To Die or Ram short putts?

Back of the hole at pace for me. If I put a bad stroke on it so be it. I just accept the consequences.

mike12 wrote: »

Think the best method is keep it inside the hole and use what ever pace you need to do that, even if you hit it with too much pace or too little pace it should still go in.

If you need to hit it with more pace to keep it inside the hole surely it will miss if you use too little pace??

Ben1977 wrote: »

How do you approach those short putts which have a bit of break?

I'm talking about the 2 footer where you know at dead weight you have to aim outside the hole. During my last round I was left with 5 of these types of putts and missed all but one. I find it very difficult to make a small enough swing when aiming outside the hole. Generally I hit it on line but just power it through the break.

So the two options I have are, aim inside the hole with an aggressive stroke or hit it out of the toe and let it drop in dead weight. Thinking of the 5 putts from the last round I got the 2 methods mixed up. eg picked my aim point outside the hole and just powered it through it or I did the opposite, took dead aim and just tapped the putt and it falls away on the low side.

So what mean do you use? Did you use the 2 methods? Have you changed from one method to another and seen an improvement?

There is not just 2 approaches. I think the 3rd approach of just putting it at a regular pace where it would go circa 1ft past is best.

I think both of the 2 approaches you have named above are fundamentally flawed for the average amateur golfer.

The agressive approach operates on the basis that the amateur golfer can consistently put a good stroke on the putt and hit the ball on the intended line. This approach narrows the hole considerably as the pace means it is less likely to drop if it catches an edge of the hole. I think this approach is fine for a professional golfer who can consistently stroke the ball on line but different for the average amateur.

The approach of letting the ball die into the hole widens the hole but leaves the putt very susceptable to both break/slope and imperfections on the green.

IMO, to marry the best of these 2 approaches then hit the putt at a pace in between both of the above as it has the following benefits;

1. It has a much increased chance of dropping if it catches the edge of the hole when compared to the agressive approach.

2. It is less susceptable to the break and imperfections of the green than with the approach of dying the putts in.

Definitely firm and taking the break out inside 2 feet (with a few exceptions, such as downhill ones)

Will occasionally knock one past the hole more than wanted, but I've missed far more short putts "dribbling" them up to the hole than I have firm ones and putts back combined. Even if I hole short dead weight putts, I still find them a bit more tentative leading to nerves creeping in. Much easier to build confidence from knocking them in firmly. And I've found this holds up much better under pressure than trying to get each one to just the right pace. It's essentially the same stroke and line for all putts that length and inside (with a few exceptions)

Ben1977 wrote: »

So by the sounds of it most try and take the break out of the putt and aim inside the cup. Yes if you miss it will end up probably 2 foot away again, but at least it is a positive putt.

I remember listening to something (I think it was Karl Morris) about putting and it really clicked with me and helped sort out my short putts, which I occasionally had problems with. His gist was this:

When you're having problems with short putts, your kind of dreading going over to take one. But he made the point that it's not the short putts you fear, it's the way you feel when you miss one that you fear. And the more you miss, the more this compounds. He had a routine that when you stepped onto the green, you would just set your mind to accepting that the worst thing that can happen is missing a putt, big deal, go through a quick breathing routine and relax. Then roll it in....

This really hit home with me, especially because what always drove (drives) me mad (and most golfers I expect) is not hitting a bad shot, but wasting a shot. A fluffed chip, a sh*%k, a topped shot are all far more infuriating than making reasonably good contact but just not a great shot. And I think the reason for this is how I feel after fluffing a chip (awful) as opposed to how I feel hitting a chip and just misjudging it and going long (I can just shrug it off as a bad shot). Getting my head around this made me realise that I didn't fear short putts at all and to take a much more positive approach to them.

Redzah wrote: »

Re-reading this post leads me to believe that the problem has nothing to do with the method adopted (aggressive vs dieing), it has to do with your touch.

As you noted in your opening post, you are allowing for break and smacking the putts through the break. This is an issue with your touch and feel for the greens more than adopting a particular method.

Based on the advice given, you will now most likely go off and smack your putts even more which will result in many 3 putts and provide no solution.

You would be much better off just going to a putting green and practicing. From practice you will get a feel for a putt of this length which appears to be your problem i.e. you can't currently judge the speed/line ratio required to hole these putts. I don't think ramming them at the hole as a solution is the answer.

This ^^^^ exactly.

It's not a case of either/or with regard to a "method". Some putts need to be rolled gently, some lend themselves to a more aggressive stroke. You need to get a feel for the pace necessary for a given putt, and the only way is holing lots and lots of them on the putting green to get you that inbuilt feel for the putter. You can't go out thinking you're going to hammer all your short ones or you're going to dribble them all, it doesn't work like that, take each putt on its merits in terms of slope, situation, how you're feeling etc.

Usually back of the hole.

On short putts I look at the hole ( and longer ones lately) and its worked out really well. I don't adjust the stroke based on the putter path

It depends on the putt, there are some putts, even 3-4 foot, that can be deadly. If it is a down hill putt, you miss and you have a 10 footer back? If I have a 3-4 foot putt, I visualise it going 3-4 foot past and hit it at that pace I have in my head. Then if the stroke is correct, you have the same distance coming back if you miss. The worst thing you can do is be tentative with a putt, you have to be positive.. Don't visualise a line TO the hole, visualise the ball rolling through the hole.

Ben1977 wrote: »

Not really a problem with putting, just had one of those days. I will always use these methods I find they both have there advantages.
My touch is good but I got the 2 methods mix up and in the end that was the reason for the miss. Interested to know if people have 2 thoughts/methods or just 1? Does 1 method cover all your short putts?etc

Stick to one method and don't change it when you are playing a round.
If you do, you confuse yourself and you miss the putt. Once you stand up to that putt you should be thinking " I have this".. Be positive. You think negative and it reflects on the putt. The game of golf is as much about mental strength as it is ability.

Loire wrote: »

Feet together and ram it in for me. For longer down hillers I use the toe of the putter and put as normal...finding hitting off the toe kills the ball nicely.

Yip, that is a lovely simple trick actually, off the toe of the putter. Less force on the ball when it's not hit centrally..