a time you can get every part of the game working together. that would be perfection. and rarely if ever does that happen. maybe, just simply, get out of your own way, and just let it happen.

[mrvandelay]

I wouldn't say that was "horrible" putting. No 3 putts, nothing missed inside 10 feet. That was acceptable (arguably good) for most people. You just didn't putt VERY well.

[joey2aces]

I rarely have all 3 facets of my game on at the same time. It is frustrating but in the end I will tend to score well when 2 of the 3 are on. Needless to say I will score the lowest when I am putting well but not necessarily highest if I am not. I just tell myself that I don't play on TV and enjoy yourself.

[joey2aces]

[quote name='mrvandelay' timestamp='1409841221' post='10063039']
I wouldn't say that was "horrible" putting. No 3 putts, nothing missed inside 10 feet. That was acceptable (arguably good) for most people. You just didn't putt VERY well.
[/quote]

One 3 putt on the par 5 11 but still a decent display. Yet, to dive a bit further he is a .6 and he only had four 1 putts but 2 were tap in, up and downs. I can see his frustration

[gioguy21]

[quote name='mrvandelay' timestamp='1409841221' post='10063039']
I wouldn't say that was "horrible" putting. No 3 putts, nothing missed inside 10 feet. That was acceptable (arguably good) for most people. You just didn't putt VERY well.
[/quote]
[quote name='joey2aces' timestamp='1409841227' post='10063041']
I rarely have all 3 facets of my game on at the same time. It is frustrating but in the end I will tend to score well when 2 of the 3 are on. Needless to say I will score the lowest when I am putting well but not necessarily highest if I am not. I just tell myself that I don't play on TV and enjoy yourself.
[/quote]
[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409841210' post='10063037']
[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409840514' post='10062949']
can anyone provide insight? opinions/comments/advice?
[/quote]

when i was playing better than i am now, there was ALWAYS one part of my game that was lacking, and it was NEVER the same part. and i'd have to say, it was a mental thing. i think i was pressing too hard, not trusting my abilities.

you can get every part of the game working at one time or another, so it follows there should be a time you can get every part of the game working together. that would be perfection. and rarely if ever does that happen. maybe, just simply, get out of your own way, and just let it happen.
[/quote]

Thanks guys, i know it wasn't a bad putting round but, typically i average 30/31 putts a round. that would've put me at a 67/68 final score for the round.

Do you guys have any ways of getting out of a 'funk' with the putter? i know hitting a putting green for an hour or two SHOULD help but, how do you get over the mental confidence part of it?

[Another80]

I do this all the time--hit nine greens in mens league the other night (only play nine) and shot 1 over with a kick in birdie and two three puts. I don't think I had a birdie putt over 20 feet...I end up going back to fundamentals with the putter, largely proper grip pressure and hand placement, ball placement and getting my head over the ball. I can rarely correct any but the grip pressure "in round" though.

[Another80]

BTW--I love this thing. I use it for 20 minutes and I feel better. IMO better than a mirror for getting your head in the right place when putting:

http://shipmangolfinstitute.com/buy/the-goal

[putts4bogey]

Putting is the weak point in my game. On days that I'm off, I'm off the majority of the round.

[joey2aces]

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409841444' post='10063069']
[quote name='mrvandelay' timestamp='1409841221' post='10063039']
I wouldn't say that was "horrible" putting. No 3 putts, nothing missed inside 10 feet. That was acceptable (arguably good) for most people. You just didn't putt VERY well.
[/quote]
[quote name='joey2aces' timestamp='1409841227' post='10063041']
I rarely have all 3 facets of my game on at the same time. It is frustrating but in the end I will tend to score well when 2 of the 3 are on. Needless to say I will score the lowest when I am putting well but not necessarily highest if I am not. I just tell myself that I don't play on TV and enjoy yourself.
[/quote]
[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409841210' post='10063037']
[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409840514' post='10062949']
can anyone provide insight? opinions/comments/advice?
[/quote]

when i was playing better than i am now, there was ALWAYS one part of my game that was lacking, and it was NEVER the same part. and i'd have to say, it was a mental thing. i think i was pressing too hard, not trusting my abilities.

you can get every part of the game working at one time or another, so it follows there should be a time you can get every part of the game working together. that would be perfection. and rarely if ever does that happen. maybe, just simply, get out of your own way, and just let it happen.
[/quote]

Thanks guys, i know it wasn't a bad putting round but, typically i average 30/31 putts a round. that would've put me at a 67/68 final score for the round.

