Aiming putt tips?

hacker49 · Mar 3, 2019 2:43pm

Hi All,

It's been a while since I have been on. Now that golf season, in my area, is here I need to start working on some of my flaws. One of them, that my instructor discovered, is I misaim my putts and therefore compensate with my putting stroke. That causes me to miss many putts which only worsens both my aim and stroke.

As much as I try I seem to misalign my ball to the line I want to hit. So what tips have you found that helped you line up your putts correctly? I have started putting an alignment line on my ball but I still seem to have difficulty lining up my putt correctly. Any tips or advice would be appreciated. I finally feel like I am swinging better so I hope to see some improvement this year but I know my putting is a big weakness. I probably loose 5 shots a round due to a putt I should have made but didn't because it was misaimed or hit because of the bad aim.

Edit: What I am talking about is not aiming at the wrong point but rather thinking I am aiming at one point but in actuality I am aiming at another. So when I think I am aiming for example 1/2 inch outside of the hole I am actually aiming 1 inch outside. That constant miss has caused a change in my swing to compensate for the frequent miss. Hope this clears things up.

breakingbad · Mar 3, 2019 3:19pm

Find your line, then aim your ball for a part of the green between your ball and the 2 to 3 foot Mark of your line.

Look for an irregularity like an old mark or a patch of grass thats irregular.

Socrates · Mar 3, 2019 3:43pm

When you are lining up the alignment line to the line, try it with only one eye open. Closing one eye stopped my problems with getting the line correct. If you find that awkward, make sure your head is directly over the ball and not to one side or the other.

MonteScheinblum · Mar 3, 2019 3:47pm

Perfect line is over rated as there isn’t one perfect line.

Competent alignment is a good thing.

Find two spots that your intended line is between and aim between them.

hacker49 · Mar 3, 2019 4:07pm

I guess I should have clarified what I am talking about. I am talking about I am not aiming/aligning the ball where I think I am. So if I think I am aiming 1/2 outside the hole I am actually aimed 1 inch outside of the hole. And because of that consistent miss I have adjusted my swing to compensate. I will go back and edit my original post.

Socrates · Mar 3, 2019 5:30pm

Are mis-aligning the line on your ball or you can't hit it on that line?

TundraToad · Mar 4, 2019 10:40am

Go to the practice green and find a straight 10 foot putt. Standing behind putt put a ball mark 6 inches in front of the ball inline with the hole, have a buddy confirm that its correct. Now line up over the putt, does it look correct? For me it looked like I was aiming way left. I now don't look for the line while over the ball just my spot and the hole for distance.

Coy M · Mar 4, 2019 10:57am

Putting a line on my golf ball has helped me understand putting alignment more

iteachgolf · Mar 4, 2019 11:49am

Need to be properly fit for a putter. I can assure you your aiming issues are the result of a putter you’ll never aim consistently correctly

spoonek9 · Mar 5, 2019 11:30am

Krt22 · Mar 5, 2019 12:17pm

iteachgolf wrote:

Need to be properly fit for a putter. I can assure you your aiming issues are the result of a putter you'll never aim consistently correctly

+1. My samlab putter fitting was worth it's weight in gold. I always struggled with start line and roll consistency, both improved immediately after getting the proper putter (needed more toe-hang) and the right length/loft. I went on a 72 hole stretch with only 2 three putts which for me was a dramatic reduction.

hacker49 · Mar 8, 2019 4:35pm

TundraToad wrote:

Go to the practice green and find a straight 10 foot putt. Standing behind putt put a ball mark 6 inches in front of the ball inline with the hole, have a buddy confirm that its correct. Now line up over the putt, does it look correct? For me it looked like I was aiming way left. I now don't look for the line while over the ball just my spot and the hole for distance.

I learned a long time ago not to line up my putt from over the ball. I always crouch behind the ball to find my line. The problem is the line I think I am aiming for isn't where I am actually aiming. Because of that I have changed my putting stroke to compensate. Once I had my instructor line up my putts and he identified my stroke issues I started holing or coming much closer than before.

hacker49 · Mar 8, 2019 4:39pm

iteachgolf wrote:

Need to be properly fit for a putter.

This may be true but my instructor identified I wasn't aiming the ball where I thought I was. Because of that consistent miss I either subconsciously or consciously changed my putting stroke. Once he aimed a few putts and worked with me on correcting my putting stroke I started holing more putts or coming much closer than before. Because of this I am not sure a fitting would help if I don't start with aiming where I think I am aiming.

hacker49 · Mar 8, 2019 4:54pm

spoonek9 wrote:

https://www.youtube....h?v=DnQUoR12N1M

Great in depth explanation of why our vision affects how we perceive our alignment but I don't line up my putt from over the ball.

Krt22 · Mar 8, 2019 5:03pm

hacker49 wrote:

iteachgolf wrote:

Need to be properly fit for a putter.

