40 putts during a round

[jportz]

How is that possible?

It was the championship match of the California Golf Association NET Amateur Match Play. I had played the same course for the past 4 days and played well, putted well....well enough to advance to the Final Match. I was swinging great but on the greens that last day I just couldn't see the lines and had no feel. I've had bad putting days before but never anything like this before. I felt totally lost on the greens.

The greens were lightening quick and the course is built on the side of a mountain so there is a ton of undulation and slope but come on....seriously, 40 putts??? I 3 putted 5 times and 4 putted once...it was ridiculous.

And I'm a good player....single digit hc, had been playing well all week. What the heck happened? On one hole I turned a 6 foot birdie putt into a 40 foot par putt (that was my 4 putt).

Has anyone else ever had the putter totally leave them like this? Any tips on how to shake it off during a round and get your feel back?

[HipCheck]

I shot 80 one round last year and had 39 putts. There's NO excuse for that, so of course, the putter had to go. :yahoo:

[jportz]

The bad thing was that after all those putts I was only 1 down going into 18 and of course I sunk a 10 footer for par.....the only putt I made all day....but he made his 3 footer for par and won the match 1 up.

 

The greens must of been rolling around 12 on the stimp and with all of the slope and near impossible pin placements my poor putting turned into horrible putting.

[MrParr1Noid]

A couple years ago, I watched my son in a college match hit 17 of 18 greens, he hit every fairway, had 7 X 3 putts and 1 X 4 putt and shot a kool 79. You mean something like that? :yahoo:

 

p.s. That putter didn't see the following weeks match either. :yahoo:

[jportz]

Sounds like a replica of my round...it was match play but I think I would've shot 80 or 81 in stroke play. It was even hard for my opponent to watch...he felt bad for me...even after the round he said he felt like he lost because I had played so well tee to green.

 

Ugggg...it was ugly....I hope I can shake it off.

[Zach Heusser]

Ah shake it off, and buy a new putter. It always works for me. :yahoo:

[housey]

In two rounds on the weekend I missed 4 two foot putts and had three three putts. Still won both days, "never give up" that's my motto

[amajeski]

A couple years ago, I watched my son in a college match hit 17 of 18 greens, he hit every fairway, had 7 X 3 putts and 1 X 4 putt and shot a kool 79. You mean something like that? :yahoo:

 

p.s. That putter didn't see the following weeks match either. :yahoo:

 

Correction (from the guy who did it)... it was a smooth 78. 40 putts + 38 strikes of the golf ball.

 

Think about it this way, the only place to go is up and you will remember and laugh about this round with your buddies for years to come. Lord knows I've gotten my fair shair of joy reliving my glory over a round of cold ones with the guys. :bad:

[MrParr1Noid]

A couple years ago, I watched my son in a college match hit 17 of 18 greens, he hit every fairway, had 7 X 3 putts and 1 X 4 putt and shot a kool 79. You mean something like that? :bad:

 

p.s. That putter didn't see the following weeks match either. :yahoo:

 

Correction (from the guy who did it)... it was a smooth 78. 40 putts + 38 strikes of the golf ball.

 

Think about it this way, the only place to go is up and you will remember and laugh about this round with your buddies for years to come. Lord knows I've gotten my fair shair of joy reliving my glory over a round of cold ones with the guys. :bad:

 

I don't remember where you buried that putter at. :yahoo: You did melt that beaacch down, didn't you? :bad:

 

p.s. I don't know who disliked their putter more, you with your Bettinardi or Boonie with his Gauge Design. :bad:

[jportz]

The bad thing is I've been in love with this putter...at least up until that day. It's a YES Sophia that had the length, lie, and loft fit for me so I don't know if I can give her up. Maybe I'll just put her in the penalty box for a week or two.

[Ducky]

Do you feel that you were executing a bad stroke or misreading the greens?

[TReed]

Last year I shot 84 with 42 putts. That really pissed me off and the greens were not even hard. I did switch putters but I am still puttign badly

[RJC59]

i found that when i started to putt poorly, especially on quick greens that I started getting extremely tense over every putt. So what I started doing is convince myself that the putt isnt that important and once my club is behind the ball and set ill take my hands off the putter (not completely or else the club would fall to the ground) and just regrip the putter a little lighter and make the stroke.

 

 

Othertimes if your an analytical kind of guy u just start over thinking things, just pick your line and hit the ball.

