Confidence completely shot in my putter

maynooth_rules

Last month or two I have lost every bit of confidence in my putter and just don't feel comfortable over the ball. Only using a Wilson putter but can't justify spending over 150 quid on a putter.
Most of the putters I have tried out in shops seem a little small for me, I'm 6foot 5.
Anyone recommend a putter?

Montgolfier

maynooth_rules wrote: »

Last month or two I have lost every bit of confidence in my putter and just don't feel comfortable over the ball. Only using a Wilson putter but can't justify spending over 150 quid on a putter.
Most of the putters I have tried out in shops seem a little small for me, I'm 6foot 5.
Anyone recommend a putter?

Odyssey #7 armlock if you can find one. I got one cheap enough 60e. There's one on adverts I just saw.

mike12

Montgolfier wrote: »

Odyssey #7 armlock if you can find one. I got one cheap enough 60e. There's one on adverts I just saw.

Maybe try a 38 inch counter balanced putter.
To be honest if the putters are feeling short then I think u may have a problem with your technique if you have your eyes over the ball then a regular putter should be fine.

bmay529

I have been that soldier. The funny thing is that the value of the putter has absolutely nothing to do with how it works for you. Some of the best putters I know use very old putters that could be bought on Adverts.ie or donedeal.ie for very little money. A lot of it is confidence, ie between the two ears. I would strongly suggest you visit a pro for a lesson and make sure your technique is sound. That will immediately help your confidence. I did this and found it a great help. Two things helped me. I'm tall like you and the first was to stand tall (with good posture) and stretch to the putter even if it meant gripping down the grip. The second was to make sure to keep my backswing short enough (not too short) so as to ensure I was making a solid hit at the ball with rythm.

Ask the pro for advice on which putter type suits your stroke... blade, semi-mallet, mallet, armlock, counterbalance, long, etc, "Generally" speaking blades (ping anser style) are thought to offer better touch for long puts and mallets better from short range. There are so many choices. Two I have found to be very good and can be bought used very cheaply are the Odyssey 2-ball or #7 (not armlock one). A thick superstroke grip can also help quieten wrist breakdown. Don't buy new go second-hand and if you don't like it sell it again and try another.

ForeRight

But your putter was fine up until the last month or two I assume?

If so why buy a new one.

Get a lesson

slave1

Maybe try changing the grip, easy DIY job, SuperStroke grips are class

d2ww

+1 on the Superstroke grips, they make squaring up your putter face, and keeping it square, so much easier.

maynooth_rules

ForeRight wrote: »

But your putter was fine up until the last month or two I assume?

If so why buy a new one.

Get a lesson

Never worked fine but it wasn't having an effect on my game.
I'm playing the best golf of my life now up to the green......then disaster.
Can expect four 3 putts a round which is just killing my score card.

bmay529

maynooth_rules wrote: »

Never worked fine but it wasn't having an effect on my game.
I'm playing the best golf of my life now up to the green......then disaster.
Can expect four 3 putts a round which is just killing my score card.

What do you currently play off?
what is your average no of puts p/round?
what age group are you?
what length is your putter?

If your name suggests you live in the Maynooth area feel free to pm me.

maynooth_rules

bmay529 wrote: »

What do you currently play off?
what is your average no of puts p/round?
what age group are you?
what length is your putter?

If your name suggests you live in the Maynooth area feel free to pm me.

Play off 18.
Average numbers of putts would rarely be better than 36.
My putter is 35 inch wilson, http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/0/7/wilson-harmonized-425-putter-golf-club-30b95b61fc44ecc1a287f3ee14ad5054.jpg
It is starting to show its age though

Not in Maynooth any more I'm afraid, in Sotuh Wicklow.

Dtoffee

If you are right handed, head to the practice green and take 5 putts single handedly with your left hand at about 3 foot until you sink all 5. Now you move to about 5ft away and practice till you get 3/5. Now go to 10/12ft and work till you get one in. Having done this, now go back to 3ft and use both hands working the same routine.... you should notice the confidence returning.

You will be amazed how weak your left hand is at first and feel it getting stronger as you practice.

maynooth_rules

I use the Hurley grip for my putts, regular grip feels very wrong for me.mdont know if that has an impact.

Dtoffee

maynooth_rules wrote: »

I use the Hurley grip for my putts, regular grip feels very wrong for me.mdont know if that has an impact.

Putting with a hurley grip is not uncommon and more popular in recent years as players are trying to limit any break of the wrists and get a straight through motion in their putts. Try the one handed practice routine and it should show you which hand is more dominant, the dominant hand is often the one that reacts to your thoughts first and more liable to cause a problem. Strenghtening your weaker hand should help restore a more natural feel to your stroke, but I would also look at your routine.

When you are putting, resist the temptation to look to the hole after you make contact with the ball ... just wait for the sound of the ball dropping if its a short putt or a few seconds if its from a distance. In preparation, walk up, look at your putt, gauge the pace, choose your line and have a mental image of where you want the ball to go .... line up your putter head behind the ball and then set yourself up to putt. BELIEVE you will get the putt, because if your dont believe ... chances are you will miss.

intellectual dosser

Putting has always been the weakest part of my game, lately someone suggested I try the forward press like Phil Mickleson, I was told that it wasnt so much a part of the putting technique, but your mind concentrates less on all the things that can go wrong.

