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Pro's VS. Joe's 3-Putt


Scooter316

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Interesting read regarding the percentage of 3 putts compared to player skill levels on the blog and just wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

 

Putting is easily the hardest part of the game in my opinion, and I feel like a lot of amateurs would agree. How many times do you hit the green in reg, blow your birdie putt 12 feet past, and walk away with a 3-putt bogey. It has to be one of the worst feelings in golf. It's hard to truly practice putting as well since every green has a different slope, every course has a different speed, and every region has different green characteristics (grain, local slope from mountains or hills, rolling patterns, etc...). Players who grew up on bent grass green commonly have challenges adjusting the the grain of Bermuda greens and vice-versa.

 

I've always found the easiest way to putt well at any course is to get a strong understanding of the speed and work it from there. Even on a misread putt, the correct speed will leave you with a far better chance of making the next putt compared to a putt that rolls just past the cup and continues for an extra 8 feet. But that's just how I see it, I know many people can make arguments for different putting strategies.

 

Using GameBook golf I keep my stats for each round and below are my current putting stats. (Note that I average 10.23 GIR/round so I do have some up and downs included in the averages)

 

IMG_1747.PNG

 

 

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I agree about speed control.  A lot of practice and changing a few things in putting technique has helped me to gain control of speed.  A lot less 3-putts.

 

What surprised me about the article was the lack of much difference between low, mid, and high handicappers on 3-putts from 25+ feet.  And the pros were only twice as good as the low handicappers.  

 

If the average Joes spend time practicing putting, it's one part of the game that they can compete with pros, IMHO.

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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Actually putting is the easiest part of the game. It's free to practice and it doesn't require a SS of 115 to be successful. Anyone can learn to do it.

 

As Kenny wrote it's the one area of the game where an average Joe might approach touring pro status.

 

There's no real reason not to work on putting and chipping. While ball striking will always be king the fastest path to saving strokes for many Ams is putting in a little work around the green.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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One aspect of the article that I wish was delved in a bit deeper is frequency of 2 putts when the green is missed.  I believe this would have a higher impact on scoring than 3 putts since the higher the handicap the more greens missed. 

Driver:  :ping-small: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven
Fairway: :titelist-small: TS3 15*  w/Project X Hzardous Smoke
Hybrids:  :titelist-small: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype
                :titelist-small: 915H  24*  w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype        
Irons:      :honma:TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite
Wedge:  :titleist-small: 54/12D, 60/8M w/:Accra iWedge 90 Graphite
Putter:   :taylormade-small:TM-180

Testing:   SPGC_logo.jpg

Backups:  :odyssey-small: Milled Collection RSX 2, :seemore-small: mFGP2, :cameron-small: Futura 5W

Member:  MGS Hitsquad since 2017697979773_DSCN2368(Custom).JPG.a1a25f5e430d9eebae93c5d652cbd4b9.JPG

 

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I agree about speed control. A lot of practice and changing a few things in putting technique has helped me to gain control of speed. A lot less 3-putts.

 

What surprised me about the article was the lack of much difference between low, mid, and high handicappers on 3-putts from 25+ feet. And the pros were only twice as good as the low handicappers.

 

If the average Joes spend time practicing putting, it's one part of the game that they can compete with pros, IMHO.

Completely agree with your last sentence. The folks I play with go to the range and bash a bucket of balls to warm up. They might go to the practice green and hit a handful of putts before heading to the first tee. Then spend the entire day moaning that they can't score. My warm up consists of hitting a few shots on the range with odd number clubs followed by twenty minutes of pitching chipping and putting. They may hit a few more greens than I do but I score much better. Most amateurs could take a lot of strokes off their game if they spent more time on the short game instead of trying to bust 300 yards drives. Just one mans opinion.

Driver: Cobra F8 Tour length

3W: Cobra King F7 3/4 Wood

5W: Cobra King F7 5/6 Wood

Hybrid 3/4: Cobra F7 20.5*

Irons: 5 to PW Taylormade P790

A Wedge: 48* Vokey SM6 F grind

S Wedge: 54* Vokey SM6 M grind

L Wedge: 58* Vokey SM6 M grind

Putter: Rife Two Bar Hybrid 35" P2 Aware Tour grip

Ball: Taylormade TP 5X

Bag: Hot Z Canadian flag 🇨🇦

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Also consider pros end up closer to the pins that joes. Pros are aiming at pins and quadrants and the Joe are just trying to hit the green. So putt lengths are going to be different

Well, except for Jordan's back-to-back 50 footers today.   ;)

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I've played with pros a few times over the years, trust me, on your local course's set up, they will destroy you, eat you children for lunch, take your wife out to a nice seafood dinner... and then never call her back! 

