getting out of a putting slump

[adidadg]

Anybody have any tricks or tips to help work yourself out of a putting slump? My last few rounds my confidence has been non-existant and i was wondering how others handled that kind of thing.

What about mid-round as well? What do you do during a round if you start to feel your putting going down the tube?

[Eric O]

When I putt poorly I try to isolate the mechanical problems in my form. Usually it goes back to getting good weight transfer and having a quick pitch with a clean finger spring on release. Then I will just hit the practice basket, concentrating on executing correctly on whatever has been going wrong. As I said in another thread, it helps me to keep up practice after fatigue has set in, because that is the point where mechanical problems become exaggerated and you can easily understand where the problems are.

Mid round there are fewer options. Stay hydrated and focused will increase chances of success.

[coogs]

Aside from figuring out where the problem is, I just don't quit until I'm out of the funk. That could take a couple rounds or a couple days, but if I quit at any time and give into the temptation (overdramatic, I know) my putting suffers longer.

Some people do best when they take a step back from themselves. Just decide which person you are.

[zealot]

Try really taking your time. Go through a quick checklist in your head and then drop everything to concentrate on throwing it right.

[TexasOutlaw]

When I start struggling with my putts, I dedicate more time to putting practice. For me, I want to get the "feel" of the putt. Even though it makes sense that practicing the wrong way can reinforce form issues, I want to experience the disc hitting the chain to reinforce muscle memory.

Also, if I miss my practice putts, I look at it like I've taken care of my misses and the rest of my putts have statistically a better chance of hitting.

[superq]

set up to the putt think about the putt going in.

At this point you are 2-5 seconds into your clock.

Clear the mechanism, I mean let it all go, you have practiced you have made putts, you know how to throw the bean into the clowns mouth, just relax and make a good stroke.

I have found that when I am thinking a lot I am putting horrible, when I step up line up picture the putt and then blank out and let my body do what I have trained it to do the results are much better.

I went through a putting Drought (read not just a slump) early this year, I was in the backyard 5 nights a week for several hours total and just banging putts from all over, was keeping track in excell and even got to about 93% from 30-35 feet most nights as the sun was going down, then I would go play golf and doink almost everything outside of 12 feet. I read some good books and changed my mentality about putting and now I am confidant and relaxed when I am putting in all situations.

Last night at the Mini here in town I was tied up for the lead on the 13 hole both of us had about 65 footers with a lake 30 behind and below the basket, I was out and I knew the other guy would lay up, I have been marginal off the tee on the last few holes so I decided that was the time to hit it, I lined up stroked a great putt and missed over the top, chained out the 35 footer uphill to card a 4 to his 3 and ended up loosing by 1 stroke, there is no way 3 months ago I would have had the confidence to run that putt but now I believe I will make it or hit metal more often than I will miss completley that it is easy to just let the putt go agressivley.

Well that is a long reply to a question that no one really asked.

[jiwaburst]

I'm a streaky putter, but am figuring out how to get myself out of a mid-round slump. For me, what really works well, is to look at the basket until I know that I'll hit metal, this allows me to putt hard (smooth really is what's happening), this makes me auto-correct some of my flaws mid-round.

I find that during a round, missing left and right is a lot harder to correct, up and down is much easier.

Another way to put what I am finding is that mid-round, thinking about my mechanics is a bad idea. Much better to adjust my aiming process than my delivery process.