Any one got any good putting tips?

[Invincentble]

[quote name='Headshot' timestamp='1313942867' post='3506874']
Here is something that I tell all of my students, from beginners to mini tour players....."Know that you can make any putt you look at, but that not every putt will go in." All you need to do is find the line that you think the ball needs to roll on, and roll it down that line. One of 2 things will happen....you make it or you miss it....but if you rolled it on your line you stroked it perfect. I also teach my students that they are to NEVER hit a lag putt.....EVER!!!!! Why waste a stroke on a putt that you are NOT trying to make. Such stupidity!

To get you started, get a chalk line from your hardware store, and take it to the putting green. When you find a flat straight putt, run a chalk line about 12ft. now place a tee at 3', 6', and 10'....roll 3 balls from 3' until you make all 3, then move back to 6', and so on. Once you can do this pretty regular, do the same thing with slightly breaking putts, and run your chalk line on both sides of the hole so you have right-to-left and left-to-right breaking putts. You will become a better putter if you will do drills for about 15-20 minutes, then start putting from one hole to another around the green with 3 balls, and finishing up with putting around the green with only 1 ball.

hope that helps.....
[/quote]


Not sure if I agree but hopefully you can correct me if I am misunderstanding. A lag putt to me is hitting a putt with enough speed to ensure that if I miss, the ball will be close enough to make an easy putt.

For example, I have a 6 foot (pretty severe)downhill putt that has some break in it. I can do two things:

1. Hit the putt with plenty of speed to take the break out of it and hope i make it. If i miss i will be 10 foot past the hole
2. Lag it and tap it which makes it very difficult to estimate the break but if I miss, I am 6-7 feet from the hole.


Maybe lag means to hit a putt with the intent of leaving it short of the hole at all costs?

[rbrb]

I try to pick a spot about 1 ft. in front of my ball that's on my intended line to the hole. I line up my putt to that spot instead of the hole. It's easier for me to aim at a spot that's 1 ft from me than to the hole that may be 10 ft or more. Oh yeah, and maybe take a putting lesson from a PGA pro?

[JCLJorgenson]

Interesting. I never affiliated the term lag putt with the "intent to not make the putt." I always thought they called it a "lag putt" because you have to let the club head "lag" a bit with your putting stroke in order to get enough distance to the hole (i.e. lag and accelerate). I always still try to make my lag putts - even though the chances are slim.

[Tactical Golf]

OK, my take on lag putts.....just read what everybody who believes in lag putting have written. Their intent is to get within the magical 3-4 foot circle. Now, what happens if you miss your target and do not get with in that circle....after all you are allowing for a certain amount of sloppiness in your stroke. I teach to try and keep everything within that other magical circle, the 4 1/4" circle......the hole. If I miss my target, I am much closer to the hole than anyone who is just trying to lag within 4' and they miss their target. Sound simple so far? All it really is, is a mindset of focusing on a smaller target. When my putting goes awry, (I know....there is no way my putting could EVER go bad, but....let's just say it did....LOL), I put a couple of tees in the green and putt to the tees making the ball roll to a stop just as it is reaching the tee....then I put the tee about 6" directly behind the hole and try to roll the ball to stop as it reaches the tee. Obviously the hole reaches up and grabs the ball, but I was focusing on a much smaller target. I treat all putts, chips, and pitches the same way.

Hopefully I explained myself where it is understandable? Not knocking lag putts if it works for you, but my students will out putt you all day long, yet you might be a better putter mechanically....again, mindset. Also, it would probably help to know that my previous career for 14 years was a Weapons/Tactics Instructor and mindset and smaller target focus was necessary for survival....it wasn't a game. I just brought that thought paradigm to golf.

[rockwallraider]

[quote name='Headshot' timestamp='1314038375' post='3510029']
OK, my take on lag putts.....just read what everybody who believes in lag putting have written. Their intent is to get within the magical 3-4 foot circle. Now, what happens if you miss your target and do not get with in that circle....after all you are allowing for a certain amount of sloppiness in your stroke. I teach to try and keep everything within that other magical circle, the 4 1/4" circle......the hole. If I miss my target, I am much closer to the hole than anyone who is just trying to lag within 4' and they miss their target. Sound simple so far? All it really is, is a mindset of focusing on a smaller target. When my putting goes awry, (I know....there is no way my putting could EVER go bad, but....let's just say it did....LOL), I put a couple of tees in the green and putt to the tees making the ball roll to a stop just as it is reaching the tee....then I put the tee about 6" directly behind the hole and try to roll the ball to stop as it reaches the tee. Obviously the hole reaches up and grabs the ball, but I was focusing on a much smaller target. I treat all putts, chips, and pitches the same way.