This may be true but my instructor identified I wasn't aiming the ball where I thought I was. Because of that consistent miss I either subconsciously or consciously changed my putting stroke. Once he aimed a few putts and worked with me on correcting my putting stroke I started holing more putts or coming much closer than before. Because of this I am not sure a fitting would help if I don't start with aiming where I think I am aiming.

My ill fitting putter basically was influencing how I was setting up (and thus aiming). I have some arc to my stroke and was playing a face balanced putter, so was just leaving the face open. Without the fitting I would have just continued to compensate by adjusting start line/aim point more left than really needed

I discounted the fitting for a long time, but if you really think about it, it might be the most important club to get properly fit for, given you take more strokes with it than any other club in the bag

hacker49 · Mar 8, 2019 5:09pm

I am trying this tip out next time I am out on the course or practice.

TundraToad · Mar 8, 2019 5:26pm

hacker49 wrote:

TundraToad wrote:

Go to the practice green and find a straight 10 foot putt. Standing behind putt put a ball mark 6 inches in front of the ball inline with the hole, have a buddy confirm that its correct. Now line up over the putt, does it look correct? For me it looked like I was aiming way left. I now don't look for the line while over the ball just my spot and the hole for distance.

I learned a long time ago not to line up my putt from over the ball. I always crouch behind the ball to find my line. The problem is the line I think I am aiming for isn't where I am actually aiming. Because of that I have changed my putting stroke to compensate. Once I had my instructor line up my putts and he identified my stroke issues I started holing or coming much closer than before.

I had the same issue where you get over the ball and it doesn't look right so I would change my stroke to compensate, sometimes unconsciously. Now when I get over the ball all I do it square myself to my spot, quickly look at the hole for distance and then putt. I NEVER look at the line because I know it won't look right and it will **** up my stroke.

thejazzmarauder · Mar 8, 2019 6:22pm

iteachgolf wrote:

Need to be properly fit for a putter. I can assure you your aiming issues are the result of a putter you'll never aim consistently correctly

So I take it you're not a big believer in Malaska's eye position theory? That would be a relief; it makes a ton of sense, but I find that no matter where I put my eyes, I can't "see" the line I know to be right. It's the putter?

Higgs66 · Mar 8, 2019 6:37pm

I don't align my ball at all, it's round. My swing path and face of my putter is what I align

iteachgolf · Mar 8, 2019 6:37pm

thejazzmarauder wrote:

iteachgolf wrote:

Need to be properly fit for a putter. I can assure you your aiming issues are the result of a putter you'll never aim consistently correctly

So I take it you're not a big believer in Malaska's eye position theory? That would be a relief; it makes a ton of sense, but I find that no matter where I put my eyes, I can't "see" the line I know to be right. It's the putter?

Eye position and how you see shapes afffects how you aim, but you don’t fix it by loving head position. You find the shape putter, offset, and alignment aid that makes what you see real.

James the Hogan Fan · Mar 9, 2019 2:08am

So if I understand the problem correctly, you make a read, select a line, align yourself to what you think is the line, make a perfect stroke and putt the ball on a different line than you wanted.

Try an indoor drill: set up a putt on carpet of any length between say 5-10 feet. I usually place a chair leg as a target. Do your pre-putt routine and take your stance as you do. Now close your eyes and putt. After the putt open your eyes and see where it went. Do it a few times and then a few times eyes open. Focus only on making a solid stroke and not on trying to guide the ball with the putter.

After awhile you’ll see if your miss is constantly one way or more scattered. Suppose every putt misses a few inches left. Make stance adjustments until you’re popping the ball into the chair leg.

It may be helpful if you use an alignment mark/line on the ball that points at your target. The indoor drill will allow you to build a stance and stroke relationship around that line. Once you’ved developed a means to send the ball down that line, you know so long as the line is pointed at the target, you will make a putt at the target. The chair on the carpet just gives you a specific target (which is also often smaller than the hole)

I hope that helps some maybe... I’m not a pro or anything, that’s just the kind of drill I’ve always used.

kram_srednuas · Mar 9, 2019 3:08am

This ^^

baudi · Mar 9, 2019 4:13am

This copper coin weighs ±42gr, diam. 40mm is ± 3.5mm thick. Make it roll and you know your strike and alignment are MATCHED.

A bad strike will make the coin tumble immediately. Probable cause: Face is offline.

A so-so strike will make the coin roll curve off path. Probable cause: path is off line

A proper strike will make the coin roll right into a straight line.

This coin will not lie to you. It is great to play games with. eg bowling with a few tees.

baudi for GEGI

NoTalentLefty · Mar 9, 2019 9:11am

Last night on GC they showed koepka using right hand’s index finger on the grip as a way to draw a straight line to your target.

hacker49 · Mar 14, 2019 5:20pm

James the Hogan Fan wrote:

So if I understand the problem correctly, you make a read, select a line, align yourself to what you think is the line, make a perfect stroke and putt the ball on a different line than you wanted.

