Finding a putting stroke is the hardest part of my game - Any others feel the same?

[golfingtime]

Yesterday everything seemed smooth off the face and speed was well judged & made a few. No yips, pulls or muffs.

Putting has always been my bane. I don't get too bothered as rather be a bad putter then hack it around the course.

Find it funny as I hit my driver by far the best (though short) and seldom get in any "driving rut". Woods, hybrids & irons okay too, with a bad shot here or there, but that is expected at my skill level. And yes wedges can come & go.

What is the most bothersome is how lost I can be at times putting and can't make a decent stroke to save my life.

I wish I knew what I was doing yesterday as putting came easy.

[nearace]

I am sticking with the claw grip from now on,it was working yesterday .

[golfingoalie]

I am sticking with the claw grip from now on,it was working yesterday .

Can I get a hell ya!!

[triniexr]

I am sticking with the claw grip from now on,it was working yesterday .

A lot of people went to this grip. Someone either here or on tour (can't remember where I read it) said they use this grip within 10 feet but use the traditional grip outside of 10 ft.

[Weirfan]

I am sticking with the claw grip from now on,it was working yesterday .

Claw has worked very well for me since making the switch a month and a half ago. Great thing is it took no time to get used to other than dialling in the feel on long ones

right now, what was the best club in my bag early, the driver, is letting me down ...I've been just hitting 3 woods off the tee , so unless a hole is over 450 I can still reach it or get close in two...... that has allowed me to lower my factor almost 2 full points since August.

[Cdntac]

I completely lost confidence in my putting in August. I'd stand over a 3' putt and knew it wasn't going in. However, I also knew it was prob 50/50 technique and mental.

At the end of August I ditched my Spider and got my old SC Golo 3 back from a friend, then in the past three weeks I've also bought a SC Laguna and an SC Golo S5.

I rarely practice putting but I started to spend some time on my putting carpet and completely overhauled my technique while practicing at home and on the course.

I changed my grip, slightly altered my posture, ball positioning, how my arms hang from my body, invoked a bit of a forward press and I am more aware of how I take the putter back in regards to speed and path. Before I was on auto-pilot using the stance and technique I'd being doing for decades.

I thoroughly tested each putter out and settled on the the Laguna being #1, the s5 being a close #2 and the Golo 3 became relegated to #3.

My last 10 rounds has seen my putting improve considerably. I've still missed a handful of short putts but I know it's technique when that's happened as I can feel my right elbow being too far from my body immediately afterwards (haven't reached the automatic muscle memory stage yet).

The ball is rolling much better for me than it has all year --- no skidding or slight bouncing.

It took some effort and I think I'll make some notes or even a vid this fall so I don't forget what I'm doing come next spring. Lol.

[Weirfan]

I rarely practice putting but I started to spend some time on my putting carpet and completely overhauled my technique while practicing at home and on the course.

Lack of practice is the downfall for many.
it always amazes me that people will beat a large bucket of balls on the range for 30-40 mins before a round and hit a dozen or more shots with the driver , yet only spend a couple minutes rolling the ball, if that.

driver is used on average 12 times a round where the putter is used 30+ times. The average golfer that shoots 90 will use the putter 1/3 + of their shots. Its the most important club in the bag yet it is the least practiced club and one that they are least likely to go get fit for.

[Cdntac]

I agree --- tho I prob hit balls 5 times before playing this year. I just walk up to the tee, take a few swings and whack it. I can just imagine how much better I'd shoot if I diligently practiced or hit balls/putt before every round. I'd dominate! Lol.

[TheBaconator]

Try the iPing putter app for your phone. I have an old iPhone 6 and Ping case that I attach to my putter when practicing. The app will tell you what type of stroke you have, but more importantly, how consistent your stroke is.

Even if you don't use the app, just spending more time on the practice green or on a mat at home will improve your putting.

[Richd]

Even if you don't use the app, just spending more time on the practice green or on a mat at home will improve your putting.

that is the key.... but its boring

[TeetoGrnr]

Your post is where I was at up until a few weeks ago. Here's what I changed.

1) All balls need lines to help with alignment. The majority of professionals do it so no reason amateurs/rec players don't. If you don't use a line how do you know your stroke is hitting the ball on line. Go to the practice green and find a level putt and use the line to practice. When you putt the ball MUST SEE A STRAIGHT LINE ON THE BALL AS IT ROLLS. Your eyes play tricks on you when you try and align the putter to the hole so use the line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7RrP1DtM3o

2) Changed my putting stroke. There are varying opinions on the stroke - straight back and straight thru vs "arc"/pendulum. IMO arc pendulum is the way to go because it's one stroke for all putts. If you use straight back/thru for short puts and arc for longer putts you creating two strokes for the same stroke which is not good. My yippy/non-confident stroke likely was a arc back or what I thought was a straight back and a straight thru but quite often that straight thru turned into a PUSH....the putter should go in-out-in not in-out-straight. I focus my practice putts to be a arc, do not manipulate the putter to go straight thru, let it arc on it's own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGv2ASCWuBo

3) Now that you have lines and you hone a arc putt, all you have to do is focus on distance. Line up your putter according to the line on your ball and perhaps a spot on the green you can put all of your focus on distance alone. On shorter putts, line it up and try not to look at the hole early which creates anxiety. Just stroke the putter on a arc and make the line roll.

Reading greens.

I found a couple of videos on plumb bobbing. If the green is just sloped one way, plumb bobbing works quite well. At least you will feel good about the line and you can focus again on distance alone. Tip...downhill putts break 50% more than the plumb bob shows....so bob it, and add 50% to the break.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBAhqwNLsVU

Downhiller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vxoQNtUopM

My putting has improved immensely over the last couple of weeks. I'm making more of those 5-10 footers and 3-4 footers are not as scary/yippy. Three putts are more rare as I'm focusing on speed exclusively on long putts once I've decided on a line and I've lined up my ball.

Final word....if you feel confident in your putting, you're going to putt better. All of the above is going to make you feel confident.

[bl8d]

something to keep in mind.
the absolute legal shaft angle for a putter is 10 degrees minimum from vertical.
don't confuse this with the lie angle of the sole which is set independant of the shaft's angle.

a heavy putter benefits from an upright shaft angle because (1)-a heavy putter will not only feel"lighter" at its minimum angle, (2)-it will also hold its path steady because its weight is closer to vertical, which is the basis behind a pendulum swing.

[nearace]

I agree --- tho I prob hit balls 5 times before playing this year. I just walk up to the tee, take a few swings and whack it. I can just imagine how much better I'd shoot if I diligently practiced or hit balls/putt before every round. I'd dominate! Lol.

Lol , sounds like most of us.the main reason I like a course with a range is the warm up,allways helped me.

[dlam]

By the end of the season I happy with progress of my swing and learn a few new short game shots. Putting is very inconsistent and usually work on it near the end of the year
few years ago I switched from broomstick to standard length putter crosshanded and practice all winter and putted good the but now it’s not for me. I took out the broomstick and gain confidence making putts this year but now stuck between putters and techniques

[Weirfan]

A lot of people went to this grip. Someone either here or on tour (can't remember where I read it) said they use this grip within 10 feet but use the traditional grip outside of 10 ft.

I do the opposite