[joesgonegolfing]

Had a similar thing happen this year with a putting blow-up like I have never had. The following round was worse and cost me a small fortune.

 

This meltdown sent me searching for putters, long short and belly and searching methodolgy on putting, the whole Pelz v Utley deal.

 

My savior was an old Ping Anser Specify that was made for me years ago and a return to crosshand putting.

 

While I can't say these fixes last forever I did find I was more of an Utley Putter than a Pelz Putter and least now I feel I have a basis to get myself on track when the wheels come off.

 

Joe

[themouth1]

If you have played in competition you have done it...It just happens. I was five up with five to play at a club event a few years ago. We ended up going 19 holes :yahoo: I won in the end and it was an invaluable experience. Everytime I think one of the guys on the PGA is choking I think about that. I didn't have millions riding on the line. Shows me how much better they are than I am. Guess that is why I pay to play golf and they get payed to play...You did say the greens were very tough and the pins were probably placed in some tough places for the finals. Just shake it off and get back next year. Chris

[jportz]

To answer the questions I'd say I was mis-reading the greens more than anything else. The greens were so fast and the pins seemed to all be on a slope and of course I always seemed to leave myself on the wrong side of the hole.

 

Part of it was putting scared too. There were a few holes that I was worried about the ball rolling off the green so I'd take a super high line and then not hit it hard enough resulting in terrible putt.

 

I'll be able to shake it off but man I seriously wish I could take Tiger to the course with me and make him putt a few of the putts I had...just to see how he would play them and see if they were actually as impossible as they seemed to me.

 

You know....I'm sure we've all had those putts where you say to yourself..."ok, just try to keep this on the green and leave yourself an uphill 10 footer" It just seemed like I was saying that to myself on every hole.

[mji009]

To answer the questions I'd say I was mis-reading the greens more than anything else. The greens were so fast and the pins seemed to all be on a slope and of course I always seemed to leave myself on the wrong side of the hole.

 

Part of it was putting scared too. There were a few holes that I was worried about the ball rolling off the green so I'd take a super high line and then not hit it hard enough resulting in terrible putt.

 

I'll be able to shake it off but man I seriously wish I could take Tiger to the course with me and make him putt a few of the putts I had...just to see how he would play them and see if they were actually as impossible as they seemed to me.

 

You know....I'm sure we've all had those putts where you say to yourself..."ok, just try to keep this on the green and leave yourself an uphill 10 footer" It just seemed like I was saying that to myself on every hole.

 

 

Not a tourney, but I had a similar experience at a corporate golf outing. I was playing on a course I never played before and the greens were lightning quick and with lots of undulation. I just couldn't get a read on them. I had made 38 putts, which was terrible for me, since putting is the best part of my game. I couldn't wait until I got back home to my usual courses. Next round I played I had 26 putts with no 3 putts....which is in the usual range for me :yahoo: Whew!

 

I would just chalk it up as bad reads in your case. YOu played a lot of golf and was probably tired and perhaps overanalyzing things. Happens to everyone. Keep your YES!. I am sure you will be right back on track.

[mikeweirfan]

I had a 40 putt round and shot an 80 the other day...

It was the most brutal thing in my life. I have been putting horribly every since then. Switch to cross handed..left handed..tried everything...still can't putt.

[KingOAces]

Anyone ever heard of a 5 Putt??!?!?! I did it in a tournament last week and made an 8 on a par 4. It was so ridiculous i was laughing. I ended up shooting 79 with 29 putts. You just can't get down on yourself. Golf can kick you in the as* sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches.

 

KinG

[IMAGOLFER]

I shot 78 once in a tourney with 40 putts! Worst day of putting in my life... :yahoo:

[jportz]

I can't tell you guys how relieved I am to hear that you all have had days like this as well. I seriously was thinking I was some sort of freak for having 40 putts.....it's reassuring to know that some of you have had days just as bad and have bounced back.

 

Thanks for the encouragement....I'll keep putting a confident stroke on them and I'm sure they'll start falling sooner or later.

[i_luv_golf_]

Same Happened To Me Yesterday!

I've Come Up With The Following Reasons Why.

 

1) Not Spending Enough Time On The Putting Green Before The Competition

2) Instead Of Thinking Go For It I Was More Like Try To And If It Doesnt Go In Ok

3) Played A Course With Greens About 1/4 The Speed The Day Before

 

Struck The Ball So Well Though!

