putting lessons

Waesfjord

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice on how best to improve my putting - maybe I shoudl use Rory McIlroy's new coach!!

My all round game is improving but my putting still seems very hot and cold, too varied. I have no routine to speak off, hence the variation from week to week I suppose

Can anyone recommend any good videos that point to good putting or any good putting coaches, e.g. those that use for example.

I've seen SAM putt Lab, but don't know if a gimmick or any good. Anyone ever completed a course on it, if so any feedback?

joanmul

Practicing on the carpet is actually good for your putting game. I use the ball returner and found my rythm and confidence improved enormously. Ten or fifteen minutes every so often during the week should do the trick. Was your putting good before and went off? What kind of golf balls do you use? Titleist Pro V's are expensive if you lose them but they hold the line very well. Speaking of line, practicing reading greens can make a difference. You need to go out there playing casual golf and try a few balls on different greens. That's what the low handicappers do and that's why they are low. A lesson from the Pro can help too in case you're doing something wrong that you don't notice yourself.

Waesfjord

joanmul wrote: »

Practicing on the carpet is actually good for your putting game. I use the ball returner and found my rythm and confidence improved enormously. Ten or fifteen minutes every so often during the week should do the trick. Was your putting good before and went off? What kind of golf balls do you use? Titleist Pro V's are expensive if you lose them but they hold the line very well. Speaking of line, practicing reading greens can make a difference. You need to go out there playing casual golf and try a few balls on different greens. That's what the low handicappers do and that's why they are low. A lesson from the Pro can help too in case you're doing something wrong that you don't notice yourself.

tend to use a Srixon AD333 recently, however no real fixed ball really.

have no carpet in house, all wood. Maybe some sort of putting carpet may be good?

I tend to find that I put okay on the practice greens, however for whatever reason, either concentration or whatever, but sometimes on the course, I can get a little erratic. I know from people telling me that my putting swing tend to go in as a I follow through, so can pull some putts as a result, however unsure if I shoudl rotate the club as I follow through to keep face on correct line or just adjust my swing accordingly?

elbows666

Get putting mirror for your head position and stroke. Knock in lots of putts from 3 feet and increase it gradually. Practice on the carpet is perfect for developing a stroke.

Most important thing in putting is pace. If you know how fast/slow the ball is coming off the putter then putting becomes much easier. Difficult to get this without a rhythmical stroke.

On the course study putts from the side as well as head on and behind to get idea of uphill downhill as your eyes can play tricks on you.

Last but not least, try to hole every putt even from 50 feet.

good luck

PARlance

I've seen a lot of lads recommending this guy, Shawn Clement, I've checked out a few of his vid's and they seem pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5TockpcqG8

Dtoffee

Practice, practice, practice ......... you have to feel the weight of your putts - how far they travel and the pace of your hands as you putt. A good tip on the practice green or carpet (although I am not a lover of using carpet) is to hit your first putt to a good distance say 15/20 ft and then try and get your next ball as close as possible to it.

The basics such as keeping your head steady should apply but you need to find what position / posture works best for you and practice any chance you get.

Ray Floyd was famed for his accuracy from 6-12 feet and his explaination was that he knew he could not outdrive his opponents so he focussed on his putting and made it count on tour as he rarely missed inside 3/4 yards.

Dr_Colossus

I'd recommend Phil Mickelson's DVD, The art of the short game. Good instructional video on putting and chipping. Possible to get on torrent download also if you do a search.

Waesfjord

ajcurry123 wrote: »

I've seen a lot of lads recommending this guy, Shawn Clement, I've checked out a few of his vid's and they seem pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5TockpcqG8

just had a look at one of his videos, some good tips alright. will try some out and see how i get on. thanks

Waesfjord

Dtoffee wrote: »

Practice, practice, practice ......... you have to feel the weight of your putts - how far they travel and the pace of your hands as you putt. A good tip on the practice green or carpet (although I am not a lover of using carpet) is to hit your first putt to a good distance say 15/20 ft and then try and get your next ball as close as possible to it.

The basics such as keeping your head steady should apply but you need to find what position / posture works best for you and practice any chance you get.