Hopefully I explained myself where it is understandable? Not knocking lag putts if it works for you, but my students will out putt you all day long, yet you might be a better putter mechanically....again, mindset. Also, it would probably help to know that my previous career for 14 years was a Weapons/Tactics Instructor and mindset and smaller target focus was necessary for survival....it wasn't a game. I just brought that thought paradigm to golf.
[/quote]


hence the name headshot

[Tactical Golf]

hence the name headshot
[/quote]

exactly.......LOL

[upanddown]

My single best.. practice 4 footers.. if you can make those you won't worry about longer putts. Put a dime under the ball and focus on looking for the dime through and after impact.

[Tactical Golf]

[quote name='upanddown' timestamp='1314104041' post='3512188']
My single best.. practice 4 footers.. if you can make those you won't worry about longer putts. Put a dime under the ball and focus on looking for the dime through and after impact.
[/quote]

great drill....what I add to that with my students is I have them look away while I put the dime down, then place the ball on the dime.....then after they stroke the putt I ask them if it was heads or tails.....

[gallier_golf]

[quote name='pgateachingpro' timestamp='1313596847' post='3495751']
Quit saying your the worlds worst putter.
[/quote]

+100

I'd suggest "putting out of your mind". I have it on cd and can loan it to you if you'd like.

[Blue Raider MTSU]

Putting can be simple if you keep your mind simple and that starts with COMMITTING to every line you pick. These are my putting routine steps and thoughts and I considered myself a tour caliber putter.

1. Reading the putt - Read the putt from the LOW SIDE (always easier to see elevation from the lower side) of the hole. Get as low as you possibly can! Walk back off the edge of the green to a low spot or step down in a bunker if you have to. How bad do you want to make putts? Don't be lazy and read putts standing up. If in doubt always trust the low side read. After finding your line VISUALIZE a spot right or left of the hole where you want the ball to start. Also, read from the lowest right or left side so that you can see those tricky rises or falls at the hole that either leave putts dead in the heart short or race them by.
2. Speed - By this point you should be 100% COMMITTED TO YOUR LINE. If not, back off. You will make more putts by being committed than being indecisive. Stand next to your ball and WHILE LOOKING AT THE HOLE take however many practice strokes you need to FEEL the speed for your intended line. Once comfortable address the ball
3. My ONE last thought - Keep my head down a fraction longer. Most people get anxious to see the putt and follow the ball immediately with their head. If you head moves your shoulders move, and if your shoulders move then so do your arms and hands, which lead to pushed and pulled putts. So hold that head DOWN!

Keys, Tips and recommendations for a better stroke:
1. Use you shoulders to rock the cradle
2. Increase right hand grip pressure slightly for a consistent release of the putter head (Right hand if your right handed, Left if your left handed)
3. Buy a Z factor Perfect Putting Machine - Best putting aid on the market in my opinion. I used mine nearly daily.
Hope these thoughts and tips help.

[dlam]

[quote name='Blue Raider MTSU' timestamp='1314506376' post='3524647']
Putting can be simple if you keep your mind simple and that starts with COMMITTING to every line you pick. These are my putting routine steps and thoughts and I considered myself a tour caliber putter.

1. Reading the putt - Read the putt from the LOW SIDE (always easier to see elevation from the lower side) of the hole. Get as low as you possibly can! Walk back off the edge of the green to a low spot or step down in a bunker if you have to. How bad do you want to make putts? Don't be lazy and read putts standing up. If in doubt always trust the low side read. After finding your line VISUALIZE a spot right or left of the hole where you want the ball to start. Also, read from the lowest right or left side so that you can see those tricky rises or falls at the hole that either leave putts dead in the heart short or race them by.
2. Speed - By this point you should be 100% COMMITTED TO YOUR LINE. If not, back off. You will make more putts by being committed than being indecisive. Stand next to your ball and WHILE LOOKING AT THE HOLE take however many practice strokes you need to FEEL the speed for your intended line. Once comfortable address the ball
3. My ONE last thought - Keep my head down a fraction longer. Most people get anxious to see the putt and follow the ball immediately with their head. If you head moves your shoulders move, and if your shoulders move then so do your arms and hands, which lead to pushed and pulled putts. So hold that head DOWN!