 

It all started in the morning in my layers of clothes i had to put a little more hands in the takeaway.

Although My chipping, pitching and putting were all disgraceful.

 

Later i went out again and played from the tees that were further back.

I was doing better than i would've from the tees i normally played off. I'd have Up And Downs From The Fringe For Par Instead Of My Usual Up And Down For Bogey Thing.

 

Well, They say always take the positives out of your round and i am happy with that extra distance and accuracy i'm getting!

I'm reading this little booklet i got in a magazine about the mental game with a chapter each by Seve, Steve Williams, Monty And Yes Karl Woodward and David Leadbetter.

It's Really Helping Me!

[leekgolf]

Sounds like the problem was management. I play at a course that regularly stimps between 12- 13.5 feet. The greens are undulalting etc.

 

You must be very precise in ball striking, chipping etc.

 

With a front pin, I club to the fringe. When chipping, I plan to be 2-3 feet short of the pin. I once made the mistake of putting a 30 ft lag putt 2 ft past the pin with a severe break. I had a 15 ft. bogey putt, a tap in for double- voila 4 PUTTS!

 

It's a learning process.

 

PS One day when the placements were particulary tough, and the greens were running OVER 13.5, I purposely came up short on 10 greens in a row. I was 2 under for the 10 holes.

[Ditty_72]

Yesterday I played 36 holes; I shot 81-81. The first 81 was with 35 putts; I hit the ball very well, I just could not putt; each time I missed the green, I wasn't getting it up and down. I hit 10 greens that round, and shot +9; not good. In the afternoon, my putting was a bit better, but still nothing too good. I had 32 putts in the afternoon.

 

I also had a round where I shot 83 with 38 putts earlier this year. I hit 9/14 fairways, 13/18 greens, but putted like absolute sh*t. It's rounds like those that make you wanna snap your putter in half.

 

What works for me though is when your putter starts acting up, give it a time out. Toss it out of the bag and threaten to walk away without it. It starts behaving a bit more after. :yahoo:

[jportz]

Leekgolf...you're absolutely right. I was trying to play smart by not looking at the pins and just aiming for the center of the greens but then I'd find myself with near impossible putts. There are quite a few holes where I was wishing I was chipping off the front of the fringe instead of putting. I suppose that comes with more experience playing a course with a setup like that. My home course has snails pace greens that are relatively flat. The course is designed to be tough off the tee but once you make your way to the greens it's not too tough. The course I played in the tournament was the opposite...pretty forgiving off the tee but much tougher approach shots, elevation changes, deep bunkers, and super scary greens.

 

I'll be more prepared next year and hopefully I can close the deal and walk away with the Gold medal.

[progolferch]

Its called the yips in the case that I had. I was a 36 hole state open qualifier and I went for 76 putts in 36 holes I think it was 42 - 34. That day almost had me quit golf forever. I 3 jacked so many times I lost count. But those things go away for me it was just a mental thing at the time. That day I only missed 6 greens in 36 holes but just couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with my putting stroke.

[choeppner]

I have done this a couple of times. :cheesy: That is why my sig says lots and lots of backup putters. That is what happens when you buy a new putter every time you have a bad round. Also, NEVER throw your putter into a lake. Believe me........You will mis her later.

[kenfuji]

Had 40 putts today with 11 GIR

all i did was threaten the hole all day. imho I only had a few bad stokes with the putter where I did not trust my read or did not put a solid stroke which I can live with. It was just one of those days, that eventually leaked over to the rest of my game. the longest putt I holed today was 10 ft to save par. the next longest was 3ft lol

 

could not make any 4 or 5 footers to save par :clapping:

 

Hopefully I can turm this around for round 2 on my 3 day tourney tomorrow.

[ricknoberts]

Just a question:

 

It is my understanding, that in Amateur Match Play events that the participant is allowed to hit putts after both players have finished the hole.

 

If that is true (I seem to remember a lot of it watching the US Am.), you could have done this on a few of the putts to get a better sense of feel as well as the line and alleviate some of your fear.

 

Nevertheless, I empathize.

 

I remember one high school match I played where I hit 7/9 greens and shot a 46 (with no big numbers).

 

I three-putted from 8 feet more than once.

[stage1350]

I heard about a tournament where some pathetic bastage had 46 putts.