Putting Woes

[CristieKerr]

So I'm going to the course to try and squeeze in 18 after work and I'm concerned. Me and some buddies went on a little golf weekend and I putted terribly the last two rounds. The second round probably shouldn't count because the course was set up for some ball buster tournament and the pins were placed in ridiculous spots that were far past being tough Sunday locations, but still my pace was terrible and I just seemed to not be able read the break. I wasn't trying a new grip, didn't change my routine, I'm not using a different putter, but my confidence is shot now. And I'm not talking like a three putt here and there, Sunday I started with five straight three putts, it was ridiculous. Until Saturday, I couldn't even remember the last time I three putted twice in the same round, let alone like that (and those weren't the only five). I mean seriously, who has 15 putts in five holes (besides the Serge on Sunday)? I didn't have a single one putt and it got to the point where I was just trying to get 12 footers close enough to tap in.

I guess it's normal to have some bad putting rounds, but I've never had anything like this before. Even when I started I don't remember it being this bad.

Does anyone have any tips to help break the funk? Has this happened to anyone else? And it's not the yips, it was just the worst two rounds and by far the worst round of putting I can ever remember.

Hopefully I get back into it tonight, I had been playing so well until this weekend and the putting definitely was the cause of my increased scores. I'm back to my home course, so maybe comfort will help. I'll keep you posted on how it goes... if I live through it.

[C-Tech]

Aren't three putts just the worst! My putting goes up and down with several things, but speed is always the key for me. I can normally pick the line pretty well, but if my speed is off, things just go bad. Every once in a while, I decide I need a new putter and I put my old Carbite in the garage in favor of a new putter. Invariably, my speed with the new putter goes from great to terrible over a week or so. When this happens, I do two things to straighten it out. First, I apologize to my old Carbite for being a fool and put her back in the bag. Second thing I do is go to the putting green and take maybe 50 putts from 20ft trying to stop the ball within a few inches of the fringe of the green. I do not aim at a hole trying to make the putt, I just make sure I am rolling it the right distance with this practice regimen. Once I can leave the majority of a group of 10 putts within 4 inches of the fringe, I know I am back to normal.

I then promise myself and Miss Carbite that I will never cheat again.....at least until the next time some sexy new putter catches my eye...

[Wazmankg]

I go though the same thing every now and then. In fact I'm in a bit of a putting slump right now... not 15 in 5 holes bad, but not good. I've been around 36 per round the last few times out and that's bad enough considering I don't hit many greens so my first putt is usually inside 20'. With me it's always a pace issue. I eventually just decide that I'm going to get every one to the hole. I'll blast a few by but at least I know the break on the come-backer. I'm not a very good reader of greens either. Anything over 15' I aim at the hole unless there's a very obvious break. I've noticed that people tend to over-read breaks, especially on public courses that aren't running at a 12. So much of putting is just confidence. Keep your head down and still, trust your read and speed and don't over think it.

[Golfaddict]

I absolutely despise 3 putts. I believe that's the one part of my game that can be and should be eliminated. But they still show up every now and then. Around a month ago my putter that I have used for aproximately 5 years had a problem, ok it was me, but the putter was just not working out. I switched putters and my game seemed to take on new life.

I know that is not always the answer, but sometimes changes are good. I don't usually recommend equipment changes but a new look may work. After changing to my odyssey white hot #7 xg I have twice carded my personal best.

[Bigvivec]

I bust it up with a temporary putter change...I have 8 or 10 and will usually go with a totally different style than what I currently use...the best funk buster I have is a good 100 gr heavier than my usual putter, a twoball mallet style that is black and bright orange...after a round or two with that I have usually stopped doing whatever it was that brought on the funk, am really concentrating as the feel and setup are completely different, and then when I go back to my favorite, things are usually much better...basics like setup, wrist position etc are always good for review, but like you said, when you're in a slump, you could hand a kid your putter who has never putted before and he'll beat you in a contest straight up...it's between the ears and throwing your mind off with an equiment mix up let's you start fresh again...

[PA PLAYA]

Ever thought about throwing a new grip on the putter? Works like a charm. And cheaper than buying a new putter.

[EddieC]

Sounds like you need to stand on the putting green and bang in 50 or so 3 footers and get some confidence back. I think we all go through this from time to time. Other tricks I use. Putt to a tee you've stuck in the ground, gives you a smaller, more focused target to aim at. On longer lag puts, stair at the hole for no less that 4 seconds (count if you have to) and then hit your putt. I read this somewhere, apperantly it takes your brain at least four seconds to guage distance. And last, but certainley not least, as mentioned above, two bad rounds and I'm rotating putters, new golf stuff always performs great the first couple of times you use it

[CristieKerr]

Originally Posted by EddieC

Sounds like you need to stand on the putting green and bang in 50 or so 3 footers and get some confidence back.

This is certainly my next plan and really what I should be doing instead of playing tonight, but my buddy wanted to get a round in.

On a side note, it did get better on the back, but I wouldn't say to good putting, when I started concentrating on my grip more. Trying to lighten it and not gripping it until I went to hit it, just resting in my hands. I do think I have a tendency to grip the putter too tight when things aren't going well. Kinda of like in hockey when you are squeezing the stick too tight when you aren't scoring, I guess my Canadian blood translates that to golf too.

I also like the idea of switching putters just for a change, but the only other two I have are terrible. I traded in my last one to get a better one, never should have, should've bought it out right to have two solid putters.

[CristieKerr]

Hmmm, maybe I need this:

[straightshooter]

Sometimes when I am not getting the right distance, I try to correct the problem (for example leaving them short) with a swing-thought (such as 'be sure to get it to the hole'), which then results in me blowing them by the hole. As such, the corrective swing thoughts are always a mistake for me. I do much better when I simply keep trying to make the actual putt at hand, without worrying about missdeeds from the recent past. So I'd say: Just keep trying!

[C-Tech]

Originally Posted by PA PLAYA

Ever thought about throwing a new grip on the putter? Works like a charm. And cheaper than buying a new putter.

Now that is a good idea... I missed it somehow, I thought it was throwing a putter, not throwing a new grip on it....

[Leaguegolf]

Originally Posted by CristieKerr

Hmmm, maybe I need this:

We thought that was what you were using.

[CristieKerr]

So I go from not making anything to 30 putts. I still had two three putts, one that shouldn't have been but one on 18 that I can't complain that much about. It's just a tricky, hump back green and I had 50+ feet. I still think I should've hit the second one, but I left a lot to negotiate. I'm pleased, I had a lot of one putts, but some were due to chipping, only a couple of one putts from outside 10, but seriously two is better than the none I was getting the last couple of rounds. Maybe this mini support group helped, maybe it was the comfort of my home course, who knows. I guess that's why it's golf! It's a good thing I putted much better and chipped well too, I was yanking everything left off the tee and giving up strokes punching out or finding OB/water.

Originally Posted by Leaguegolf

We thought that was what you were using.

I wish!

[C-Tech]

Putting is a fickle skill. I am glad your stroke is back.

[LockStock666]

If I could eliminate three putts from my game, my last round I would of scored 89 instead of 104. That's right, 15 three putts, 15 totally unecessary strokes + another 15 that are on the table for elimination.

It was a new course where the greens have a lot of break but still it shows exactly where my game could be improved by a huge margin! Unfortunately the only practise I get is once a week on the course.