Blocking short putts

[ezra76]

It's been trend for sure. I lost a little tournament last month blocking a 2footer. I can not make anything inside 4ft. I missed 5 inside 6ft. last night. Shame when I hit 2 wedges combined under 8ft. and missed both.

 

Anyway. Been practicing every day for months and still can't make them. 8ft. and longer I go back to a decent %. Speed is good. Line inside about 5ft is awful. I toddler with a toy putter could do better.

 

Open to any and all suggestions.

[chollier986]

I have the same problem with short putts.  I’ve noticed, when playing casual rounds, for putts in gimmie range if I just walk up with no real stance just nonchalantly hit the putt, it goes in every time.  I’ve started to to do that on putts 6’ and in, and more are falling.  Maybe I tense up on “makable” putts.

[getitdaily]

You seem to be putting the "mental" in fundamental. 

 

1. Try using the line on the ball for 5 feet and under

2. Make sure your through stroke is not long. Stop the putter head as soon as it hits the ball.

3. Combine #2 with speed drills where you have a 5 footer just creep over the front edge, then hit some where Tha ball falls into the middle without touching the back edge. Then hit some where the ball hits the back edge. Do this from 2 feet, then 3, then 4, then 5. BUT IT HAS TO BE COMBINED WITH #2.

[iacas]

Do you roll the ball over a spot 6" in front of the ball?

[MonteScheinblum]

Most golfers have been putting with excess hip rotation for years and had to learn to block it, in order to not pull it with the hip rotation.  Check there first.

[KMeloney]

By "blocking" you mean you're missing everything out to the right? If so, do you otherwise miss longer putts left? (I'm wondering if you make a compensation on short putts.)

 

I'd have someone check your aim during a round that doesn't matter or on the practice green, and then check your actual stroke, too. One or both of those things is like off.

 

If you only push these putts during competition, then I'd considering lowering your hands some/getting the toe up some on the short ones. This will point the loft of the putter slightly left and help guard against the ball heading right.

Edited May 25, 2023 by KMeloney
(spelling)

[MelloYello]

It's not like we shouldn't practice super short putts. 

 

When the club is moving that slowly (or the stroke is that short) it can be hard to square the face. 

 

I doubt you have any real problem other than you likely just don't practice super short putts. I think a lot of golfers are too embarrassed to practice 1- and 2-ft putts on the practice green. 

[Zitlow]

Tempo

 

 

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, Zitlow said:

Tempo

 

That's not tempo… Golfers mis-use the word "tempo" all the time. So do apps, etc. It's almost to a point where you have to just "accept" the common usage of the word, but I don't think we're there quite yet.

 

Brad's tempo was drastically different on each of those three putts, even the two that measured 0.57. How? Because tempo is the pace of something, and the speed at which that putter head moved was greater on the 12-footer than the 3-footer. And greater still on the 30-footer (even though he took an extra 0.03 seconds).

 

The rhythm is the ratio. Tempo is the pace.

 

Rhythm can remain constant while tempo changes with every putt.

[tthomasgolfer605]

Seeing the line correctly on the side of the ball is something you need to train. 

[Scottbox]

These are pretty cool:

 

https://visioputting.com/mi-putting-template-black/

[The Stallion]

I used to do this all the time, super frustrating. Realized it was an aim issue. Not sure why, but anytime on short putts I would aim way to right. Playing partners were starting to notice and pointed it out I only did it on the short putts.

 

To fix it, I focused on a point 6 inches in front of the ball, rather than the cup, and rolled it over that. It fixed my aim, and thus the issue (since most of the putts you are not giving the hole away)

[Nels55]

Sounds to me like you have the yips.  Switch your grip to pencil or lead hand low or whatever.  I have a friend who was pathetic inside 3 feet and he switched to pencil grip and has made everything for the last several years.

 

Other than that, you need to check your alignment. Most people do not align the putter face correctly if they have not practiced specifically to do so.  Not aligning means you are making a correction during the stroke which gets dicey under pressure.

 

I calibrate my eye and my alignment like this:

 

[ezra76]

On 5/25/2023 at 10:36 AM, KMeloney said:

By "blocking" you mean you're missing everything out to the right? If so, do you otherwise miss longer putts left? (I'm wondering if you make a compensation on short putts.)

 

I'd have someone check your aim during a round that doesn't matter or on the practice green, and then check your actual stroke, too. One or both of those things is like off.

 

If you only push these putts during competition, then I'd considering lowering your hands some/getting the toe up some on the short ones. This will point the loft of the putter slightly left and help guard against the ball heading right.

Yes missing right. 

 

It started in "competition" but now is pretty much all of them. I have a better % from 8-12ft. than 3-4ft.. 

 

 

[iutodd]

Do the gate drill with 3 footers.  Are you a "straight back-straight through" or an "arc" putter?  It could be that on short putts and short strokes you're getting off your normal path and the ball isn't going where you want it to go.

[ezra76]

On 5/25/2023 at 10:01 PM, Nels55 said:

Sounds to me like you have the yips.  Switch your grip to pencil or lead hand low or whatever.  I have a friend who was pathetic inside 3 feet and he switched to pencil grip and has made everything for the last several years.

 

Other than that, you need to check your alignment. Most people do not align the putter face correctly if they have not practiced specifically to do so.  Not aligning means you are making a correction during the stroke which gets dicey under pressure.

 

I calibrate my eye and my alignment like this:

 

Thanks, I like that. I've been tinkering for an hour putting down a tsquare into an empty ball box. I looked up that pencil grip and can really hit that straight down the line. The great part is the 34" Scotty I have is money with that grip so I can give it another shot. 😆

I listen to Jon Sherman a lot while at work lately and he credits the pencil grip with vastly improving his putting. One of my league teammates uses it too and is a very solid 9-10 capper. 

[Ghostwedge]

On 5/25/2023 at 9:30 AM, MonteScheinblum said:

Most golfers have been putting with excess hip rotation for years and had to learn to block it, in order to not pull it with the hip rotation.  Check there first.

Monte is right on this plus a lot of guys "peek" on the short ones which leads to a push. 

[ac6]

1 hour ago, Ghostwedge said:

Monte is right on this plus a lot of guys "peek" on the short ones which leads to a push. 

 

Easy mistake to make for right eye dominant players especially

[ezra76]

I'm left eye dominant but I am pulling up. I noticed right away when I concentrated on keeping hips stable. 

 

That probably crept in from too much indoor practice combined with missing so many short ones this year. 

[ObiwanForAll]

3 hours ago, ezra76 said:

I'm left eye dominant but I am pulling up. I noticed right away when I concentrated on keeping hips stable. 

 

That probably crept in from too much indoor practice combined with missing so many short ones this year. 

I changed my putting stance where I’m sticking my rear out more with a straighter spine (less curve at the top). This helped lock my hips and free up my shoulders.
 

Also adjusted to end of shaft pointing at my belt and always pointing at my belt even through impact.

 

eyes stayed down on inside of ball and didn’t move until well after impact.

 

Last, used the line on the ball and putter shaft for aim. Mentally committed to

it and didn’t think about correcting…just focused on smooth stroke 1-2.

[ezra76]

Little update. I switched to pencil grip and had a much better putting day. Only played my league 9holes but had 4 1putts (and a chip in). Of course I hit my driver all over and had 3 balls lost into the swamp ponds.

 

In practice at home and at the course practice green it's been obviously better. I even put into my notes to "stick with it, it is a better roll", so it was awesome to be able to perform under the pressure needing to get up and down a lot to salvage a score for the team.