Do you guys have any ways of getting out of a 'funk' with the putter? i know hitting a putting green for an hour or two SHOULD help but, how do you get over the mental confidence part of it?
[/quote]

more reps is the only way I get out of a funk. I'm a mental midget when it comes to putting and I've been known to blow tap ins at times. One tournament I missed 3 inside of a foot and from there everything looked like it was 100 feet away from the hole. I don't have a method or anything to get out of that funk besides going to the putting green and spending time there. For me mental confidence comes back when I make putts.

[gioguy21]

Thanks Joey...for some reason when i'm putting i get lost sometimes. my reads are 90% right but somehow i just miss on an edge, left or right...not a consistent one way miss. enfuriating at times.

i think i either need to a) invest in a more stable putter (lefts/rights could be due to clubface rotation at impact) b) putting clinic/fitting c) live on a putting green

[golfcarte]

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409841444' post='10063069']
[quote name='mrvandelay' timestamp='1409841221' post='10063039']
I wouldn't say that was "horrible" putting. No 3 putts, nothing missed inside 10 feet. That was acceptable (arguably good) for most people. You just didn't putt VERY well.
[/quote]
[quote name='joey2aces' timestamp='1409841227' post='10063041']
I rarely have all 3 facets of my game on at the same time. It is frustrating but in the end I will tend to score well when 2 of the 3 are on. Needless to say I will score the lowest when I am putting well but not necessarily highest if I am not. I just tell myself that I don't play on TV and enjoy yourself.
[/quote]
[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409841210' post='10063037']
[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409840514' post='10062949']
can anyone provide insight? opinions/comments/advice?
[/quote]

when i was playing better than i am now, there was ALWAYS one part of my game that was lacking, and it was NEVER the same part. and i'd have to say, it was a mental thing. i think i was pressing too hard, not trusting my abilities.

you can get every part of the game working at one time or another, so it follows there should be a time you can get every part of the game working together. that would be perfection. and rarely if ever does that happen. maybe, just simply, get out of your own way, and just let it happen.
[/quote]

Thanks guys, i know it wasn't a bad putting round but, typically i average 30/31 putts a round. that would've put me at a 67/68 final score for the round.

Do you guys have any ways of getting out of a 'funk' with the putter? i know hitting a putting green for an hour or two SHOULD help but, how do you get over the mental confidence part of it?
[/quote]

i seem to putt best when its meaningless, like, quadruple bogey for example. but it kinda defeats the purpose of your question.

or maybe, trick yourself into thinking your putting for a quad, when you are actually putting for birdie. genius!

[gioguy21]

lol gc - i think in some respects you're right...when i need to make a par, i can get it done. for some reason the birdie putts are the ones that get to me.

[fowlerscousin]

lol. i would love to putt that well

[golfcarte]

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409841874' post='10063119']
Thanks Joey...for some reason when i'm putting i get lost sometimes. my reads are 90% right but somehow i just miss on an edge, left or right...not a consistent one way miss. enfuriating at times.

i think i either need to a) invest in a more stable putter (lefts/rights could be due to clubface rotation at impact) b) putting clinic/fitting c) live on a putting green
[/quote]

what length of putts are you generally missing? i wouldn't be so worried if they are longer, you're really aren't supposed to make those. you watch the pros sometimes and they putt not to make it, but to leave themselves a gimme second putt. you can be short and below the hole a few inches from 20 feet every time, instead of trying to make the putt every time and leaving yourself 4-5 footers.

i'm looking at your #11 hole with the three-putt from 33'. do you generally three-putt from that range?

[gioguy21]

[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409842195' post='10063155']
[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409841874' post='10063119']
Thanks Joey...for some reason when i'm putting i get lost sometimes. my reads are 90% right but somehow i just miss on an edge, left or right...not a consistent one way miss. enfuriating at times.

i think i either need to a) invest in a more stable putter (lefts/rights could be due to clubface rotation at impact) b) putting clinic/fitting c) live on a putting green
[/quote]

what length of putts are you generally missing? i wouldn't be so worried if they are longer, you're really aren't supposed to make those. you watch the pros sometimes and they putt not to make it, but to leave themselves a gimme second putt. you can be short and below the hole a few inches from 20 feet every time, instead of trying to make the putt every time and leaving yourself 4-5 footers.
[/quote]

i'm missing more 10-15 footers than i should. i say this b/c they're not the sidehill, snaking putts. mostly straight ones or relatively straight ones. from 4-5' i'm fine. it's that little extra that's hurting me.

