COMMUNITY

I like Jackie Burke's thoughts on this:

1.) Find the line that is the lowest possible line that will still carry the ball into the hole (keeping in mind the speed at which you hit putts).
2.) In your mind's eye, paint everything on the high side of the line white, and everything on the low side black.
3.) Hit your putt and keep the ball in the white.

That way, you're hitting to an area and not a specific point. And by keeping the ball on the high side, you open up the entire cup (meaning there are multiple lines that will carry the ball into the hole). And as the putt loses speed, it will continuously fall closer and closer to the hole. (If you were to hit on the low side, the ball will continuously go further away from the hole as it loses speed!)

That's my approach for anything outside of, say, 10 feet. But even when I get inside 10 feet I still like a slightly broader target at times. Imagine a wide strip of paint going from the cup back to your ball on the correct line of putt. It's a lot easier to keep the ball on the paint, as opposed to one single line.

And then, on short putts, unless they are severe breaking putts I'm thinking center cup, firm stroke. No timid strokes there. Hit the ball hard at the center of the cup. Any minor breaks can be overcome on short putts by just stroking the putt firmly. Sure you might miss a couple, but you'll make a whole lot more.

My putting routine is to get a picture of the overall break of the green as I approach the green from the fairway and/or cart. I always offer to pull the flag every time so I can walk off my putt from the hole to get the distance and mark my ball.

I try to take a look at the high side of the putt first, then take a look from the back and take a look a the low side last and I think the low side is the most important view. If I dont have time to walk all around the ball I'll only take a look from the low side.

Standing over it I take several practice strokes to get a feel for how strong to putt it while my eyes pick out the line and a spot about 6 inches in front to roll it over. Then pull the trigger.

by the way, I like Goynes suggestions and will try to incorporate that into my round this weekend to see if that helps even more.

I read it from up close, step back a few feet, read it from there, and back next to the ball again. Take a few practice strokes from there, line it up, look at the hole at least once maybe twice, let it rip.

I definitly lock in on a spot for all putts around 20 ft. pr less. Any longer and I just pick a general area around my spot. I know for a fact that putting is the strongest part of my game.

Believe it or not I can see he Tiger Woods green grid. Then in my minds eye I use the old putt preview. This all happens witin about 10 seconds. The longer I stand behind a putt the more I start perceiving rather than seeing. The only swingthought I have when putting is to have the back and forward strokes be equal. The only thing I really concern myself with while putting is getting the speed/distance right. I can live with a miss but I can't live with being way short or way long.

Making putts is mostly about two things: Reading the green and hitting your intended line. Thus a good pre-shot routine needs to be designed to get both of these things right.

I start out surveying the green very much like 72Wannabe described with one exception; I'm going to walk to the hole whether they let me get the flag or not. This survey work is critical to getting the proper line.

When it's time to set up to the ball I go through the same steps. First I get my feet and stance paying special attention to where my weight is under my feet and that my dominant eye is over the ball. Then I check my grip and alignment of my putter. I've learned to focus on the face of the club being perpendicular to my target line. All this focus on alignment aids has caused us to forget that they are 'aids'; it's the face you have to align. I align to a spot out by the hole. Once I'm aligned, I'm ready to putt. All my focus goes to speed as I start my stroke and stays there until the follow through where I make sure the club is down the line (to my intended spot).

I average 29 putts a round, so it seems to be working.

when i walk up to a putt, i try to take a look from behind my mark and if time permits, look at it from the opposite direction. then i walk to the hole and check out the last few feet and see if my toes are above my heels or the opposite or pretty level. then i take another look from behind and place my ball, step back for one more look, pick my spot and draw a line back to a spot that i can focus on right in front of my ball whether it's six inches or 3 feet, like i would on any shot. after that, i point the toe of my putter directly at that spot and address the ball while squaring my feet to the putter. then i just turn the putter and square the face to my feet, get a feel for the speed with 2 or 3 strokes, and then hit it. i may be overdoing it but that's where i'm at right now. you guys have mentioned some things that i never thought of and will experiment a little with some of your tips. thanks to everyone so far and hopefully we can get a few more ideas that may help.

The first thing I,do is mark my golf ball.2nd thing I,do is walk on the Low Side of the Hole.I,look around for Bunker's & water hazard's,that's the direction of where the grass grows.Then I,look for a spot on the green to start my ball to roll.Then I,tell myself " WHY CAN'T JOHNNY PUTT" after that,I,set-up and let it Roll.Hope this Helps.

You've said that a lot lately. What is it that's so valuable about "Why can't Johnny putt?" My answer would be "I don't know, he's a 24030942840360557202737583695036.7 handicap."

i just figured he was talking about Johnny Miller or maybe Johnny is just everyone who needs help in this department. which is it, Daniel?

Billy,i,was reading this golf book on putting and it just happens that the guy that was having the Yips,his name is Johnny.Long story short,Johnny Can't Putt,cause,the putter-face is not Square.So,every time before i,set-up,i,just reminder myself. W.C.J.P. & keep the putter-face square.

I try to invision the little square grids from TW's game. Pick a spot in between the ball and the hole I need to hit (ball mark, leaf, stick) that will get my ball on the correct line. Once I get my spot I stand over the ball still looking at the "spot", then I focus on the speed trying to put enough on it to get it just past the hole. With my 2.1 putting average I wouldn't take my advice though.

when i point the toe of my putter at the spot i'm aiming at, it allows me to stand over my ball and view the line and spot. i guess i could just line up the line on the ball to the spot but wondered if my view suffered from being so close to the ball if my spot wasn't drawn back to be directly in front of my ball. hope this makes sense to you guys. i think my main question was from when you pick the spot you are gonna putt at and how you bring that line back to you and how to keep focus on that spot when you go to address the ball. i understand what you are saying smatoska with how you place it and i think i'm just taking an extra step that isn't necessary. i'm basically doing the same, i'm just aligning my putter to the spot instead of the line on the ball.

AHHHH HAAAAA!!!!! Now I understand!!!! Sorry. I'm a lil' slow, fat, redneck, vanity golfer with "e" muscles. It takes me a minute.

yeah, it's really no different than lining the ball up with the line on your ball, i just do it with my putter for some reason.