For me, it comes down to putting. Day to day score fluctuation of 10 strokes primarily comes down to putting. And it is the single most baffling aspect of the game, for me. So I decided to read some scientific researches. Here are some:

Putter Smash Factor is about 2 and harder you hit, faster the ball goes.

10ft down hill putt has 3x the probability of going in vs uphill putt and softer you hit the breaking putt, more it breaks.

Blade is more accurate than mallet on off center hits. Heal shot pulls and toe shot pushes - toe shot is more accurate.

backswing length..acceleration..blah blah blah


Ball speed is important

Bettinardi BB1F has a hot face

What did I learn? I need to try BB1F asap.

Cliff note???

Aggie95 said:

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AggieDruggist89 said:

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Cliff note???

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"Positive thoughts...hit putt with perfect speed and on the correct line, watch ball go in hole" - me

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This ^^^^. Refining all the technical aspects of a putting stroke don't seem to have an appreciable effect on my success so much as just feeling like you can make it, and running a mini-film in my head of the ball tracking into the hole before hitting it.

AggieDruggist89 said:

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Cliff note???

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The most basic message is that putting doesn't need to be super technical.

It really just breaks down the mental side to putting and encourages you to forget all the technical crap about shoulder rock, hand placement, putter release, etc. There's a reason why when you walk up to a four footer and just knock it with one hand it goes in but when you stand over it it's knee knocker.

He touches on the importance of a pre-shot routine. Get a process/pre-shot routine that you're comfortable with and stick to it no matter what. Trust the process and don't worry about the results. The more you perfect your process the results will follow.

Putt every putt to make it. Stop lag putting. If you tell yourself your not trying to make it guess what...You aren't gonna make it. The thought of missing a putt on purpose will result in more missed putts.

100% all this

I have to use some sort of alignment line on my ball now. It gives me a lot more confidence when I'm standing over the ball that I'm on line so I can just focus on speed.

After making a string of successful putts then missing several is the biggest problem that I've seen. You lose that confidence and you're back to square one. Low handicappers tell you to clear your mind. Easier said than done. I've been playing for many years and still haven't figured it out. I do like the idea of getting a routine and trusting it no matter what. Again,,,Easier said than done.

Lt. Joe Bookman said:

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I have to use some sort of alignment line on my ball now. It gives me a lot more confidence when I'm standing over the ball that I'm on line so I can just focus on speed.

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I did this but started to notice something very off about my method. I feel like I'm lining up the ball correctly but then if I look at it from 6' back the line is pointed way more left than I intended. Perhaps a dominant eye problem? Not real sure. Been trying to just look at the green and read it but that obviously is difficult/longer to master.

To make things more complicated new data shows good putters actually decelerate into the ball

TecRecAg said:

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Lt. Joe Bookman said:

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I have to use some sort of alignment line on my ball now. It gives me a lot more confidence when I'm standing over the ball that I'm on line so I can just focus on speed.

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I did this but started to notice something very off about my method. I feel like I'm lining up the ball correctly but then if I look at it from 6' back the line is pointed way more left than I intended. Perhaps a dominant eye problem? Not real sure. Been trying to just look at the green and read it but that obviously is difficult/longer to master.

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I can only really use the line for inside 5 feet. I am just awful at lining it up outside of that. There is times I purely hit it, I can tell by the rotation, but since I lined it up wrong it misses. Definitely a me thing, but I tried it.

TecRecAg said:

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Lt. Joe Bookman said:

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I have to use some sort of alignment line on my ball now. It gives me a lot more confidence when I'm standing over the ball that I'm on line so I can just focus on speed.

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I did this but started to notice something very off about my method. I feel like I'm lining up the ball correctly but then if I look at it from 6' back the line is pointed way more left than I intended. Perhaps a dominant eye problem? Not real sure. Been trying to just look at the green and read it but that obviously is difficult/longer to master.

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That's one of the reasons I don't use a line on my ball or putter. I started making more puts once I moved away from alignment aids.

I think another aspect that makes it more challeneging for the amature is the various green speeds/conditions we play. If I play a set of fast greens, I am screwed for the next month at my local muni.

TecRecAg said:

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Lt. Joe Bookman said:

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I have to use some sort of alignment line on my ball now. It gives me a lot more confidence when I'm standing over the ball that I'm on line so I can just focus on speed.

