Obee's Putting Improvement Thread

[Z1ggy16]

Well I found out this weekend that a lot of my putting issues are mental, and maybe even I can blame the muni greens a bit. I got a fitting on Quintic and I actually made almost every putt from 10 feet I had except for about 2. My numbers were optimal or nearly optimal for every aspect there was except I was generating a little bit of hook spin. Was launching the ball 2* with forward spin starting almost immediately, face pretty much square at impact. Couldn't believe that was with a stock Juno putter, too!

 

Fitter said that with my stroke there's almost no way I'd miss anything inside of 10 feet on a flat putt. Of course we rarely face 100% straight putts, but at least I've got the confidence going forward that I can actually putt well. Confidence will be key, and so will reading the right break and pace. Changing nothing but taking 3-4 putts less per round should get me very close to single digits this year. Along with the swing changes I'm making with a new coach, I'm really pumped for 2019.

[Dave D]

-2 at my home track yesterday with 31 putts and 13 greens hit, first time out at my home course using the claw. 1 3 putt which was from a missed 4 footer by a bad read. Poured in some good 5-10 footers, felt like the few putts 10 feet and in I missed were from bad read/ not trusting the read.

 

Generally very good speed on all putts which is the biggest thing I needed improving

 

encouraging signs.

[swizbeatz]

Gonna have to give armlock a try. Several 40 putt rounds in a row. Playing partners thought I was having a seizure or stroke as I froze over a 30 inch putt for a spell before I missed the hole nearly a foot left. I could not even figure out how to grip the club. Conventional, cross-hand, claw all felt like I had at least 14 fingers.

 

PM me or ask here if you want any help getting comfortable with one

[Obee]

24(!) putts in my last full round, when I shot 74 first round of our club championship and was leading by three. Course was playing brutally tough and we played the tips except a couple holes (~7,100 75.5/146). Wind gusting to 25 and swirling like crazy the first nine holes. Was one of my best rounds in a LONG time mentally, all things considered. Course plays VERY long for me, but my short game and putting were so good. And that 74 was with a double on the last hole when I hit one in the hazard.

 

Unfortunately, on day two, after 10 holes (and having increased my lead to four shots), I bent over to hit a ball on a ball-below-my-feet lie, and my back absolutely locked up. Felt like I got stabbed in the middle of my spine. Got myself upright, waited a moment, tried to hit a shot, and just collapsed at the ball. Hobbled to my cart and WD'd. So bummed. This was my year.... :-(

[augustgolf]

24(!) putts in my last full round, when I shot 74 first round of our club championship and was leading by three. Course was playing brutally tough and we played the tips except a couple holes (~7,100 75.5/146). Wind gusting to 25 and swirling like crazy the first nine holes. Was one of my best rounds in a LONG time mentally, all things considered. Course plays VERY long for me, but my short game and putting were so good. And that 74 was with a double on the last hole when I hit one in the hazard.

 

Unfortunately, on day two, after 10 holes (and having increased my lead to four shots), I bent over to hit a ball on a ball-below-my-feet lie, and my back absolutely locked up. Felt like I got stabbed in the middle of my spine. Got myself upright, waited a moment, tried to hit a shot, and just collapsed at the ball. Hobbled to my cart and WD'd. So bummed. This was my year.... :-(

Feel for you, friend. The back is nothing to mess with. Hope all is good with it

[gatorpedsMD]

24(!) putts in my last full round, when I shot 74 first round of our club championship and was leading by three. Course was playing brutally tough and we played the tips except a couple holes (~7,100 75.5/146). Wind gusting to 25 and swirling like crazy the first nine holes. Was one of my best rounds in a LONG time mentally, all things considered. Course plays VERY long for me, but my short game and putting were so good. And that 74 was with a double on the last hole when I hit one in the hazard.

 

Unfortunately, on day two, after 10 holes (and having increased my lead to four shots), I bent over to hit a ball on a ball-below-my-feet lie, and my back absolutely locked up. Felt like I got stabbed in the middle of my spine. Got myself upright, waited a moment, tried to hit a shot, and just collapsed at the ball. Hobbled to my cart and WD'd. So bummed. This was my year.... :-(

 

this is a big fear of mine with having back issues myself. hope u recover well.