Partly. When working with my instructor on this he had me hit a few putts before giving any instruction so he could see what the problem was. Then he asked me if I ever used an alignment line or the marking on the ball to line up my putt. I told him no. So he lined a couple of putts at a straight hole and had me putt. He realized I had a tendency to not let the club release so I was leaving the face open, because I had a tendency to miss right (I'm a lefty). And I know I was making a conscience to keep my wrist stiff because I thought I was missing because I was over rotating the club/pulling. Once he aimed the ball with a line and got me release the putter my putting was better. So because my eyes were deceiving me in where I thought I was aiming and causing constant misses I tried to correct for this my making an adjustment to my stroke. So when my bad aim and bad stroke matched I could make a putt or the line I intended. But if I aimed with my bad aim and stroked correctly I would miss and then think I pulled my putt and concentrate more the next time to not "pull" which wasn't a pull at all. It makes sense because I had and still do but to a much lesser extent, a tendency to misaim with my other clubs as well. I would align my feet to the hole and then try to compensate my stroke to hit the line of the hole.

iteachgolf · Mar 14, 2019 5:22pm

hacker49 wrote:

James the Hogan Fan wrote:

So if I understand the problem correctly, you make a read, select a line, align yourself to what you think is the line, make a perfect stroke and putt the ball on a different line than you wanted.

Partly. When working with my instructor on this he had me hit a few putts before giving any instruction so he could see what the problem was. Then he asked me if I ever used an alignment line or the marking on the ball to line up my putt. I told him no. So he lined a couple of putts at a straight hole and had me putt. He realized I had a tendency to not let the club release so I was leaving the face open, because I had a tendency to miss right (I'm a lefty). And I know I was making a conscience to keep my wrist stiff because I thought I was missing because I was over rotating the club/pulling. Once he aimed the ball with a line and got me release the putter my putting was better. So because my eyes were deceiving me in where I thought I was aiming and causing constant misses I tried to correct for this my making an adjustment to my stroke. So when my bad aim and bad stroke matched I could make a putt or the line I intended. But if I aimed with my bad aim and stroked correctly I would miss and then think I pulled my putt and concentrate more the next time to not "pull" which wasn't a pull at all. It makes sense because I had and still do but to a much lesser extent, a tendency to misaim with my other clubs as well. I would align my feet to the hole and then try to compensate my stroke to hit the line of the hole.

Again a putter fitting would fix your aiming problems

James the Hogan Fan · Mar 15, 2019 6:42pm

I agree experimentation/fitting with a new putter might find you squaring/releasing a bit better, in that it could produce more acceptable results with the stroke you already have.

The problem doesn’t sound like alignment, it sounds like you are in a transition period between putting strokes, and you can’t align because you don’t know which stroke is going to appear when you actually make a putt. You are, in effect, psyching yourself out.

And that’s going to be difficult to overcome, because it’s going to take a lot of time to engrain the new thoughts and techniques. I think as far as practice goes, some kind of straight line drill would do well because it sounds like you need the assurance that you are not pushing or pulling the putts. Have someone align you or put down an alignment stick and just keep working at those new swing thoughts, sending the ball straight down the line.

Best of luck!

Clambake · Mar 17, 2019 1:13pm

iteachgolf wrote:

Eye position and how you see shapes afffects how you aim, but you don't fix it by loving head position. You find the shape putter, offset, and alignment aid that makes what you see real.

This ^^^

Everyone is wired a little different and views where they are aimed slightly differently, and the factors that iteach mentions all factor into your perception. Here's a photo that Edel used to illustrate. Do you see any of these as aligned square, right, or left to a target line?

Most people see one of these as closed, one square, and one open to the line. And many see it differently. Personally, I see the one on the right as open to the line, and the putter on the left as slightly closed. But the reality is all are aligned to the exact same spot. Different offsets on the hosel may change perceptions. And the size, number and types of alignment aids also changes the perception.

A few years ago I went through an Edel fitting. I used a Scotty Anser-style putter at the time, and found out I was consistently aiming about 4" left of the hole from 10 feet. The fitter covers up the line on the sole with tape and put a little dot on the top of the flange for an aid, and I'd line up straight. Pull off the tape and erase the dot and I was 4" left. It was very consistent.

Get a good fitting for shape and features that work for how YOU perceive the aim line, then you can practice grooving a repeatable stroke. Doing this instead of trying to learn compromises has made a huge difference in my putting.

GoGoErky · Mar 17, 2019 1:52pm

Get a putting mirror and check eyeline.

Find an intermediate target and practice rolling balls over it.

Seemore putting triangle is a good aid too

jmkenn0 · Mar 17, 2019 2:01pm

Chalk line? Easier if you have a indoor practice green but find a flat area and snap a line then use that for alignment? I think it helps visually especially if you are getting to use the lines on your putter.

Aiming putt tips?

Comments

Leave a Comment