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I did this but started to notice something very off about my method. I feel like I'm lining up the ball correctly but then if I look at it from 6' back the line is pointed way more left than I intended. Perhaps a dominant eye problem? Not real sure. Been trying to just look at the green and read it but that obviously is difficult/longer to master.

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What I tend to do is visualize the line and then pick a spot 1'-2' in front of it on that line to line it up to.


I do that with full swings too since I have pretty terrible alignment if I don't do that.

Why for a whole month?

It takes me about 9 holes to get used to "new" speed. It also screws me up when the practice green speed is different than the actual greens.

IDK, its some sort of psychological block. I get scared I'm going to hit it way to hard or/and play way more break than their is.

Couple good speed drills

#1 Put a tee down at 10 feet away on putting green then put a tee down at 15 feet away.

Hit your first putt at the 15 ft tee without going past it.
Then try to hit your next putt between 1st ball and 10 feet tee...3rd putt between 2nd ball and 10 ft tee, etc

Master that then do a tee at 10 feet and 14 feet....then 10 feet and 13 feet

Or add more golf balls

#2

3 foot putt with decent break (say a right to left breaker for this example)

Make the putt 3 ways. Putt goes in on right side, putt goes in middle, putt goes on left side....keep same line but make the putt with varying speeds that will break more/less

Ag_07 said:

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This is the only thing you need to read about putting. It did wonders for me

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I can't imagine reading a book solely about putting. Would rather just cut myself

Ag_07 said:

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AggieDruggist89 said:

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Cliff note???

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The most basic message is that putting doesn't need to be super technical.

It really just breaks down the mental side to putting and encourages you to forget all the technical crap about shoulder rock, hand placement, putter release, etc. There's a reason why when you walk up to a four footer and just knock it with one hand it goes in but when you stand over it it's knee knocker.

He touches on the importance of a pre-shot routine. Get a process/pre-shot routine that you're comfortable with and stick to it no matter what. Trust the process and don't worry about the results. The more you perfect your process the results will follow.

Putt every putt to make it. Stop lag putting. If you tell yourself your not trying to make it guess what...You aren't gonna make it. The thought of missing a putt on purpose will result in more missed putts.

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I have to disagree here. I'm a < 10 and my main go when putting is to avoid 3 putting. Lag it up and tap it in, try to make ones let's say 12' and in. The guys I play with aren't very good and they lose so many strokes trying to make everything and hitting it 6' past the hole.

Best putting advice I ever received:

Date the line…Marry the speed

Simple and easy!

concac said:

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Agzonfire said:

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Ag_07 said:

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AggieDruggist89 said:

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Cliff note???

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The most basic message is that putting doesn't need to be super technical.

It really just breaks down the mental side to putting and encourages you to forget all the technical crap about shoulder rock, hand placement, putter release, etc. There's a reason why when you walk up to a four footer and just knock it with one hand it goes in but when you stand over it it's knee knocker.

He touches on the importance of a pre-shot routine. Get a process/pre-shot routine that you're comfortable with and stick to it no matter what. Trust the process and don't worry about the results. The more you perfect your process the results will follow.

Putt every putt to make it. Stop lag putting. If you tell yourself your not trying to make it guess what...You aren't gonna make it. The thought of missing a putt on purpose will result in more missed putts.

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I have to disagree here. I'm a < 10 and my main go when putting is to avoid 3 putting. Lag it up and tap it in, try to make ones let's say 12' and in. The guys I play with aren't very good and they lose so many strokes trying to make everything and hitting it 6' past the hole.

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Hitting it 6 ft past the hole because they lack speed control. It's not due to them wanting it to make it.

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Oh you're right I'm so dumb, I should just focus on making every putt. I'm talking about putting aggressively which will lead to more 3 putts vs defensively which will lead to less makes but fewer 3 putts.

U can try to make it without being aggressive

Die that thing in the hole

Yeah the thought is not to be aggressive every time but instead that you take your time, follow your routine, and put your best stroke on it possible.

Also there's the fact that as discussed before you're going to miss putts. Lots of putts. So if you're trying to miss it and you 'miss' that putt then you're leave will be a lot worse than you anticipated.

Just put a good stroke on every putt with the intention of making it and it'll all work out.