[bladehunter]

24(!) putts in my last full round, when I shot 74 first round of our club championship and was leading by three. Course was playing brutally tough and we played the tips except a couple holes (~7,100 75.5/146). Wind gusting to 25 and swirling like crazy the first nine holes. Was one of my best rounds in a LONG time mentally, all things considered. Course plays VERY long for me, but my short game and putting were so good. And that 74 was with a double on the last hole when I hit one in the hazard.

 

Unfortunately, on day two, after 10 holes (and having increased my lead to four shots), I bent over to hit a ball on a ball-below-my-feet lie, and my back absolutely locked up. Felt like I got stabbed in the middle of my spine. Got myself upright, waited a moment, tried to hit a shot, and just collapsed at the ball. Hobbled to my cart and WD'd. So bummed. This was my year.... :-(

 

Man that sucks boss! Rest and relaxation stat!

 

Seriously. Hope you get to feeling better. I have occasional bouts with a muscle down low myself due to an old injury ( 2 fractured vertebrae in 2001 head on wreck ) so I understand.

[ThinkingPlus]

24(!) putts in my last full round, when I shot 74 first round of our club championship and was leading by three. Course was playing brutally tough and we played the tips except a couple holes (~7,100 75.5/146). Wind gusting to 25 and swirling like crazy the first nine holes. Was one of my best rounds in a LONG time mentally, all things considered. Course plays VERY long for me, but my short game and putting were so good. And that 74 was with a double on the last hole when I hit one in the hazard.

 

Unfortunately, on day two, after 10 holes (and having increased my lead to four shots), I bent over to hit a ball on a ball-below-my-feet lie, and my back absolutely locked up. Felt like I got stabbed in the middle of my spine. Got myself upright, waited a moment, tried to hit a shot, and just collapsed at the ball. Hobbled to my cart and WD'd. So bummed. This was my year.... :-(

So sorry to hear. Backs are a challenge as we age. Be careful starting up again.

[FourTops]

So I bought an old Scotty Cameron Bullseye putter. I compared to my Odyssey X-Works. No immediate difference. The SC, even on toe hits was every bit as good. And actually the flat blade of the SC is easier to align. But, there's no doubt a good routine, green reading, mental relaxation, and consistent stroke trump's any putter.

[Dave D]

24(!) putts in my last full round, when I shot 74 first round of our club championship and was leading by three. Course was playing brutally tough and we played the tips except a couple holes (~7,100 75.5/146). Wind gusting to 25 and swirling like crazy the first nine holes. Was one of my best rounds in a LONG time mentally, all things considered. Course plays VERY long for me, but my short game and putting were so good. And that 74 was with a double on the last hole when I hit one in the hazard.

 

Unfortunately, on day two, after 10 holes (and having increased my lead to four shots), I bent over to hit a ball on a ball-below-my-feet lie, and my back absolutely locked up. Felt like I got stabbed in the middle of my spine. Got myself upright, waited a moment, tried to hit a shot, and just collapsed at the ball. Hobbled to my cart and WD'd. So bummed. This was my year.... :-(

 

wish there was a dislike button.

 

Sorry to hear this Obee, the way your putting has improved every year will be yours now!

[blehnhard]

Obee,

 

Sorry to hear about your back issues. In early Aug 17, I began suffering a bad case of sciatica that caused pretty severe pain in both legs. I tried various drugs, chiropractic, physical therapy, dry needling (similar to acupuncture), and eventually cortisone injections which finally relieved the pain enough that I could make some progress with PT. I did make my fall/winter 4 day winter trip to Pinehurst in late Nov but was barely able to play - could maybe hit a driver 100 to 125. By early Jan, my physical therapist set me out on my own with a program of daily exercises (mostly stretches) that I do in bed every morning before I get up. Takes me about 20 minutes.

 

I played a couple of rounds in FL in early March but was still not at full strength. Probably May or June before I felt close to full strength. An MRI showed that I had a slipped vertebrae at L4/L5 (level 1, 5mm or less) and spinal stenosis.

