decisions

What kind of putter do you have? There are some drills for both...

Once you fix your stroke and get that perfect you should be fine

Toe balanced:

get the putting arc

or get a hoop and go back 2 feet on a breaking putt and make them through the hoop every time then start making the putts.

Face balanced:

take a flat 2x4 board and keep the face square to square while making putts...you can practice this while watching TV even

or get something to keep your stroke straight back straight through while keeping the face square.

...do you also have trouble with 3 putting or just making those 15 foot birdie putts?>

hope this helps

I have both face ballanced putters and toe balanced and have both a 2x4 and putting arc. I use either a scotty cameron tel3 santa fe, 2ball center shafted, wilson 8802, ping scottsdale, or a rossie 2. BTW i used to have just trouble with the 15 foot birdie putts, but now its both. i used to be as solid as anyone 6 feet in, but ive lost it all.

maybe it's that you are trying too hard...and "grinding" too much

what you maybe should do (since the hours of practice isn't working) is to not practice putting as much...just get a feel for the speed...then go out relaxed and let the putter head swing and not be guidie...also not be too focused on the result...just try and hit a good putt and from there it isnt up to you to make the ball go in

and are you using the putting arc or 2x4? it would probably help :drinks:

and while I think of it...stick with one putter for a while and dont switch a lot, like between face and toe balanced putters...

if nothing is better, go to a pro to fix your posture, get your forearms on plane, get the putter in the lifeline with a good grip, all of that stuff...

i have got help from my pro, and he says everything looks good, and that just makes me more frustrated.

Youre probably too mechanical. Feel it out. Best way to do it.

Just work on speed control, because that way if you dont read a green right you can have easy tap ins. But speed is what i think the most important part of putting is...

I'd work more on speed and feel then your mechanics. Also is ur putter custom fitted for you because that could help. One more thing is take a day off or go easier once a week because it sounds like you work all day long everyday of the week and that gets tiring.

Comprargolf, I have the same problem! I practice all the time, and I am pretty good tee to green, but when I get there I guess I just think too much. I feel your pain though, in the State tournament this year I hit 14 greens and shot a 74. One birdie, three bogeys. That was it. Its not really a matter of 3 putting, its a matter of just NEVER making birdie putts. I mean, a 15-20 footer or two has GOT to drop every once in awhile doesnt it?!

PS. I get the feeling I am nowhere near the golfer you are...I am a 6 handicap. But just letting you know that lately, putting has been a major setback for me too.

Comprargolf, I have the same problem! I practice all the time, and I am pretty good tee to green, but when I get there I guess I just think too much. I feel your pain though, in the State tournament this year I hit 14 greens and shot a 74. One birdie, three bogeys. That was it. Its not really a matter of 3 putting, its a matter of just NEVER making birdie putts. I mean, a 15-20 footer or two has GOT to drop every once in awhile doesnt it?!

 

PS. I get the feeling I am nowhere near the golfer you are...I am a 6 handicap. But just letting you know that lately, putting has been a major setback for me too.

yea i have trouble with birdies when im am 5 feet or further. I do make atleast 3 birdies per 18 holes, but those are 2 putts on par 5's or when i knock my wedges stiff on par 4's. Yea i am now a +.5, and i think if i could putt half decent i could be a lot better. I think i am going to practice putting only an hour a day this week, and see if it helps.

putting is over 90% mental.... you have to know that you can a make a putt before you step over the ball. Hope that helps.

What I do when I get into a putting rutt is just think about rocking my shoulders and keeping my head down.

It's probably your confidence.

I had this for a while, just get some longish putts and really go for 'em. when you get to 5 feet or less and if you are getting nervy, breathe in before you start your stroke and you will be breathing out as you are hitting the ball stopping you from getting tense.

maybe u should just try to take a break for a few days...i remember a few weeks ago i was really struggling with my game. it just seemed like every hole either i hit a ball O.B., hit ugly iron shots or 3 putted. I practiced more and more and nothing seemed to work. One weekend i went with some friends to the beach and didnt play golf for a few days. When i came back i had a tournement the next day and fired of my best scores ever in a tournement (73) and finished in 4th place. Its obvious that im not as good as you but maybe ur just trying/pushing to hard and just need to take a break and get rid of the demons in ur head. I have to say, after not playing golf for a few days i was really hungry to play when i got to the course and it seemed like i had a great feel of the greens and made many more putts than i normally do.

i gurantee its in ur head, and i know exactly where ur comin from- i putt with my eyes closed sometimes (only in practice) to try get my feel back. but id seriously not practice putting for 1 week- just play- dont practice putting- u need a break, from putting - go out and play golf with some friends- try to get ur mind off it

go get Dr. Bob Rotella's books..start with golf is not a game of perfect then read a golfer's mind..i think there are two more as well. I am actually in the same spot as you but i am solid from 10 feet and in most of the time it justisntall the time. read thos or go pik up pelz' putting bible that couldhelp too.

Remember that when it comes to putting, how you practice is just as important as how much.

Putting is as much a mental exercise as it is physical. If your pro checked you out and said everything looks good, but you're still not sinking putts, chances are its the mental element that's missing. So just grinding on the practice green hours each day isn't going to help. You need to practice differently.

Since its mental, so much of it has to do with confidence. I would try the circle drill like Mickelson does. Line up your balls in a 6 foot diameter circle around the cup and make those three foot putts from every angle. Find your groove, then enlarge the circle. Just keep doing it to find your groove and your feel.

All mechanics aside, you'll see that when you find your confidence with your putter, putts will start falling.

go get Dr. Bob Rotella's books..start with golf is not a game of perfect then read a golfer's mind..i think there are two more as well. I am actually in the same spot as you but i am solid from 10 feet and in most of the time it justisntall the time. read thos or go pik up pelz' putting bible that couldhelp too.

Great Advice!

Those are some of the best golf books ever....

Dr. Rotella's other book is Putting out of your Mind.....that could be the one you are looking for.

I read it and I think it is definitely a big help to improve putting.

Sean

A wise friend of mine made an observation to me a few weeks back about putting.

Kids tend to be really good putters, but they never work on their stroke, they play putting games for nickles or dimes. Adults spend hours working on their stroke, but tend to struggle a lot more with their putting.....they get so focused on making a "good stroke" that they can't make the putt.

I would try to get away from grinding at hours and hours of putting, your pro says nothing mechanical is wrong, trust him, and try and get into some putting games, or something to change your mindset about putting.

JAT,

Thomas

I'm in the same situation as you, I make barely anything outside of 12 feet. One of Bob Rotella's best drills in his book was 'Look at the hole, look at the ball, let it go' Saves you on so much mechanical thoughts. I hope you get out of the rut soon!

A wise friend of mine made an observation to me a few weeks back about putting.

 

Kids tend to be really good putters, but they never work on their stroke, they play putting games for nickles or dimes. Adults spend hours working on their stroke, but tend to struggle a lot more with their putting.....they get so focused on making a "good stroke" that they can't make the putt.

 

I would try to get away from grinding at hours and hours of putting, your pro says nothing mechanical is wrong, trust him, and try and get into some putting games, or something to change your mindset about putting.

 

JAT,

 

Thomas

ill take ppls money all day on the putting greens. shoot my friend owes me $50 from putting contests, but once i get on the course, it all goes away