Keys, Tips and recommendations for a better stroke:
1. Use you shoulders to rock the cradle
2. Increase right hand grip pressure slightly for a consistent release of the putter head (Right hand if your right handed, Left if your left handed)
3. Buy a Z factor Perfect Putting Machine - Best putting aid on the market in my opinion. I used mine nearly daily.
Hope these thoughts and tips help.
[/quote]

+1 tip on reading the green

Develop a routine on how you like to read the green
I like to start out looking from the side profile before I look behind the ball or from behind the hole.
This gives my an idea for the length of putt and generally if its uphill,downhill or flat.
Next bend the knees and squat down at 10 feet from the hole along the line of my putt.
getting my eyes down closer to green level I can see subtle breaks on the green
I pay particular attention to the last few feet to the hole,
if it's a dowhill, sidehill breaking putt I can usually see the line immediately and imagine the ball rolling into the high side of the cup.
if it's an uphill very little or no break I can not visuilize the line that welll for some reason and end up spot aiming from the cup to the ball

[bpburke22]

[quote name='Invincentble' timestamp='1314021461' post='3509155']
[quote name='Headshot' timestamp='1313942867' post='3506874']
Here is something that I tell all of my students, from beginners to mini tour players....."Know that you can make any putt you look at, but that not every putt will go in." All you need to do is find the line that you think the ball needs to roll on, and roll it down that line. One of 2 things will happen....you make it or you miss it....but if you rolled it on your line you stroked it perfect. I also teach my students that they are to NEVER hit a lag putt.....EVER!!!!! Why waste a stroke on a putt that you are NOT trying to make. Such stupidity!

To get you started, get a chalk line from your hardware store, and take it to the putting green. When you find a flat straight putt, run a chalk line about 12ft. now place a tee at 3', 6', and 10'....roll 3 balls from 3' until you make all 3, then move back to 6', and so on. Once you can do this pretty regular, do the same thing with slightly breaking putts, and run your chalk line on both sides of the hole so you have right-to-left and left-to-right breaking putts. You will become a better putter if you will do drills for about 15-20 minutes, then start putting from one hole to another around the green with 3 balls, and finishing up with putting around the green with only 1 ball.

hope that helps.....
[/quote]


Not sure if I agree but hopefully you can correct me if I am misunderstanding. A lag putt to me is hitting a putt with enough speed to ensure that if I miss, the ball will be close enough to make an easy putt.

For example, I have a 6 foot (pretty severe)downhill putt that has some break in it. I can do two things:

1. Hit the putt with plenty of speed to take the break out of it and hope i make it. If i miss i will be 10 foot past the hole
2. Lag it and tap it which makes it very difficult to estimate the break but if I miss, I am 6-7 feet from the hole.


Maybe lag means to hit a putt with the intent of leaving it short of the hole at all costs?
[/quote]



In my understanding, the idea is to be target-oriented at all times, something that has been a crucial part of my improvement from about a 5 to a +3. I incorporated this into my game after reading some Bob Rotella books, as one person mentioned above (Putting Out of Your Mind).
The idea is that the smaller your target is, the closer you will still be to it if you miss. Therefore, you should never INTEND to simply lag a putt, because if you miss on your lag attempt, you will be far away from the hole. However, if your INTENT is ALWAYS to make the putt, if you miss you will still be close to the hole, which, after the fact, you could call a good lag.
Similarly, on full swing shots, Bob Rotella advises always picking out the smallest possible target in the distance so that even if you miss your target you will be in good shape. For example, your target on a drive should never be "the fairway," because if you miss your target in that case, you will be in the rough. In contrast, if you make your target one thin tree in the distance that's right in the middle of the fairway, you can still miss your target and be in the fairway.
I use this in putting too, not just using the hole as my target but picking a particular blade of grass on the hole as my target. And I always account for the break of the putt in picking that tiny target. For example, if the putt has a big right-to-left break, it's going to enter the hole from the right side as I'm looking at it, not in the center as I'm looking at it. Therefore I pick a tiny target where the putt will enter the hole.
Where this mentality makes the biggest difference in my game is in my pre-shot routine, whether on putts or full swings. My pre-shot routine is basically an attempt to burn my target into my mind's eye before the shot, so I still feel connected to it even as I stand over the ball. In putting, I always look at the hole as I take my practice stroke next to the ball. I then address the ball, then take a good look at the hole until I really feel that target burned into my mind (this is after committing to your read of course, as one poster mentioned above), then I look back at the ball and try to let the putt go pretty much as soon as I look back to the ball. In that split-second that I look back at the ball I try to feel as if I have a third eye in the left side of my head that can still see the target as I putt the ball. It's a matter of trusting your body and your putting stroke to react to your target while you're on the course.
I have worked with a former NFL quarterback who was trying to improve at golf, and I used the analogy of throwing to a receiver on the run. In that case, he obviously did not think much about his mechanics on the throw; he simply saw the receiver, trusted his arm, and threw the ball. It was more a REACTION than anything else, and that is why golf is the most mentally challenging sport out there. We have nothing to simply let our bodies REACT to and trust our coordination. Instead we have to INITIATE each swing or putt from a still state, at a ball that's sitting still. To become target-oriented in golf is the best way to trust the body to just react.
Keep in mind that these concepts are intended for use on the golf course during a round in which you are playing for a score. On the practice facility, or if you go out on the course to practice, you of course need to work on mechanics to improve your technique over time, but the idea is that once you get on the course, the best way to score well is to trust whatever mechanics are there at the time. A good Bob Rotella drill for target oriented putting is to putt while looking at the hole instead of the ball. It takes a while to start making good contact consistently without looking at the ball, but once you get the hang of it it's a great drill. In fact, in one of the books he tells a story of when Hal Sutton did so well with the drill that he putted an entire round (or tournament, I can't remember) while only looking at the hole, and did really well.
I know this was a lot, take it or leave it, hope it helps.