 

Do not hesitate to seek medical care and physical therapy. The correct diagnosis is important in working out the correct recovery plan. As we age, we must be more careful in doing many things we used to do with ease. You even have to be careful when picking ball out of hole.

 

Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

Thanks again for starting this thread. Has helped me enjoy golf a lot more now that I can putt better (at least most times).

 

Bruce

[bulls9999]

Holy crap, those are a lot of stats to be recording. I bet you're doing well because you're mind is pre-occupied with keeping stats and distracted from the technicality of putting :-) .

 

Personally, although I hit the driving range for 30+ min before every round, I never practice putting (I know, it's weird)....yet putting is the strongest part of my game. My wife always....always....rolls her eyes when I make my routine 1-2 12-20 foot putts/round, or simple 10-footers while she's missing 5 footers, or roll one in from the fringe..... I keep telling her that if it happens this routinely, how can you claim 'lucky, lucky, lucky'? She says if it wasn't for my (good) putting that saves me soo many times, I'd score 10-strokes higher. I've also used my same Ping Anser (forgot the number, 2b?) for the past 25 years, 35' long, Shark Jumbo grip that I grip down at the bottom where it forms a 'cone' that fits perfectly in my hand and the rest of the grip rises high like a cantilever counter weight. Actually, I like hills and swales and find it fun to read side hill up/down-hill putts, it's just fun to me, while others I might play with agonize over a multilevel banked putt, I enjoy the curvature of the greens and how I can read them to get the ball close that it's a tap in or make it. The only surprises I have is that I usually play late in the day, so on those days I've played early morning MGA's, yea, I try to putt a little to get a feel of the speed for freshly mowed greens.

 

I have begun to religiously document my putting stats and I'm going to share them here.

 

As some of you know, I was previously NOT a very good putter for a scratch/below golfer. I would miss one or more 3 - 4 foot putts every round (probably averaged 1.5 misses per round). I got sick of that about a year ago and committed to fixing it, which I have. I did three main things (all of which I have outlined in some detail in other posts:

1. I now use the line on (virtually) all putts.
   
2. I went to a VERY upright (79 degrees) putter that is 36 inches long
   
3. I switched to a CLOSED stance, which gives my right arm plenty of room to move DOWN my line (I'm fat and have a big belly)
   
4. I switched to the claw (the same version that Mickelson uses)
   

I also have come to believe that ALL good putting starts with finding the right "speed of the day" on a straight-in 4-footer. I now practice those more than I have in my entire life. It's pretty much all I practice (when I do, which is rare).

 

I've been playing on some really cruddy "summer" greens here in SoCal (where greens are MUCH better in the fall, winter, and early spring than they are in the summer), and my stats aren't great, but I'm certain they will get better.

 

Looking forward to sharing my journey here. Let's make this thread about overall putting improvement in any way, shape, or form. :-)

 

Here a link to the spreadsheet. Please let me know if it's not functional:

 

https://www.dropbox....O-416kr4za?dl=0

[pheenomz4774]

24(!) putts in my last full round, when I shot 74 first round of our club championship and was leading by three. Course was playing brutally tough and we played the tips except a couple holes (~7,100 75.5/146). Wind gusting to 25 and swirling like crazy the first nine holes. Was one of my best rounds in a LONG time mentally, all things considered. Course plays VERY long for me, but my short game and putting were so good. And that 74 was with a double on the last hole when I hit one in the hazard.

 

Unfortunately, on day two, after 10 holes (and having increased my lead to four shots), I bent over to hit a ball on a ball-below-my-feet lie, and my back absolutely locked up. Felt like I got stabbed in the middle of my spine. Got myself upright, waited a moment, tried to hit a shot, and just collapsed at the ball. Hobbled to my cart and WD'd. So bummed. This was my year.... :-(

 

Oh man that sucks Obee!!! Hopefully you recover soon but keep the same mental pictures that were giving you so much success, especially on the greens!

