putting mentality

[nuby]

hey guys

 

i was just intereested what you guys think about when your putting and reading breaks also when u know uve got a semi difficult shot ahead of you and have problems getting you thoughts straight

[g8a_golf]

Putting: "don't leave it short"

 

tough shot: "take one more club and make good contact"

[DaveyH]

short putts:''Centre cup''

all other putts:''As close as possible will do''

 

 

Irons:''Hit the green''

if theres trouble left right short or long it will be

'' hit the green and keep it left''

 

Driver:''Tempo and fairway''

 

all shots i try and visualise and pick a landing spot so for my wedges its usually

'' pitch it on that spot and it will run to there''

 

Mental thoughts will improve your game believe me.

[beachgrovejunior]

putt- its going in no matter what

 

basic iron- drain it

tucked pin iron- smooth and just think of my target

 

drive- dead center

 

pretty much i try and think perfection, may not work, but its better to barely miss when youre thinking dead center than to barely miss when youre just thinking fairway

[nuby]

thanks for the quick replys guys. im guessing mental work is one of the few things still lacking right now as they cost me lots of shots especialy infront of an audience

[DaveyH]

thanks for the quick replys guys. im guessing mental work is one of the few things still lacking right now as they cost me lots of shots especialy infront of an audience

If you tell yourself your going to hit a good shot then you will the majority of the time.

Ridding doubts in your mind by telling yourself you'll hit a good shot creates a natural drive and positive swing thought that leads to a good solid swing with great results.

[Jross427]

Putter outside of 10 feet "inside a foot"

inside of 10 feet "make it"

 

tough shot "just get it....." on the green or in the fairway or something along that line

 

things start going downhill "its golf, your going to make a mistake here and there"

[i_luv_golf_]

Not trying to criticise people here but I just don't see the point of lagging 15ft putts etc. I see how some might make a freer stroke with a bigger target in mind but as Dr. Bob Rotella would say ''everyday you putt to a 3ft circle you're going to be losing to someone who putts to make it''.

 

If anyone has mental game troubles etc. I highly recommend Rotella's books: Putting out of your mind, Golf is a game of confidence and Golf is not a game of perfect. All really good golf books. I just read them all over the other day and well...all I can say was I broke 80 w/out ever threatening it before as well as winning the competition I played in

[emc]

I don't think as much over the ball, but give myself a clear idea beforehand of the goal of the shot. On a putt I'll take a look, maybe a few practice strokes behind the ball if it's a pace putt, walk up, look twice at the hole and hit it. By looking at the hole and then letting go, it gives an image of where you want the ball to go. With full shots I'll just talk myself through the shot from behind the ball, e.g. wind left to right, bunker short left just hit a nice punch underneath the wind about 10 feet right of the hole

[titleistnutter]

read bob rotellas books, he says always aim to make ANY putt. you try to put it within 6 feet and at best your looking at around a 6 footer. you try to make it and your not likely to make it but the result will be better

[STagain]

putt -- target. i always try to make it. the only exception i can imagine is if it's a long putt and there is a large break, i pick the lowest line i see (err towards under-reading) so the next one is uphill.

 

iron -- target. pick a shot shape and pick your club. trust that it's the right call and just see it and hit it.

 

driver -- pick a specific target. aim small, miss small.

[Ezgolfer]

read bob rotellas books, he says always aim to make ANY putt. you try to put it within 6 feet and at best your looking at around a 6 footer. you try to make it and your not likely to make it but the result will be better

 

 

And

What is Bob Rotella's handicap?

I do n"t entirely drink his cool-aid , being a physician myself .

How many tiimes, i have messed up with going for the cup on a birdie put shooting it across the hole leaving another 9 footer to end in a bogie . There goes another GIR. It actually depends on the level you play . Hell i will take a long lag within 3 feet than a six footer . I shoot in low 90's.

[Sandpiper3]

IMO. Rotella is a freaking genius.

 

I line it up with my line on my ball (my key to reading a green is read as little break as you possibly can), and worry only about speed.

 

I look at every putt as if ill make it because the narrower the aim, the closer the miss (AS PER ROTELLA). This all assuming you have an understanding of the concept called "feel" and "weight".

 

I never put a putt farther than a foot past the hole, anything past that or past catching either edge of the cup is a complete missread.

[STagain]

read bob rotellas books, he says always aim to make ANY putt. you try to put it within 6 feet and at best your looking at around a 6 footer. you try to make it and your not likely to make it but the result will be better

 

 

And

What is Bob Rotella's handicap?

I do n"t entirely drink his cool-aid , being a physician myself .

How many tiimes, i have messed up with going for the cup on a birdie put shooting it across the hole leaving another 9 footer to end in a bogie . There goes another GIR. It actually depends on the level you play . Hell i will take a long lag within 3 feet than a six footer . I shoot in low 90's.

 

 

trying to make every putt does not mean ramming at a pace that would leave it 9 feet past just to take the break out. why does everyone think that this is the most efficient way to make a putt? correct me if i'm wrong, but it seems that you're idea of trying to make a hard-breaking 20 footer is to force it as straight as possible by killing the putt. for me, trying to drain that hard-breaking 20 footer involves trying to have the putt fall in on its last rotation on the high side.

[spinningwedge]

I second STagain's thoughts.

 

I believe I am going to hole every putt, no matter how long it is- coming to that "belief" and committing to the line is the main component of my pre-putt routine, and I judge my putting performance on how well I can execute that mental task- not on how many putts I make.

 

 

Some putts, like uphill 8 footers, need to go in fast- some need to fall in from the high side. For short putts, I'm aiming at something inside the hole, like a piece of dirt or a crack in the cup liner. I'll have a really good look at these miniscule targets and internalize them over the ball.

 

All the above is Rotella stuff and it makes a lot of sense to me. It's also moved my putting game to a new level.

 

Also, when hitting tee shots, I'm aiming for as small a target as I can discern in the landing area, so a shadow, leaves, the smaller the better. It really helps me focus and improves the dispersion.