Putting/Chipping too hard

[SargeDesign]

I have a BIG problem (as in "this-costs-me-7-strokes-per-round" BIG). I have a bad tendency to blow the ball by the hole to the point where my second putt is just as long if not longer than my first. The same thing for shots around the green. The ball just seems to never stop rolling after the ball hits the surface of the green.

 

I recently got a new putter, a Ping D66, to compensate for it. It has a softer face, the ball doesn't come off as hot. However, I have had it long enough to adjust to it and now Im right back where I started. Clearly this is a mental problem, but I have no idea how to get over it. I can't just tell myself "Okay, hit the ball half as hard as you think you need to" because then I end up slowing down on my follow through and blade the ball or hit behind it. Help?

[JBones]

Practice, practice, practice; thats really all you can do to fix a problem like that. Make sure you aren't flipping your wrist right at impact, that will add speed.

[Matt Saternus]

Be more instinctual. Bob Rotella talks about guys who say that they have no touch. He puts a golf ball in their hand and asks them to throw it to his hand, which they can all do. He says, "See, you have touch." You can't think touch, IMO, you just need to let your body do what it knows how to do.

 

All of that assumes you have reasonably good technique, of course, but as a 10 handicap I assume that a major technical deficiency is not the problem.

 

And, of course, practice practice practice.

[cheymike]

Sarge... I have had your exact same problem. I have also had the exact opposite problem. At different times I was either blowing the ball WAY past the hole or I was never making even half way to the hole.

I did some reading of putting techniques (Nicklaus, Pelz, Utley, Stockton and others) and found something that works for me. I really have to work at it, BUT...

Study the putt for line/break. Don't pay too much attention to distance, more to the line. Look at your line... pick your target. Step to the ball. Do NOT make a practice stroke unless you are just waggling the putter to get yourself loose. Aim at the line and without thinking too much about distance/strength then just make the stroke at the line you chose. I now am getting pretty danged good at lag putting.

This method kind of goes along with what Rotella tells people. You HAVE the touch... Your body knows how hard to hit the ball. You just have to trust it. I will be the first to tell you though.. it is NOT easy to not think about how hard to hit the ball! YMMV!

[Tyk]

I seem to blow the ball by once a round or so, and that's it. I know its going to happen, but I don't know when! I'm known for making wicked comeback putts though, so its not too big a problem!

 

I don't know if this will help you, but what I like to do when I practice putting is take 6 or 8 balls and just putt them on a level part of the green, not at a hole, not at any target at all. I think of these as establishing my "baseline comfort putt" and all I'm trying to do is keep my eyes over the ball and hit the ball on the center of the face the same way each time with a smooth stroke the same each time. These putts invariably seem to end up within 2 feet of each other, even though I don't look up in between them and don't really pay any attention to that while putting. I use these putts as a frame of reference for other putts. So lets say my baseline comfort putts were 12 feet. On the course, when I have a 25 footer, I'm thinking, ok, its twice as far as my baseline putt, gotta hit it twice as far, shorter ones, I adjust short. I usually take one practice swing that is my "baseline comfort putt" and then one stroke that's a practice for the real putt I'm making. For me, it just gives me something to base distance on, and I think you'll be surprised by how consistent your "baseline comfort putts" are. Think of yourself as a human stimp meter!

[Funkyfedora]

I agree with what my teacher says... He told me to think as if the putt was an earthquake. With 1 being nothing and 10 being way too much. He told me no matter the distance, just think about hitting it around a 5.5-6.5. If you blow it by it was probably a 7 or 8.

[Shambles]

Be more instinctual. Bob Rotella talks about guys who say that they have no touch. He puts a golf ball in their hand and asks them to throw it to his hand, which they can all do. He says, "See, you have touch." You can't think touch, IMO, you just need to let your body do what it knows how to do.

 

All of that assumes you have reasonably good technique, of course, but as a 10 handicap I assume that a major technical deficiency is not the problem.

 

And, of course, practice practice practice.

 

I agree.

 

Look and Shoot is hugely under appreciated because all it takes to learn it is long term ( as in YEARS ) practice. If you can toss a ball to a target, you can stroke a ball to a target. Trust yourself. You're better than you give yourself credit for. Drop all the detail and calculations, just look and shoot.

 

 

Shambles

[OlStick]

I had the same problem a year ago. It may seems strange, but the following routine did the job for me to regain touch, which I think is much more important than line outside of ten feet.

 

I contructed some "putting alleys" out of various materials that made progressively faster and faster surfaces so I could regain touch and feel. I started with some carpet that was faster than any green surface I putted on. When I could putt on that for distances of 10-20 feet and get the ball to stop within 6" of a thin line at the end 15-16 times out of 20 putts, I moved on to a surface of VERY thin carpet that was faster still. I performed the same drills for a couple of weeks at home until I could score the same 15-16 within 6" of the end line. Then, I used linoleum and did the same thing.

 

All this was going on while I still played on regular surfaces. It worked wonders, because I transitioned from a mechanical concern for my stroke and really developed a feel for the stroke without really thinking about it.

 

I know it sounds cheesy, but it really worked for me. If you can do it on linoleum, trust me, it will work for touch on ANY green. Good luck, Partner.

[RookieBlue7]

Another thing you can do, more so with pitching than putting, is a weird drill I do from time to time. Find a good area on the practice green you can pitch at. Instead of hitting shots with your wedges, start by underhand tossing some balls toward the hole (it gets funny looks by others nearby, but I swear it works). Do this for 5 minutes or so (or at least 20 balls). This will get it in your mind how hard you need to hit the ball to get it to the hole and stay near it. Then practice pitch shots. You should be able to visualize and then put the visual to work unconsciously. When you're on the course, try to imagine how hard you'd have to toss a ball to get it near the hole. I told you it was weird, but it works for me for some odd reason.

[Justin66]

I have a BIG problem (as in "this-costs-me-7-strokes-per-round" BIG). I have a bad tendency to blow the ball by the hole to the point where my second putt is just as long if not longer than my first. The same thing for shots around the green. The ball just seems to never stop rolling after the ball hits the surface of the green.

 

I recently got a new putter, a Ping D66, to compensate for it. It has a softer face, the ball doesn't come off as hot. However, I have had it long enough to adjust to it and now Im right back where I started. Clearly this is a mental problem, but I have no idea how to get over it. I can't just tell myself "Okay, hit the ball half as hard as you think you need to" because then I end up slowing down on my follow through and blade the ball or hit behind it. Help?

 

I think feeling a putt is important, but if you're having that much trouble, it might be time for a mechanical training regimen. It's pretty easy: the (modified) Ladder Drill.

 

Set up with putts at 10', 12', 14', etc. (or any other increments you prefer). If you have some chalk, draw a circle around a practice hole with a 36" diameter. Try to putt all the putts from each rung within the circle... don't move back untill you get 10 in a row. It sounds simplistic, but it worked for me.

[canyon23]

One easy drill that I've always enjoyed that I believe helps one dial in touch is looking at the hole while practice putting. Set your aim where you want it to be, then look at the hole and let it go. Like others have said, your body will do the work for you.