[Obee]

Obee,

 

Sorry to hear about your back issues. In early Aug 17, I began suffering a bad case of sciatica that caused pretty severe pain in both legs. I tried various drugs, chiropractic, physical therapy, dry needling (similar to acupuncture), and eventually cortisone injections which finally relieved the pain enough that I could make some progress with PT. I did make my fall/winter 4 day winter trip to Pinehurst in late Nov but was barely able to play - could maybe hit a driver 100 to 125. By early Jan, my physical therapist set me out on my own with a program of daily exercises (mostly stretches) that I do in bed every morning before I get up. Takes me about 20 minutes.

 

I played a couple of rounds in FL in early March but was still not at full strength. Probably May or June before I felt close to full strength. An MRI showed that I had a slipped vertebrae at L4/L5 (level 1, 5mm or less) and spinal stenosis.

 

Do not hesitate to seek medical care and physical therapy. The correct diagnosis is important in working out the correct recovery plan. As we age, we must be more careful in doing many things we used to do with ease. You even have to be careful when picking ball out of hole.

 

Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

Thanks again for starting this thread. Has helped me enjoy golf a lot more now that I can putt better (at least most times).

 

Bruce

 

Thanks, Bruce. And so pleased that you are putting well. :-)

 

Regarding my back: I have a herniated disk, L5/S1. Have had it for 20 years. It's actually super common in men who are even moderately athletic. Most people experience no back pain from herniated disks, and the correlation of back pain to herniated disks is almost non-existent. Found this out when I got serious about reading about it about 5 or 6 years ago.

 

I need to stretch and move more. I have a sedentary job, but worse than that, I have a 5-hour commute (2.5 hours each way), where I'm either driving or sitting on the train. NOT good for the back. LOL.

 

Best of luck to you!

[Obee]

Holy crap, those are a lot of stats to be recording. I bet you're doing well because you're mind is pre-occupied with keeping stats and distracted from the technicality of putting :-) .

 

Personally, although I hit the driving range for 30+ min before every round, I never practice putting (I know, it's weird)....yet putting is the strongest part of my game. My wife always....always....rolls her eyes when I make my routine 1-2 12-20 foot putts/round, or simple 10-footers while she's missing 5 footers, or roll one in from the fringe..... I keep telling her that if it happens this routinely, how can you claim 'lucky, lucky, lucky'? She says if it wasn't for my (good) putting that saves me soo many times, I'd score 10-strokes higher. I've also used my same Ping Anser (forgot the number, 2b?) for the past 25 years, 35' long, Shark Jumbo grip that I grip down at the bottom where it forms a 'cone' that fits perfectly in my hand and the rest of the grip rises high like a cantilever counter weight. Actually, I like hills and swales and find it fun to read side hill up/down-hill putts, it's just fun to me, while others I might play with agonize over a multilevel banked putt, I enjoy the curvature of the greens and how I can read them to get the ball close that it's a tap in or make it. The only surprises I have is that I usually play late in the day, so on those days I've played early morning MGA's, yea, I try to putt a little to get a feel of the speed for freshly mowed greens.

 

I have begun to religiously document my putting stats and I'm going to share them here.

 

As some of you know, I was previously NOT a very good putter for a scratch/below golfer. I would miss one or more 3 - 4 foot putts every round (probably averaged 1.5 misses per round). I got sick of that about a year ago and committed to fixing it, which I have. I did three main things (all of which I have outlined in some detail in other posts:

1. I now use the line on (virtually) all putts.
   
2. I went to a VERY upright (79 degrees) putter that is 36 inches long
   
3. I switched to a CLOSED stance, which gives my right arm plenty of room to move DOWN my line (I'm fat and have a big belly)
   
4. I switched to the claw (the same version that Mickelson uses)
   

I also have come to believe that ALL good putting starts with finding the right "speed of the day" on a straight-in 4-footer. I now practice those more than I have in my entire life. It's pretty much all I practice (when I do, which is rare).

 

I've been playing on some really cruddy "summer" greens here in SoCal (where greens are MUCH better in the fall, winter, and early spring than they are in the summer), and my stats aren't great, but I'm certain they will get better.