I've played three rounds and Im thrilled, I'm striking and rolling the ball much better and with better weight. I think I've three putted twice in those rounds (excellent for me) and I've had a few 'gets' that I'd never have had before.

This may mean nothing to you, but I saw the thread title and its very relevant to me at the moment so thought I'd add. Maybe something small but new will clear the mental cobwebs...

Senna

I tried the left hand low technic and love it, using it about 3 months now, has made a huge difference from all areas of the green. Used to have 3x 3putts nearly every round, would be down to 1 every 2 rounds now, huge difference.

Rikand

I'm pretty much always changing the way I grip the putter.

I recently started experimenting with an overlap style. Left hand below right.... However, my baby and ring finger on my left hand are overlapping on top of my forefinger and index finger on my right hand. I'm finding this has the effect of squaring up my shoulders and enabling me to get a better roll on my putts. I'm probably not explaining this very well, I'll try get a co-worker to take a picture tomorrow But it's working very well for me at the moment


I tried left hand fully under right for about a year, but I thought I was hitting down on the putts with it a bit. i.e. my left shoulder was slightly too low and the ball was popping up when I struck it. That's a feeling, rather than a scientific fact


Anyways, apart from the fact that i like telling stories, there is a point to all this. Just try a new style of putting. left below right, right below left, overlapping, something. See how that works out for you when you're practicing. You might really like it

PARlance

I know it's a drastic measure but do you practice your putting OP?

maynooth_rules

PARlance wrote: »

I know it's a drastic measure but do you practice your putting OP?

About ten minutes before I start each round.
Tbf most of the time I just hit random ten foot putts, miss most and start the round low in confidence.
Might try lining up a few 4 foot putts and work on building the confidence before I go out

Mantis Toboggan

Yeah in fairness you cannot be complaining too much if you're not putting some time in to practice.

One thing that's worked for me recently in terms of distance control is to use a light grip.

frink

maynooth_rules wrote: »

About ten minutes before I start each round.
Tbf most of the time I just hit random ten foot putts, miss most and start the round low in confidence.
Might try lining up a few 4 foot putts and work on building the confidence before I go out

This is the way I practice helps me with confidence before I start:

3-4 long putts just to get the pace of greens then
6x 3ft putts
3x 4ft putts
3x 5ft putts
Usually at a flat part of the green into the same hole

Making the short putts gets you confidence to make the rest.

I was also shot with confidence with the putter about 6 weeks ago and read Bob Rotella, helped me out a lot.

PARlance

maynooth_rules wrote: »

About ten minutes before I start each round.
Tbf most of the time I just hit random ten foot putts, miss most and start the round low in confidence.
Might try lining up a few 4 foot putts and work on building the confidence before I go out

I wouldn't even class hitting the putting green as practice. A tenner spent on a putting mat would be a great investment. It's not the real thing but it'll help build up your confidence from 2-6 feet.

I was a terrible putter and 10-15 mins every second evening on the putting mat for a few weeks did wonders. For me, once you take the fear out of the short putts, your overall putting will improve.

It's a massive part your game at the end of the day, a little practice will go a long way.

newport2

maynooth_rules wrote: »

About ten minutes before I start each round.
Tbf most of the time I just hit random ten foot putts, miss most and start the round low in confidence.
Might try lining up a few 4 foot putts and work on building the confidence before I go out

I was always quite streaky at putting. When things went wrong, I'd lose confidence in my putter (like you say) and get a new one.

I got Stan Utley's book The Art of Putting the year before last and applied it to my game (to a tee, excuse the pun). Took about a week or two to bed in, but have never looked back. Putting improved enormously and is now one of the strongest parts of my game. Best thing is, if anything goes off now I just go back to his book and do a checkup and every time I find I've unconciously changed something, eg my grip has drifted a little. 10 minutes and I'm sorted. It's great having a set of standards to refer back to. Before when things went awry, I didn't know what had changed.

Get a putting mat as recommended above if you're going to work on your stroke, 15 mins a day will be a big help. Real putting green practice essential as well. Changing putter won't resolve it beyond perhaps a few rounds. Good luck with it!

carq

another putting horror show checking in.

This year has been particularly bad. Seem to be blading the club a bit ( hitting the ball with the underside of the club) which leaves my long putts short and have no confidence in my medium putts.

What length putter is correct for 6 2" person?

newport2

carq wrote: »

another putting horror show checking in.

This year has been particularly bad. Seem to be blading the club a bit ( hitting the ball with the underside of the club) which leaves my long putts short and have no confidence in my medium putts.

What length putter is correct for 6 2" person?

Depends also on length of your arms, putting style (stand tall like Tiger or tilt more like Harrington?), width of stance. Getting fit is probably worth it if you're not comfortable with setup.