Putting using line on ball - how long did it take you to be comfortable?

[Petethreeput]

I really liked the video so starting there, I have done one thing differently than his suggestion.  My line, like yours always feels like it is left when I first address the ball, so I move my head behind the ball, my left eye is pretty much in line with the back of the ball, and my eyes are inside, I am left eye dominant and right hand putter.

 

I set the line from behind the putt.  He discusses the use of the tee in the ground, instead I pick a spot 1"-2" in front of the ball along the line I have chosen and look at this, not the ball.  I want my putter to go over this spot.  It does two things for me.  1. any doubt I may have doesn't matter because by the time I would normally flinch (if I do) because things aren't perfect the ball is already gone and 2, along with flinching, it keeps the putter head moving through the golf ball.  When I first went to this I was really overpowering every putt, so it took some adjusting, but I think this was more a product of hitting the ball more solidly.

 

This might not work for you, but I am LHL so I try to stay true to the SBST stroke.

 

Whenever I opine about putting I have to say the screen name is from '11 when I couldn't have hit water from a boat, now I would say putting is the strength of my game. 

[bladehunter]

28 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

Man, I feel ya. Something's gotta give. I'm actually avoiding a competition this weekend at a course I like because I don't feel I can compete because of my putter. I feel like will zalatoris...gain 3 shots a round on ballstriking, 11-12 fairways, 12-14 greens every round...and lose by 2 because a couple of guys can roll it. I strike the ball like a +3 and putt like a 3/4. 

Do you want to be president of this club?  I haven’t signed up for anything this summer for the same reason.  Made feet of putts for me is just a dismally low number.  If you “ try to make more “ all you’ll do is 3 putt more.  So it’s settled back into the “ hit green 2 putt , rinse repeat “ mode.  Which is ok on Saturday morning. But it’s not going to play in any real round.  
 

 

This is a bad tangent for me to get on. So I’m going to try to stop.  Best advice I can give you from my struggles is this.  Do what that video says. Find the comfortable spot putting first.  Think about Jack Nicklaus and his crouch stance. That’s what he was doing.  And he wouldn’t let the putt happen until he was comfortable.  If you can be determined to not putt until you're comfortable, you’ll see improvement.   
 

I fell back out of this over the winter out of pure frustration.  I just stopped trying to do anything.  Just lag.  As a stress reliever.  Now I’m trying to work back into a routine that includes this comfortable setup.  Meaning where I can see. 
 

are you left eye dominant?  If so try setup with the weak eye closed. THEN move your head into a spot where you can see down the line.  That will get you closest.  

Edited April 21, 2023 by bladehunter

[Zitlow]

I don't think I'd want putting advice from someone with the handle @Petethreeput. Just kidding

[Petethreeput]

3 minutes ago, Zitlow said:

I don't think I'd want putting advice from someone with the handle @Petethreeput. Just kidding

That's why I put in the disclaimer.  When I first joined I actually was looking for a putter because I was so, so bad.  I couldn't scare the hole from inside 8'.  It was awe inspiring how poor my putting was.

 

Since then I have gone to the line, LHL, face balanced mallet, and done some reading.  Worked pretty danged hard on it for a guy with a job, and now everything else is crap, but the putting is right as rain.

[Golfbeat]

Using the line immediately improved my putting. Never looked back. I use Aimpoint Express to line up the putt and then it is just speed.

[Fuscinator]

Putting's @n@l enough without additionally having to aim some silly line on the ball.

[bluedot]

I really love it when people who use the line tell those of us that can’t use it that if we just learn to “trust” the line, it will work.  Beautiful…

[PracticeSwinger]

10 minutes ago, bluedot said:

I really love it when people who use the line tell those of us that can’t use it that if we just learn to “trust” the line, it will work.  Beautiful…

I get what you’re saying. Included in the video is the subconscious vomit zone that happens if you still don’t trust that you’re aligned correctly at address because of your setup to the line, even though you know it’s aligned perfectly to your aim line

[SollyinGA]

I mark lines on all my balls with the best of intentions, but once I start playing, I give up on the first putt trying to get my line pointed in the direction that I’m going. 