 

Looking forward to sharing my journey here. Let's make this thread about overall putting improvement in any way, shape, or form. :-)

 

Here a link to the spreadsheet. Please let me know if it's not functional:

 

https://www.dropbox....O-416kr4za?dl=0

 

I haven't practiced putting in months. All I do is spend 15 - 20 minutes on the range finding the speed of the day and making a punch of 4-footers. Then a couple long putts and some uphillers and downhillers and I'm done.

[Matt J]

I had about a month of amazing putting rounds. I threw a few of them in to the Strokes Gained app... Golfmetrics and I was putting like a +4 handicap and striking the ball like a 20.

 

So, I took it on myself to deal out some advice to a few playing partners, at least they did in fact ask for it.

 

I broke a couple of my cardinal rules, like taking out a different putter to goof around on the course. And, of course, two weeks later I can't find the bottom of the cup to save my life.

 

On a positive note, my ball striking has improved. I'm hitting it like a 19 at least. :)

[ddetts]

This is a lengthy post, so I'll apologize in advance...

 

I've had the same putter for around 12 years and most of that time I've employed a left hand low grip. The way I gripped was pretty much a 10 finger with no overlap/interlock/etc. The putter is a Odyssey #7, which is face balanced and thus good for a straight back and through strike. I'm playing it at 34", and I'm 5'11".

 

Most of the time I've been a decent putter. I didn't exactly fill up the cup and make many putts outside of 6 feet but I had very few 3 putts. Probably spells out good speed control and not great green reading and/or setup.

 

This year I've had a couple spells of really bad putting. Setup issues that make me feel like I can't get my body aligned to the putter after I line it up. Then speed control went with the loss of confidence. Finally it seemed like I was putting tentatively, what I call 3 putt avoidance putting. I went a couple weeks trying a different putter I bought last winter and had some initial success but it faded. That putter is a 35" TP Mullen with a little toe hang, which requires a little arc to the stroke.

 

Fast forward and I had a "preliminary putter fitting" (my local shop is undergoing a big renovation and don't have the camera system set up yet for a full fitting. He actually said the length and lie on both putters were probably good for me given the slight variances in setup they require.

 

So, long story short I've been toying around with some different grips and strokes. I've decided to commit to the TP Mullen and really work this winter. I've slightly modified the left hand low grip, I moved the left up to overlap the index and middle fingers on my right hand. It's really comfortable and feel like it's leveled out my shoulders a bit. It also gets my eyes a bit inside the ball and seems to make a little arc in the stroke quite comfortable.

 

Obviously working indoors on a putting mat can only tell me so much however I'm feeling optimistic. I also want to see if I can find some good green reading exercises to work on next spring.

[Dave D]

Obviously working indoors on a putting mat can only tell me so much however I'm feeling optimistic. I also want to see if I can find some good green reading exercises to work on next spring.

 

Good to hear, you can still do a lot of work indoors, best thing you can do is hit lots and lots of putts putting through 2 gates, one for clubhead and one for the ball. If you can not touch the gates you will be hitting the ball out the middle and rolling it on line.

[ddetts]

Obviously working indoors on a putting mat can only tell me so much however I'm feeling optimistic. I also want to see if I can find some good green reading exercises to work on next spring.

 

Good to hear, you can still do a lot of work indoors, best thing you can do is hit lots and lots of putts putting through 2 gates, one for clubhead and one for the ball. If you can not touch the gates you will be hitting the ball out the middle and rolling it on line.

 

Good advice, I'll have to see if I can manufacture some way to stick gates in my eyeline aid for the club head and then another gate for the ball.

 

This is my current practice setup.

[Dave D]

Obviously working indoors on a putting mat can only tell me so much however I'm feeling optimistic. I also want to see if I can find some good green reading exercises to work on next spring.

 

Good to hear, you can still do a lot of work indoors, best thing you can do is hit lots and lots of putts putting through 2 gates, one for clubhead and one for the ball. If you can not touch the gates you will be hitting the ball out the middle and rolling it on line.

 

Good advice, I'll have to see if I can manufacture some way to stick gates in my eyeline aid for the club head and then another gate for the ball.