[golfcarte]

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409842275' post='10063161']
[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409842195' post='10063155']
[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409841874' post='10063119']
Thanks Joey...for some reason when i'm putting i get lost sometimes. my reads are 90% right but somehow i just miss on an edge, left or right...not a consistent one way miss. enfuriating at times.

i think i either need to a) invest in a more stable putter (lefts/rights could be due to clubface rotation at impact) b) putting clinic/fitting c) live on a putting green
[/quote]

what length of putts are you generally missing? i wouldn't be so worried if they are longer, you're really aren't supposed to make those. you watch the pros sometimes and they putt not to make it, but to leave themselves a gimme second putt. you can be short and below the hole a few inches from 20 feet every time, instead of trying to make the putt every time and leaving yourself 4-5 footers.
[/quote]

i'm missing more 10-15 footers than i should. i say this b/c they're not the sidehill, snaking putts. mostly straight ones or relatively straight ones. from 4-5' i'm fine. it's that little extra that's hurting me.
[/quote]

do you have good eyesight? or maybe its a simple as alignment. maybe have a playing partner stand behind you when you putt and maybe they can see if you are putting as straight to the hole as the putt is. i would tend to think you can align yourself easier the shorter the putt is.

[gioguy21]

[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409842617' post='10063193']

do you have good eyesight? or maybe its a simple as alignment. maybe have a playing partner stand behind you when you putt and maybe they can see if you are putting as straight to the hole as the putt is.
[/quote]

20/15 - i put the line on my ball and line up with my intended line. i 'step' into my stroke the same way everytime, golf ball off my left ball, clubface perpendicular to the line on the ball. that's what's frustrating - i'm having a disconnect somewhere between my stroke and where it goes....

sigh.

[MidwestGolfBum]

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409842275' post='10063161']
[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409842195' post='10063155']
[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409841874' post='10063119']
Thanks Joey...for some reason when i'm putting i get lost sometimes. my reads are 90% right but somehow i just miss on an edge, left or right...not a consistent one way miss. enfuriating at times.

i think i either need to a) invest in a more stable putter (lefts/rights could be due to clubface rotation at impact) b) putting clinic/fitting c) live on a putting green
[/quote]

what length of putts are you generally missing? i wouldn't be so worried if they are longer, you're really aren't supposed to make those. you watch the pros sometimes and they putt not to make it, but to leave themselves a gimme second putt. you can be short and below the hole a few inches from 20 feet every time, instead of trying to make the putt every time and leaving yourself 4-5 footers.
[/quote]

i'm missing more 10-15 footers than i should. i say this b/c they're not the sidehill, snaking putts. mostly straight ones or relatively straight ones. from 4-5' i'm fine. it's that little extra that's hurting me.
[/quote]

When I was struggling with that length of putt I started to have small bets with my playing partners (obviously where appropriate) before, during and after a round when I was faced with that kind of putt. I would typically set up 4-6 different 10-12 footers on the practice green before a round and have a bet with one of the guys I play with regularly for something. It was sometimes $1 for a miss inside of tap in, $2 for outside of 3 feet and $5 if it was outside of 5 feet (set up whatever amount you want) and this would get me mentally more engaged before a round, and then it was for something more than just a birdie, eagle, par, whatever while we were playing and then we would try to settle things up afterwords on the putting green for that bet as well. When I had nobody that wanted to play this game with me or it wasn't something that was overly appropriate at the time I would basically make the bet with myself and put the money into some kind of "rainy day fund".

This may not work for you, but as a sales guy, I hate to lose, am money driven and this really helped me to get back to where every putt from that distance was feeling like it should drop. Take this as you will.

[gioguy21]

MGB, i'll give this a try. lord knows i need something lol

[Drudersh]

Played in a USGA Mid Am Quaifier a couple of weeks ago. Shot 79 with 6 3 putts. Would have qualified if all of those had been 2 putts. Had a great ballstriking day. Just couldn't putt.

My issue is alignment. If alignment is off everything else goes with it. Distance ect.

[golfcarte]

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409842746' post='10063213']
[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409842617' post='10063193']
do you have good eyesight? or maybe its a simple as alignment. maybe have a playing partner stand behind you when you putt and maybe they can see if you are putting as straight to the hole as the putt is.
[/quote]

20/15 - i put the line on my ball and line up with my intended line. i 'step' into my stroke the same way everytime, golf ball off my left ball, clubface perpendicular to the line on the ball. that's what's frustrating - i'm having a disconnect somewhere between my stroke and where it goes....

sigh.
[/quote]

well you say the shorter putts you have no problem with. are you looking to make the longer putts at the same rate as the shorter putts?

i could complicate it more and say bring your wedges/irons into play, and work on increasing your proximity to the hole, so that you're not left with 10'+ putts, and that would solve the problem more easily.

familiarity with the greens as well, pin placements, you simply may not know where to put the ball on the green to give yourself the best shot at making a putt, or at least avoiding a three-putt.

there comes a point where you have to balance feel with pure calculation. the pros have the advantage of the caddies doing all that work for them beforehand. how many of us are going to go to our local muni and simply study the contours of the greens in respect to various pin placements?