[Cliffy2020]

It took me two seasons of dedicated winter practice, hundreds of hours, string line, lasers, slow mo video, blast motion analysis, playing partners extra eyeballs, Sam putt lab sessions and every Edel & Malaska putting video to confirm & conclude I cannot train myself to line up a lined putter with a lined ball 10’ away.  Thousands & thousands of reps practicing alignment did nothing to rewire my visual perception of what straight actually is.

 

Just for ref, I’m RH & RE dominate with a slight astigmatism and a left aim bias.  I consistently align any lined putter ~4” left of centercup from 10’.  
 

Remove the hole from the entire equation.  Simply placing a lined ball on the ground and attempting to align a lined flat putter to a lined round ball proved futile & consistently left (I couldn’t even simply connect the lines!) I’d do my best and then have somebody snap a cellphone pic from just behind me - Nope!  Just a little off.  Just off enough to miss a 6’ putt left.  Alignment is much better at 4’ but my stroke was also grooved to push the ball on line enough to miss those putts to the right.  I feel the anxiety building just talking about it.  

 

The knowing and not knowing at the same time exactly where those little lines were aimed/pointed/aligned while understanding my biases and engrained stroke tendencies became in a word - debilitating.  It added pressure to my reads.  I started looking at grain, feeling wind and god forbid putting through my own shadow!  Or the way the ball and putter cast their own shadows late in the afternoon on a sunny day!  FORGET IT!  NO THANK YOU!  I started avoiding casual rounds due to the embarrassment let alone tournaments.  I’d rather spend the day in jail.  
 

Hitting greens in the teens and posting 75’s gets old after years of dedicated practice and doing the same thing expecting different results is the definition of insanity right?
 

Well not for lack of effort I’ve eliminated all that brain clutter by removing all lines.  The non-linear geometry of the original 2-ball removed my aim bias.  Paired with a naked golf ball I magically see straight and alignment is greatly improved.  I may introduce the line on the ball in the future for the 3-8 footers if my anxiety allows it.  But it’s naked for now as the scars are still relatively fresh.

 

Moral of the story - make sure you have a putter you aim correctly first and foremost.  Confirm it! Not just think you aim correctly like I did. Head shape, head style, hosel config, sight lines & alignment aids all play a role unfortunately for all of us that don’t see straight naturally.  I tried to force my brain and eyes to use lines but it hurt more than it helped.  Manipulating my eyeline, stance, ball position and head tilts to see straight with the wrong putter was a painful learning experience.  
 

Man I’m long-winded!  
Agologies!
 

Off to the putting green while the suns out just enough to make it tolerable out there but still cold and windy enough to keep the crowds down.

 

Stupid game.

[Obee]

1 hour ago, Fuscinator said:

Putting's @n@l enough without additionally having to aim some silly line on the ball.

And see ... for me, putting was always difficult. Now it's EASY since I've gone to the line. 🙂

[Obee]

59 minutes ago, bluedot said:

I really love it when people who use the line tell those of us that can’t use it that if we just learn to “trust” the line, it will work.  Beautiful…

 

I would never tell anyone that. The reason I couldn't putt with the line originally is because it Did. Not. Look. Straight.

Once I fixed that (using Malaska's video), it all fell into place. 🙂

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, bluedot said:

I really love it when people who use the line tell those of us that can’t use it that if we just learn to “trust” the line, it will work.  Beautiful…

Round of applause 👏!     I mean just putt better. Right ?  😂.  Imagine if I ran around here saying “ just hit your irons and wedges better visualize success “ 🤣.  

[bladehunter]

20 minutes ago, Obee said:

 

I would never tell anyone that. The reason I couldn't putt with the line originally is because it Did. Not. Look. Straight.

Once I fixed that (using Malaska's video), it all fell into place. 🙂

I’m not busting  your balls Obee.  You give good advice.  But there still seems to be a constant disconnect for some of us.  And it’s only this irritating because of the other stats that I keep .  We truly don’t understand how you went from where we are to truly being a good putter.  Yet we know what it tastes like because every blue moon you will have a day where you can see the line and it all goes in or scares the hole. This isn’t the case with any other part of my game.  I can not touch a club for 2-3 weeks and with 30 min warmup pre round I’ll hit a minimum 10-12 greens. It’s just going to happen.  Plenty of times more. I average 13.7 GIR a round.  On tiny greens. Wedge game etc is like breathing.  Putting is like me trying to fly to the moon.  It’s an unnatural act.  whining over. 
 

how long did it take you to use the line without side effects ( speed issues or taking 3 years to strike a putt )?   Real question.  Is this a seasons adaptation, several years ?  Two weeks ?    I went at it honestly last summer for 5 months. And never got one tenth of a stroke better.  Same hot or cold.  To the point that I just stopped practicing.  Because the results aren’t different practice or none.  
 

