A cheap putting aid/tool from office depot

Go to your office supply store (I use Office Depot, but whatever). Look for something like this:

It is a stainless steel ruler, 18 inches, this one has a Fiskars brand name. Key features, very thin, only about an inch wide, perfectly flat, has a hole on one end and only on one end (presumably to allow hanging it on a nail or something).

I have a putt return kicker doohickey at home in my study. I laid the ruler out on the floor straight at the 'hole' of the kicker with the hang-up hole of the ruler farther away from the device. OK, so far? Now, I practice by placing the ball in the hang-up hole in the ruler and putting to the 'hole' in my kicker. Success is measured by the ball rolling all the way down the ruler (and most likely going straight into the 'hole' of the kicker.

I am finding this to be much more effective than just putting on the carpet: with the carpet alone, 'grain' and 'texture' do affect putts; one never knows unless one peeks pretty quick (a bad trait) if you miss because of the carpet or because of your stroke. With the ruler, you will miss the hole very badly if the ball rolls off one edge or the other (no need to peek). If you have aligned the ruler correctly and if the ball rolls all the way down the ruler, you will be very close to the 'hole' and you won't have to look up quick to see if the carpet or your stroke is the culprit.

In addition to stroke practice, this is helping me a lot on aligning the putter face. It was surprising to me to find that I was mis-aligning my putter more often than making poor strokes.

I think you can get these rulers in longer lengths, if you are an advanced putter. I just happened to have this one in my office and tried it out.

Good luck and let me know when you have an 18 putt round.

Seems like a great idea, I might give that a shot

Sounds like a budget version of European putting guru Harold Swash's THE RAIL.

Here's me in action with one:

http://www.scotchbladegolf.com/rail.wmv

Using a Pro-Gear CG-100 (C Groove) blade, predecessor to the Yes Sophia.

[quote name='scotchblade' date='06 May 2010 - 07:54 PM' timestamp='1273200884' post='2426362']
Sounds like a budget version of European putting guru Harold Swash's THE RAIL.

Here's me in action with one:

[url="http://www.scotchbladegolf.com/rail.wmv"]http://www.scotchbla...lf.com/rail.wmv[/url]
[/quote]

In fact that was in the back of my mind, and I had seen your video with same. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your frequent and always interesting posts.

Genius! I will have to try this, I love fine tuning my putting game (and God knows with the way I hook it, it's necessary! )

Not as cheap as the ruler but the lines on this putting mat give you similar feedback to the Rail or a ruler. http://tiny.cc/5ddpv

Wish I tried this before I bought the Pelz Putting Tutor. Nonetheless I have no complaints about the putting tutor. Have been using it for a couple weeks now and putting has really improved. Funny enough even the sound at contact has changed to a very crisp, pure sound. I've found with these devices it forces you to yes hit straight but more importantly you can't hit at the ball, it makes your putting stroke smooth as can be.

Actually I do have a complaint, there is a peg under the putting tutor board, which when putting on an actual green makes perfect sense because it sticks firmly into the green. But I have a putting mat at home and the peg can't go through it obivously, so that sucks! I've resovled it by putting the mat on carpet but it's still a small caveat.

DOes the hole cause it to pop up?

Brilliant. The hole shouldn't cause the ball to pop up because the ruler is so thin. I'm guessing around .030" thick, <.050" for sure.

great tip! i really like this idea alot. i think i have such a ruler around here somewhere. This seems like the PERFECT solution for guys missing 2 and 3 footers which we all have done I imagine. (the Y word). Thanks for sharing.

Hmm.. perfect new use for my club maker's ruler! That would have been the best $2.50 I ever spent.

at either of the national big box home stores, $2.91 will get you a 36" long, 1" wide version. if you want plain silver go to the orange store, and if you want yellow go to the blue store

I use the same thing but I also have a .5 inch wide one for an even greater challenge (its harder to keep the ball on the ruler)

I have heard the same thing, but go to Home depot and get a yard stick.

Not a bad idea but would be much easier than the rail without the sloping sides and tapering towards the end. To use the Harold Swash aid you need a cool head! It is very hard, but very effective in sharpening your short putting. All the best with your version, you will reap the rewards of practice!

Jack

I've used this as well .. was directed to do so by my pro.
It helped with alignment/contact for me, and I also got an understanding of how gated my stroke is and how to make it consistent.

-Steve

[quote name='jackn ' date='08 May 2010 - 07:47 PM' timestamp='1273362435' post='2429365']
Not a bad idea but would be much easier than the rail without the sloping sides and tapering towards the end.
[/quote]
I had the RAIL but let it go. My issue with was how awkward it was soling the putter and addressing the ball. The angled sides raised it up about 3/16" and it was slick, so the putter had nothing to grab on to. It threw my address, little forward press and back stroke a little off. Agreed that it is very challenging and it breeds confidence when you roll a few down in a row.

[quote name='honketyhank' date='06 May 2010 - 10:47 PM' timestamp='1273200446' post='2426339']
Go to your office supply store (I use Office Depot, but whatever). Look for something like this:

It is a stainless steel ruler, 18 inches, this one has a Fiskars brand name. Key features, very thin, only about an inch wide, perfectly flat, has a hole on one end and only on one end (presumably to allow hanging it on a nail or something).

...

Good luck and let me know when you have an 18 putt round.
[/quote]


Uh-oh, you "goofed" big-time on this! You should have just bought a few thousand of them and filmed a 30-minute infomercial to air on The Golf Channel. You could have charged 3 easy payments of just $19.99 and marketed it as the latest training aid!

Just kidding, of course. Looks like a great idea and thanks for sharing.

I keep a 36" ruler in my golf bag for this purpose. Go to the course and find straight putts, then put the ball in the hanger hole and make 3 footers. Then move it back to 4 and 5 feet. Best $5 training aid there is!

[quote name='scotchblade' date='09 May 2010 - 02:33 PM' timestamp='1273412020' post='2430138']
[quote name='jackn ' date='08 May 2010 - 07:47 PM' timestamp='1273362435' post='2429365']
Not a bad idea but would be much easier than the rail without the sloping sides and tapering towards the end.
[/quote]
I had the RAIL but let it go. My issue with was how awkward it was soling the putter and addressing the ball. The angled sides raised it up about 3/16" and it was slick, so the putter had nothing to grab on to. It threw my address, little forward press and back stroke a little off. Agreed that it is very challenging and it breeds confidence when you roll a few down in a row.
[/quote]

I just tend to stick the ball on the very end of it and rest my putter on the ground. Maybe it encourages an upward arc in the stroke to hit the ball? Who knows but I have not had the same problem! I agree with you, makes the jitters go away. Go home from uni for about 2 weeks on wednesday and the rail will see a good dose of much needed practice!

Jack

I use something like this at home but for practice at the course, I carry a chalk line tool. Find a straight putt and snap a 10' line. Great, great practice tool...

Sounds like a great idea. Anyone tried putting more than one together. With the yard stick you could have a good 9 foot putt perfectly straight and quite a a challenge.

Let me recommend that you get a Boomerang training aid and then the ball will come back to you after you hit off the rail/ruler. I still love the Boomerang. I also have used Pelz clips on the putter face with the Boomerang.

Funnily enough I saw a 40 inch rule a couple of days ago (when I was buying some paint) and had the same idea. Very difficult to keep a slow putt on it, and pretty addictive.

thank you for this!! think they have em at staples?? im a horrible putter this may help