[golfcarte]

[quote name='MidwestGolfBum' timestamp='1409843332' post='10063293']
[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409842275' post='10063161']
[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1409842195' post='10063155']
[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409841874' post='10063119']
Thanks Joey...for some reason when i'm putting i get lost sometimes. my reads are 90% right but somehow i just miss on an edge, left or right...not a consistent one way miss. enfuriating at times.

i think i either need to a) invest in a more stable putter (lefts/rights could be due to clubface rotation at impact) b) putting clinic/fitting c) live on a putting green
[/quote]

what length of putts are you generally missing? i wouldn't be so worried if they are longer, you're really aren't supposed to make those. you watch the pros sometimes and they putt not to make it, but to leave themselves a gimme second putt. you can be short and below the hole a few inches from 20 feet every time, instead of trying to make the putt every time and leaving yourself 4-5 footers.
[/quote]

i'm missing more 10-15 footers than i should. i say this b/c they're not the sidehill, snaking putts. mostly straight ones or relatively straight ones. from 4-5' i'm fine. it's that little extra that's hurting me.
[/quote]

When I was struggling with that length of putt I started to have small bets with my playing partners (obviously where appropriate) before, during and after a round when I was faced with that kind of putt. I would typically set up 4-6 different 10-12 footers on the practice green before a round and have a bet with one of the guys I play with regularly for something. It was sometimes $1 for a miss inside of tap in, $2 for outside of 3 feet and $5 if it was outside of 5 feet (set up whatever amount you want) and this would get me mentally more engaged before a round, and then it was for something more than just a birdie, eagle, par, whatever while we were playing and then we would try to settle things up afterwords on the putting green for that bet as well. When I had nobody that wanted to play this game with me or it wasn't something that was overly appropriate at the time I would basically make the bet with myself and put the money into some kind of "rainy day fund".

This may not work for you, but as a sales guy, I hate to lose, am money driven and this really helped me to get back to where every putt from that distance was feeling like it should drop. Take this as you will.
[/quote]

we had a similar game with my dad, uncle and his buddies, called 'snake'. we'd put money in a pot and the last person to three-putt would win the pot.

also, my dad used to putt with an orange ball. seemed to help him, i rarely remember him ever having a three-putt.

[gioguy21]

GC - i'm looking to make more putts in the 10-15' range b/c my proximity is pretty dang good since im' in that range quite often. i don't mind 2 putting, but i want to make more birdies. I've played almost every course in my area at least 5x and know the complexes well. (adding to the frustration)

i think the whole alignment thing is what is hurting me. somewhere in the process i'm losing connection. whether it's my setup/alignment or the stroke itself. i will try to take some video tonight on my putting mat.

[gioguy21]

[quote name='Drudersh' timestamp='1409843500' post='10063315']
Played in a USGA Mid Am Quaifier a couple of weeks ago. Shot 79 with 6 3 putts. Would have qualified if all of those had been 2 putts. Had a great ballstriking day. Just couldn't putt.

My issue is alignment. If alignment is off everything else goes with it. Distance ect.
[/quote] i hate days like this. hate them.

[golfcarte]

[quote name='gioguy21' timestamp='1409843928' post='10063363']
GC - i'm looking to make more putts in the 10-15' range b/c my proximity is pretty dang good since im' in that range quite often. i don't mind 2 putting, but i want to make more birdies. I've played almost every course in my area at least 5x and know the complexes well. (adding to the frustration)

i think the whole alignment thing is what is hurting me. somewhere in the process i'm losing connection. whether it's my setup/alignment or the stroke itself. i will try to take some video tonight on my putting mat.
[/quote]

cool. let us know your progress.

[RedDevilWheezy]

[quote name='mrvandelay' timestamp='1409841221' post='10063039']
I wouldn't say that was "horrible" putting. No 3 putts, nothing missed inside 10 feet. That was acceptable (arguably good) for most people. You just didn't putt VERY well.
[/quote]

+1. I only saw one 3 putt, that looks like a decent putting round to me, It's all about perspective.