While reading it I was with you and very skeptical but after putting it into practice it works and makes a ton of sense.

concac said:

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Agzonfire said:

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Ag_07 said:

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AggieDruggist89 said:

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Cliff note???

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The most basic message is that putting doesn't need to be super technical.

It really just breaks down the mental side to putting and encourages you to forget all the technical crap about shoulder rock, hand placement, putter release, etc. There's a reason why when you walk up to a four footer and just knock it with one hand it goes in but when you stand over it it's knee knocker.

He touches on the importance of a pre-shot routine. Get a process/pre-shot routine that you're comfortable with and stick to it no matter what. Trust the process and don't worry about the results. The more you perfect your process the results will follow.

Putt every putt to make it. Stop lag putting. If you tell yourself your not trying to make it guess what...You aren't gonna make it. The thought of missing a putt on purpose will result in more missed putts.

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I have to disagree here. I'm a < 10 and my main go when putting is to avoid 3 putting. Lag it up and tap it in, try to make ones let's say 12' and in. The guys I play with aren't very good and they lose so many strokes trying to make everything and hitting it 6' past the hole.

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Hitting it 6 ft past the hole because they lack speed control. It's not due to them wanting it to make it.

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Except when you're like me and am constitutionally incapable of not over-adjusting everything, so you leave it 6 feet short instead of long. At least long you're getting a read coming back and additionally it might have clanked home if the accuracy was exact?

Putting can be inherently more complex than any other aspect of golf. Missed putt is forever and cannot be recovered. Sure a 4 inch putt is easy but a severe side hill right to left 6 foot putt to win/break 90, 80, 70/personal best is more difficult than a 220 yard lay up across a creek with 3 wood, at least for me.

Is putting mental, mechanical, or feel or all of the above? To me, it's all of the above but augmented by the imperfection of the turf, grain (bent greens have grain too), wind, and slope. And we haven't even discussed the mechanics of putting stroke and equipment.

Anecdotally speaking, I see more putts come up short than long. More putts are made ball speed enough to go past the hole than die at the hole.

I guess my struggle is that I truly do not know how to practice putting.

Practice speed by drills I posted above

Face control drill might be tough to explain and sounds weird but this helps train what face control feels like

Start with a 3 foot putt. Purposefully line the putt up like a ball outside right. Normal back stroke for the 3 footer....on the way through manipulate the face closed to make the putt. This develops feel for face control. Line up putts left and right of the hole

Putting under pressure always changes things (personalbopinion is that being super confident is what allows one to putt well under pressure)
To practice a pressure type situation I put tees down at 3, 6, 9 feet....3 balls at each tee starting with 3 feet. Miss a ball, start over....make all 9 in row and you "win"

Aggie369 said:

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Start with a 3 foot putt. Purposefully line the putt up like a ball outside right. Normal back stroke for the 3 footer....on the way through manipulate the face closed to make the putt. This develops feel for face control. Line up putts left and right of the hole

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I already do this as putter face has to open and close because I don't believe square putter face throughout the stroke is possible to achieve with our physiology and 80 degree lie max.

And this gets more complicated with toe hang vs. face balanced putter vs lie angle and ball position as what's the optimal toe hang for the best outcome for me vs. everyone else?

Yes, paralysis due to over analysis. But I need to go through this exercise to gain a full trust in my putter and my stroke,

Nonetheless, I'm going to practice speed/distance control for now.

Everyone does it a few degrees naturally but that's not what the drill is asking

These are the drills my buddy who is a plus 7 has me do

The speed drill is one of my favorite

When I spend the time practicing distance control, my putting is the best part of my game.

I mark off 3 paces, 5 paces, 10 paces, and 15 paces.

I make 5 at the first make, then move back to the second, and so on until I do it perfectly.

This makes me make a lot of putts, and simulates pressure that is hard to do. When you're over that last 15 footer, and you just want to go home....it's sweaty.

Then on the course, I have 4 check points in my swing that are measured distances. I'll walk off putts, determine uphill/downhill, and let it fly.

My ideal swing is equal in backswing and follow through distance, and uses a 2:1 tempo. I use the pneumonic device of "seven-teen" where "sev-en" is the backswing timing, and "teen" is the timing it takes to finish the follow through.

Is it perfect? No. Outside of 15 paces, I just feel it. Is it something I can be repeatable, practice, and get better at? Yep.