 

This is my current practice setup.

 

nice setup, easiest way is just place some tees upside down. I quite like using dvd cases for the ball gate, makes the target path of the ball look really narrow, so when you actually putt to a hole it looks like you've got loads of room to hole it

[jasonfish11]

1. I switched to a CLOSED stance, which gives my right arm plenty of room to move DOWN my line (I'm fat and have a big belly)
   

 

Obee,

What was your general mistake that switching to a closed stance helped? Was your putter head coming too far outside of your target line?

[Obee]

1. I switched to a CLOSED stance, which gives my right arm plenty of room to move DOWN my line (I'm fat and have a big belly)
   

 

Obee,

What was your general mistake that switching to a closed stance helped? Was your putter head coming too far outside of your target line?

 

Yes. Putter would come outside of target line which caused a corresponding "across" stroke where I held the face open. I was basically always hitting a "cut" with my putter. LOL

[Krt22]

I've been slowing tinkering with this stuff, mainly getting the ball to roll true with the 6 foot putt. I went to a bit more toe hang on the putter, eye line mirror helped as my eyes were well inside the ball line (off the mirror), and then adding a bit more forward press.

 

28 putts yesterday with a silly 3 putt and missed a 3 footer on 18. Two chip ins helped lol

[FourTops]

Obee...great thread! Here's what I'm doing now. First, at least 2 hours of putting practice per week. Next, in practice, I do not focus on line or speed. What I focus on...and this may sound nuts...is "nothing". Sure, I line up...but after that it's all about trust. It's the same trust used to toss a golf ball to someone 5 feet away, then 10 feet, then 20 feet. The body just knows what to do without thought.

[Obee]

So what would everyone say is the proper speed for a 4 foot putt? If you miss is it a foot beyond, 2 feet, somewhere in between? Maybe more or less? I've heard various distances from Pelz to the Aimpoint school and curious what people like, especially on the shorter putts.

 

If you are not sure, and have to ask the question, it is highly likely that you are putting your short putts too softly. (I used to be like this).

 

My goal is to find the speed that allows me to hit the back of the cup on a level or slightly uphill putt.

 

The thing is, you can't fake this in tournament play. You either get comfortable with this and it becomes the way that you putt, or you don't.

 

The key for me on these was learning how to get the ball to roll end over end, instead of putting side spin on the ball.

 

Rolling the ball with a pure(er)stroke, I could hit a dead straight part actually dead straight. Or reasonably so. That was the difference maker for me.

 

Obee, what are your keys for putting a good roll on the ball?

 

Put a line all the way around your ball and practice hitting 6 foot putts to where the line does not wobble. After a while, you will be able to do this most of the time. When I started, I could not do it a single time because my stroke sucked!!!

 

Obee, do you have a video of hitting a putt without the line wobbling? If you don't get the line perfectly in line with your target line you will get some wobble, even if you strike it pure. I guess I'm curious to see how wobble free a well struck putt should be.

 

Finally got around to taking some video. As you can see there's a very small amount of wobble. Hit several with no discernible wobble but most were about like this. This was what started me on my "better putting journey": Figuring out how to roll the ball end-over-end without much, if any, wobble.

 

 

[OffTheDole]

 

Finally got around to taking some video. As you can see there's a very small amount of wobble. Hit several with no discernible wobble but most were about like this. This was what started me on my "better putting journey": Figuring out how to roll the ball end-over-end without much, if any, wobble.

 

 

 

Nice stroke, Obee!

[FourTops]

Quit thinking about missing the putt before you putt....just picture grabbing the ball out of the hole.

[gatorpedsMD]

Obee do u use green books? I used one for the first time ever today ad def thought it was very helpful.

[Obee]

Obee do u use green books? I used one for the first time ever today ad def thought it was very helpful.

 

Whenever they are available, yes I do. They can be extremely helpful.

[gatorpedsMD]

Obee do u use green books? I used one for the first time ever today ad def thought it was very helpful.

 

Whenever they are available, yes I do. They can be extremely helpful.

 

yeah my home course randomly (public) started carrying them. pro gave me one to try out and loved it.