Putting Question

[akfrolfer]

I have been practicing my putting almost everyday for the last couple of months and yet my putting hasn't gotten any better. One thing I have noticed is that say I line up from 30 ft with 10 putters, my first couple always miss as I get comfortable with how far away the basket is and my last 4-5 seem to always go in. Unforuntately, this doesn't help me on the course as only your first one counts. Does knowing your distance just come with more practice? How do you adjust your throw from 30 to 25 to 20 feet? I have tried to not throw as hard but that just seems to cause me to start spraying everywhere. Any other general recommedations when it comes to putting as it seems like all my practice the last couple months has been wasted and I'm getting frustrated.

[Thatdirtykid]

reset yourself between every putt, wether it is looking away, taking a step around or something.

It seems that you use your first couple tosses to judge the distance for you instead of judging the distance before you putts. Make every one count, and you should feel the distance.

For example, sometimes I jump putt from 45, and somtimes I dont, it really depends on how long it feels.

And remember bad practice is worse than no practice.

[akfrolfer]

Ya I think that is a good idea just take 5 seconds between putts and walk around so every putt seems like it is the real deal. How do u differenciate your stroke between 20, 25, 30 ft and such. Do you just not shift your weight as much or do you pull your stroke slower or what?

From now on practice will be good practice.

[dflaschiii]

My putting has improved a bit since I started to throw my ten putters at random places on the ground, anywhere from 15-40 ft, so then I have to walk from one disc to the next instead of holding the same stance at the same spot. That way I can't "get comfortable" as you say, I always have a different distance or angle to negotiate (just like in a round). If I can, I like to practice on a wooded hole with an elevation change instead of an open feild.

From 25 feet and in my putting form doesn't change much at all, a 20 footer is the same power as a 25 footer. Once I get outside 30-35 I use a different putter (xd instead of aviar) with a more "driver-like" mold, and I have a more extreme weight shift, I don't jump but I step through.

[Thatdirtykid]

I do like to differentiate my weight shift for different distances. I find its harder to consistantly change your stroke. This works especially well when your putting style uses a fairly firm stroke.

Inside 25 I dont shift my weight much if any differenty either.

[akfrolfer]

So say inside 25 are you just throwing a straight shot or do you arc it in? I know blake says an up and down putt has a larger make area than just a straight shot. If so how wouldn't pulling the same stroke from 15 and 25 cause one of those to miss? Am I missing something here.

[Terrence]

If you have a good number of putters & mids, try tossing a few discs at random distances around the basket. Putting with a different distance each time will help you gauge the distance the first time.

[Thatdirtykid]

its pretty straight in that range. I do change the arc along with a stronger weight shift when I get much further out. Especially in that short a range I think it may be more important to eliminate factors by adding arches and angles ect, just putting it in may offer a greater make percent from that range.

[akfrolfer]

Ya I was experimenting out in the yard and I was doing a couple of things wrong in my practice. The idea of just throwing 10 putters out in a circle around the basket at various distances helped a lot. I also started taking a bit more time on my putts visualizing them. Additionally, I realized that my follow-through wasn't really there and now the putt springs out of my hand more and thus has more of a steady nose angle as before 1/5 or so would just have a messed up nose up angle on them. Thanks for the advice as I now have a way better form that I need to put to memory and a better way to practice.

[Thatdirtykid]

good luck

[zealot]

keep ur nose angled slightly down on release as always

[presidio hills]

as soon as i read "10 putters" i knew that was your culprit. it's really hard to get much out of "rapid fire putting"... when i first got a basket in my backyard i'd take out 10 putters, try them all from one spot... i did this for 2 months and i actually got worse, here's why;

putting isn't just the motions of your body. a lot of it has to do with making judgements in your head... these judgements need to be made every time in order to become a good putter. what you practice with your putting isn't just how your body moves but also how you calculate the putt in your head. if you're throwing 10 putters it is extremely easy to get impatient with the calculation part and do less and less thinking with each putt, hoping that your body movements will be second nature and do the work for you (well, putting just ain't that easy, sorry).

like people here have said; take a few seconds between each putt. putt from different spots. in my opinion, the best most idiot proof way to make sure you think about each putt is to throw 3 putters instead of 10. try a session with 3 putters and see if it helps. some people even recommend only using 1 putter (best pro in my area does this, so does mike mosier) i think for the same reason i use 3. i feel like i can handle 3 just fine, but more than that it's too easy to get impatient and throw without the proper aiming routine in my head.

[Timko]

When I'm practicing in the 20-23 ft range (what I consider the range I need to make all the time, even though that normally isn't the case), I only use 1 putter. That way, I have to go get the putter (hopefully in the basket), and reset. If I miss, I mark the miss, and finish the hole out. It's really improved my short game. Forces me to concentrate on every single putt, instead of thinking I've got a stack next to me that I can make if I miss this one.

[didihitatree]

Paying attention to putting height really helps. Sometimes you don't need more power, just a different vertical line.

I try to note where the disc hits the chains. A lot of people just kinda think if it's in, who cares? But you learn just as much from a made putt as a missed one. If it comes in a little low at 16 feet, you will miss from 18.

Also, check your flight. I notice when I practice I have a tendency to throw more arc than when I play. You get back in the woods and you're nervous so you tend to take the "shortest" path and line it in.

If you can sorta visualize the flight your putts take when you practice then you can correct your minor bad habits and nervous flaws when you play. Much easier to think "throw a bit higher" than thinking about your putting technique in the midst of a game.

[Weebl]

keep ur nose angled slightly down on release as always

Maybe in a tailwind putt or down hill.

I almost always prefer some sort of nose up putt, but as long as you practice you can putt whatever way you want and make just as many putts as the next guy. Nose down, nuetral, nose up, horseshoe style, seizure in the air, whatever works for you. Something I will strongly suggest is using soft hands on your putts, like you're holding a really ripe peach, soft enough to keep it in place but none harder.