[bpburke22]

[quote name='Headshot' timestamp='1314038375' post='3510029']
OK, my take on lag putts.....just read what everybody who believes in lag putting have written. Their intent is to get within the magical 3-4 foot circle. Now, what happens if you miss your target and do not get with in that circle....after all you are allowing for a certain amount of sloppiness in your stroke. I teach to try and keep everything within that other magical circle, the 4 1/4" circle......the hole. If I miss my target, I am much closer to the hole than anyone who is just trying to lag within 4' and they miss their target. Sound simple so far? All it really is, is a mindset of focusing on a smaller target. When my putting goes awry, (I know....there is no way my putting could EVER go bad, but....let's just say it did....LOL), I put a couple of tees in the green and putt to the tees making the ball roll to a stop just as it is reaching the tee....then I put the tee about 6" directly behind the hole and try to roll the ball to stop as it reaches the tee. Obviously the hole reaches up and grabs the ball, but I was focusing on a much smaller target. I treat all putts, chips, and pitches the same way.

Hopefully I explained myself where it is understandable? Not knocking lag putts if it works for you, but my students will out putt you all day long, yet you might be a better putter mechanically....again, mindset. Also, it would probably help to know that my previous career for 14 years was a Weapons/Tactics Instructor and mindset and smaller target focus was necessary for survival....it wasn't a game. I just brought that thought paradigm to golf.
[/quote]

+1, I hadn't read this one yet when I just posted above, but it's right on.

[bscinstnct]

I just read a good tip, think it was from a pro in Golf Magazine.

He basically said to look at a putt and imaging how it would play if you just hit it straight at the hole. And that amateurs play too much break.

My putting improved a lot since I simplified things.

I focus on speed much more than the line. I try to just be confident that if I have the speed right, it's going to be close or go in.

I really let the putter and even my body release and swing freely. Very different than how I used to try to aim and guide the ball. That used to created a lot of tension.

Trying to aim and guide things never works in any sport, like in baseball, when you try to guide the ball when throwing, it's no good.

I bang anything 2 or even 3 feet or so without giving it much thought. I was way overthinking those.

My lightbulb moment came when I started hitting short putts with the same casual attitude I hit gimmees.

I make more putts acting like I really don't care if the it goes in, golf is crazy.

Why should you care about a little white ball going in a hole?

[b]" I mean whatever happens, your toes are still tappin'. Now when you got that, then you have the attitude. "-Mike Damone[/b]

[williamevanl]

I have a secret that made me a great putter over night. For the low low price of 49.99... lol but seriously after playing golf like it was religion and being a terrible putter I had a ephipany one day.
It's impossible to look 20 feet away and know how hard to hit it at the hole, just impossible. I tried practicing that for 100's of hours and never got anywhere. Then one day I just tried to figure out where I wanted the ball to start slowing down, that's it. If I have a 12 foot putt with a couple of inches of break I can't consciously get it in the hole from where I'm at, all I can do is hit the ball to about the point where I think I want it to start slowing down.

It doesnt have to be precise, just a rough estimate. It makes sense though as with any putt over a few feet as you are only responsible for the initial 50% or so of the balls distance and direction at which point gravity and deceleration is in control.

I think we naturally think of hitting putts like we do throwing a baseball at someone but that doesnt work because you are really accelerating the baseball most of the way to the person with a good amount of variance in the speed going unnoticed.

Anyway, I nearly eliminated three putts over night and I one putt a lot more often.