Tag: putting

Posted on

The Ball Putting Alignment Stripe

I’m not the best putter out there. In fact, last weekend I missed two birdie putts under 6 feet. Damn! Gotta take advantage of those birdie putts. So what can I do? Well I’ve started trying something you may have seen some of the pros do: draw a line on the ball to help with alignment.

Here’s an example of one: http://www.golftrainingaidreview.com/putting-trainers/sklz-spot-liner/

I’ve tried to use the preprinted logo on the ball for alignment and that was semi-successful. It definitely helped me align myself to the target. But one problem was lining it up with my target. There logo on the ball is pretty small and it can be tough to line up without getting into the ‘spider position’ like Camillo Villegas. Then when I check it, I’m always off just a little bit. I can’t exactly take ten minutes just to line up each put when the municipal course is backed up on a Saturday afternoon. As a result, I just make my best guess and hit the ball.

Recently, I decided to try a marking tool. There are a few tools out there that attach onto the ball and have a stencil that draws the line over half the ball. I tried it out last weekend in Myrtle Beach and it was definitely helpful and easier to use than the little ball label. It was easier to line up straight and saved me time. Plus, it helped me identify my ball in the, uh, rough.

The horrible part is that I still missed those short birdie putts, but it’s still a work in progress. And hey, I’ll take a tap in par any day.

Posted on

Putting Distance Control

This weekend I played the Gold Course at Camp Lejeune. I hadn’t played there in awhile and it was fun. This round I really wanted to concentrate on my putting and especially my distance control. My last few rounds have been riddled with three putts. I’ve been hitting greens, but my long lag putts have be difficult for me to get close. These are strokes I’m giving away! So this is what I did…

Longer putts require longer strokes. Shorter putts require shorter strokes, especially the backswing. I’m a pretty intellectual player so I took this to heart a few years ago. I actually started quantifying how long I want my back swing based on how long the putt was. For example, if the putt was 10 feet, I may take a 1 foot backswing. Then if I have a 20 feet putt, I’d take a 2 foot backswing. I would then adjust my stroke depending on the speed of the greens each day. The result was closer lag putting and less three putting.

I had moved away from that recently and was putting more based on feel. However, many times I would focus on the line and forget about distance. The result was more three putts.

So this weekend I started quantifying my backstroke again and it worked. I was taking a foot backswing for about 12-14 feet on flat ground. If the putt is downhill or uphill, I would add or subtract. It’s like my own personal stimp meter. If I knew the stimp meter measurements, I’m sure I could use that in my calculations. In any case, I had no three putts and made an 8 and 13 footer. Gotta be happy with that!