 

[596]

I tried the line many different times. 1. I could never get the line aimed at where I wanted it to aim.  2. Once it was aimed where I thought was correct, standing over the putt it looked way off 

 

Enter the TaylorMade Tour Response with the wide green line.  Totally changed my ability to aim it correctly and then over the putt it looks exactly where I aimed it. I can't use the single line. But this wide line is perfect.  I'm putting better then I have on years.  When only concerned with speed, my speed is much more accurate. Much more confident to hit a solid putt knowing it's starting on line. 

 

Everyone is told to aim shots at a spot a few feet in front of you off the tee.  I can't aim at that spot to save my life. But pick 2 spots about a foot apart, like a goal post, about 5 feet in front of me, and I can aim dead straight through those goal posts all day long. Basically the same concept. 

[cav5]

4 hours ago, bladehunter said:

Lol. I’ll let you know if it ever happens.  
 

 

im of the belief that those of us who see the whole path of putt from ball to the hole  can’t use the line , because it turns a curved visual into a straight line.  
 

it always ruins my speed.  I’ll hit putts harder trying to make sure it rolls true. Basically becoming line bound. I think tiger was able to do both.  See the path and use the line at setup without becoming start  line bound. 
 

edit.  Your much better off finding a putter that you line up better. For a lot of us it’s one with no line.  I use the face to line up.  

This is the real issue that I don't see discussed much anywhere. I see the entire putt. If I have a right to left 3 footer that I try to aim "straight" a ball outside, then I'm going to make the the worst stroke and miss it low 99% of the time.

 

I feel like I soak in the entire putt.

 

I don't use a line on the ball but I use a odyysey #7 with a 3 lines on it.  I use the lines as tool that relates to ME. I just want those lines to look familar. I've tried the no lines, or dot only putters but I think the lines can give the added confidence needed to perform under the gun

 

Left center, firm right edge, ball out. Those are just feelings to me atleast.

 

Same thing with full swings. I'm pretty sure my clubface is aimed left at address. I normally hit a push draw tho. Some things just aren't worth fighting

[getitdaily]

2 minutes ago, 596 said:

I tried the line many different times. 1. I could never get the line aimed at where I wanted it to aim.  2. Once it was aimed where I thought was correct, standing over the putt it looked way off 

 

Enter the TaylorMade Tour Response with the wide green line.  Totally changed my ability to aim it correctly and then over the putt it looks exactly where I aimed it. I can't use the single line. But this wide line is perfect.  I'm putting better then I have on years.  When only concerned with speed, my speed is much more accurate. Much more confident to hit a solid putt knowing it's starting on line. 

 

Everyone is told to aim shots at a spot a few feet in front of you off the tee.  I can't aim at that spot to save my life. But pick 2 spots about a foot apart, like a goal post, about 5 feet in front of me, and I can aim dead straight through those goal posts all day long. Basically the same concept. 

I tried a similar concept (tour response ball) and it helps a bit.

[596]

3 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

I tried a similar concept (tour response ball) and it helps a bit.

I've tried that too but it didn't work at all for me.  But if color that section it'll make a huge difference, at least to me. I guess the lines like that are just too thin.  I love the fat line!! 

 

I found a company that will put a fat line on any brand ball you want.  They have my business as soon as I run out of my stock of balls. 

Edited April 21, 2023 by 596

[getitdaily]

1 minute ago, 596 said:

I've tried that too but it didn't work at all for me.  But if color that section it'll make a huge difference, at least to me. I guess the lines like that are just too thin.  I love the fat line!! 

I had a few of the tour response. I do really like the alignment on it.

[Roejye]

I oscillate between using a line and just visualizing and aiming. I too have an issue when using the line that when I set up it doesn't look right. I've had times where I had to step back and check it again, then when I set up again I can trust it. I think if I just stuck with it I could trust it. 

[596]

18 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

I had a few of the tour response. I do really like the alignment on it.