Ray Floyd was famed for his accuracy from 6-12 feet and his explaination was that he knew he could not outdrive his opponents so he focussed on his putting and made it count on tour as he rarely missed inside 3/4 yards.

think my biggest problem at the mo is that I don't always set-up same distance from the ball, sometimes will get the snaky backswing, as off balance. also unsure what is the correct putter length I shoudl be using, currently using a 34" or 35", but hold it at least 4" down the shaft. until i get that right, probably will continue to suffer, hence thinking a lesson with a goodd putting teacher woudl help greatly

Waesfjord

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

I'd recommend Phil Mickelson's DVD, The art of the short game. Good instructional video on putting and chipping. Possible to get on torrent download also if you do a search.

thanks, d/l has started... :cool:

Waesfjord

elbows666 wrote: »

Get putting mirror for your head position and stroke.

how does this work, as the ball is on the ground under your head, so is the mirror placed on the ground just outside and parallel to the putting arc?

sparkie12

brian1976 wrote: »

how does this work, as the ball is on the ground under your head, so is the mirror placed on the ground just outside and parallel to the putting arc?

it works because the putting stroke requires little or no head movement and gentle rocking motion of the shoulders to deliver putter head to the ball, so u can have the mirror at that height (shoulder/head) to fine tune

Davkie

If you have an iPhone try this..

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iping/id440740108?mt=8&ls=1

BillyBoy

Dave Stockton (Rory's new putting coach, as well as Phil's) has a few apps that you can download for the iPhone. You have to pay for them (couple of euro I think) and they are large files so you need to connect your phone to your wireless. I downloaded them and have found them quite useful. Like any thing of this sort, I don't do everything he suggests but incorporate little bits here and there, whatever works for me. May be worth a look for you, I found his short game instruction fairly good and it has improved my game around the green.

These may be available on youtube as well, haven't looked to be honest.

Hunter21

Best advice anyone can be given in my view for improving putting is as follows;

Dont practice by putting to a hole on a putting green or a course green.

Practice by putting to the- fringes.
First of all set yourself some distances 4feet, 6 feet and 10 feet from the fringe. Have 3 or more balls at each distance, putt to the fringe with your eyes closed. See did you go over the fringe (more likely you will) then keep doing it till you get a feel for the distance. Then try it again with your eyes open. Try your best to get 4 out of 5 balls at each distance to just roll to the fringe without going too far over it or coming up very short.

Then try this is different slopes and angles. It will work wonders, you'll knock long puts to perfect distance and tap in range.

Speed of the ball controls the line. Not the opposite. So get the feel for speed correct and you'll drastically ipmrove your putting.

Let me know how you get on

Waesfjord

Hunter21 wrote: »

Best advice anyone can be given in my view for improving putting is as follows;

Dont practice by putting to a hole on a putting green or a course green.

Practice by putting to the- fringes.
First of all set yourself some distances 4feet, 6 feet and 10 feet from the fringe. Have 3 or more balls at each distance, putt to the fringe with your eyes closed. See did you go over the fringe (more likely you will) then keep doing it till you get a feel for the distance. Then try it again with your eyes open. Try your best to get 4 out of 5 balls at each distance to just roll to the fringe without going too far over it or coming up very short.

Then try this is different slopes and angles. It will work wonders, you'll knock long puts to perfect distance and tap in range.

Speed of the ball controls the line. Not the opposite. So get the feel for speed correct and you'll drastically ipmrove your putting.

Let me know how you get on

willing to try anything!! cheers.

Dr.Silly

elbows666 wrote: »

Get putting mirror for your head position and stroke. Knock in lots of putts from 3 feet and increase it gradually. Practice on the carpet is perfect for developing a stroke.

Most important thing in putting is pace. If you know how fast/slow the ball is coming off the putter then putting becomes much easier. Difficult to get this without a rhythmical stroke.

On the course study putts from the side as well as head on and behind to get idea of uphill downhill as your eyes can play tricks on you.

Last but not least, try to hole every putt even from 50 feet.

good luck

I agree with everything here apart from "try to hole every putt even from 50 feet"

Lag putting is probably one of the most important parts of putting and is where you can really save shots by avoiding 3 putts