Lol. Me too, but the ball spins a bunch and I lose distance compared to my Callaway CS X LS.  I'm talking 10 to 15 yards per club . I'll get the CS with a fat line! 

[MattC555]

I committed to the line last year and will never look back.  Took a bit to get my eyes to agree with it.  I think I unknowingly started addressing my putts like the video above to get a better vantage of what the appropriate line is.  Once I learned to stop second guessing it my putting improved dramatically. 

[getitdaily]

4 minutes ago, 596 said:

Lol. Me too, but the ball spins a bunch and I lose distance compared to my Callaway CS X LS.  I'm talking 10 to 15 yards per club . I'll get the CS with a fat line! 

Yeah, TM sent me a box to demo. I chipped with them and could feel how soft they were. Never hit a full shot with them...knew they would be short. 

[getitdaily]

3 minutes ago, MattC555 said:

I committed to the line last year and will never look back.  Took a bit to get my eyes to agree with it.  I think I unknowingly started addressing my putts like the video above to get a better vantage of what the appropriate line is.  Once I learned to stop second guessing it my putting improved dramatically. 

How long did it take to adjust? Did using the line change your stroke or did you just change how you setup (which can change stroke dynamics).

[PracticeSwinger]

Just now, MattC555 said:

I committed to the line last year and will never look back.  Took a bit to get my eyes to agree with it.  I think I unknowingly started addressing my putts like the video above to get a better vantage of what the appropriate line is.  Once I learned to stop second guessing it my putting improved dramatically. 

It's all there is actually, the line is an aid you set beforehand (think box) to make sure the ball starts rolling on your intended line once you address it (play box). If something appears off when you step into your play box and you're still thinking about it when starting your motion, it'll never work as you will compensate somehow

[MattC555]

15 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

How long did it take to adjust? Did using the line change your stroke or did you just change how you setup (which can change stroke dynamics).

 

Probably half the season before I was really comfortable with it.  It is easy to second guess, and if you don't have a quick routine down you can feel like you're holding people up.   

 

The line changed my setup, but it also changed my routine.  I'm now feeling the line before placing the ball.  I then back off and check if the line is where I want it.  Finally I setup where the line feels like it is on my target and then give it a roll.  I'll start setting the line when a person is getting ready to putt, so I'm ready to go when they are finished.  The sequence was critical for me, so that I don't feel rushed - especially if I need to reset the line after looking at it from behind.   

[PNWGuy]

3 hours ago, bluedot said:

I really love it when people who use the line tell those of us that can’t use it that if we just learn to “trust” the line, it will work.  Beautiful…

 

That's an intersting take.  I know you are pretty good with face on putting...  Do you stand behind the ball and line up the alignment line on your BG F22 with the hole or do you simply use your eyes at address?  I'm not challenging your statement, I'm just intersted how you do it.

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, cav5 said:

This is the real issue that I don't see discussed much anywhere. I see the entire putt. If I have a right to left 3 footer that I try to aim "straight" a ball outside, then I'm going to make the the worst stroke and miss it low 99% of the time.

 

I feel like I soak in the entire putt.

 

I don't use a line on the ball but I use a odyysey #7 with a 3 lines on it.  I use the lines as tool that relates to ME. I just want those lines to look familar. I've tried the no lines, or dot only putters but I think the lines can give the added confidence needed to perform under the gun

 

Left center, firm right edge, ball out. Those are just feelings to me atleast.

 

Same thing with full swings. I'm pretty sure my clubface is aimed left at address. I normally hit a push draw tho. Some things just aren't worth fighting

Yes.  On the putt and the swing.  Have been thinking on this all afternoon.   
 

on a 75 yard wedge shot. I literally want to know distance to fly it. Wind direction and that’s it. I’ll pull a club , see a shot and step in and hit it inside of just a few seconds.   Then you flip to putting.  And I want to see it the same,Except it’s much harder to read the ground vs the air. 
 

my issue is reading no doubt. I can stand and make straight 6 footers all day.  What I can’t do is tell that the putt is straight .  That’s with feet or eyes.  

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, getitdaily said:

How long did it take to adjust? Did using the line change your stroke or did you just change how you setup (which can change stroke dynamics).

Question.  Do you have an issue setting up on a straight putt and making them ?  

[getitdaily]

49 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Question.  Do you have an issue setting up on a straight putt and making them ?  

During a round or just general practice?