 

What amazes me, is just how much practice (putting and otherwise) they put in. Lately, I get to see it every day. My home club, is also the home club for the UC Davis golf team. They're not an "elite" golf school (W/M currently ranked 88 & 105 respectively) but they are a D1- GCAA school and they have some talented golfers (two of them, Tyler Raber and Ben Corfee qualified for the Barracuda Open this past weekend). As such, I see them practicing. They are always practicing. Everyday. Before class, after class, when they probably should be in class, when it's raining, when it's 110*, etc. Of that time, about 60% is on the putting green, using sticks, gadgets and almost always for putts inside 10'. I'm always blown away at how much work they put in.

 

Going back to the Pros v Joes, I actually think the discrepancy might be larger than the stats indicate. Consider; the pressure the pros are under, the course difficulty and the complete lack of gimmies/"loose interpretation of the rules" by us regular folks!

Driver:  :ping-small:  G 10.5* W/Tour Stiff 65g Ping Shaft   

Fairway Woods:  :cobra-small:  Cobra F6 13.5*, F6 Baffler 16*  

Irons: Split Set-  :ping-small: i200 3i - 7i ,  :benhogan-small: Ft Worth 15s, 8 (36), 9 (40), PW (44) 

Wedges: :benhogan-small:  TK, 52* & 56*

Putter:  :ping-small: Sigma G Kushin 

Bag:  :ping-small: Hoofer 5way

Balls:  :taylormade-small: TP5/X

 

 

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I haven't had a 3 putt in my last 3 rounds....working hard on speed control

 

 

:callaway-small: XR Driver Matrix Ozik 8m3 Black Tie Shaft

:cobra-small: King F7 3W UST Mamiya Chrome Elements 7F4 Shaft

:cobra-small: King F7 5W UST Mamiya Chrome Elements 7F4 Shaft

:cobra-small: King F7 4 Hybrid Graphite Designs Tour AD-HY 95 Shaft

PXG 0211 DC 5-PW Mitsubishi MMT 80 Shafts

:cleveland-small: RTX ZIPCORE 50*,54*,58* UST Mamiya Recoil 95 Shafts

:odyssey-small: Metal X Milled #7 with SuperStroke 2.0 grip

:Snell: MTB

 

 



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speed control is a big factor, I read somewhere that an ideal putt for speed is one that would travel 17" past the hole for your odds of making that initial putt (1 foot 5") I've been doing very well at eliminating my 3 putts out of my rounds this year. I played on Monday and had one 3 putt for the entire round and I really should have made that 2nd putt. 

 

The other main factor is where your approach shot lands into the green. If you can get that shot with in 8 feet your conversion rate of making that first putt goes way up. if it's out side that 10 feet range you're almost guaranteed to 2 putt  

Driver - Ping G5 10.5

3W & 5W - Taylormade aeroburner 

Irons - Cobra Amp cell 4-GW 

Wedge - Titleist Volky 60deg

Putter - Odyssey V-7 tank superstoke long grip

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Driver and iron fitting is often discussed and I think many would agree it to be important to play one's best.    I have had a driver fitting as well as my irons, but I never had a putter fitting.   I often wonder if part of my problem is that I am using a putter that is not appropriate for my putting style so to speak.   What do ya think, is it worth the price of a fitting?

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Driver and iron fitting is often discussed and I think many would agree it to be important to play one's best.    I have had a driver fitting as well as my irons, but I never had a putter fitting.   I often wonder if part of my problem is that I am using a putter that is not appropriate for my putting style so to speak.   What do ya think, is it worth the price of a fitting?

For sure, if you're not using a putter that is allowing you to release/roll the ball properly you'll never be consistent in your putting. It only makes sense to be fitted on the only club you're going to use on every single hole on the course. 

Driver - Ping G5 10.5

3W & 5W - Taylormade aeroburner 

Irons - Cobra Amp cell 4-GW 

Wedge - Titleist Volky 60deg

Putter - Odyssey V-7 tank superstoke long grip

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Driver and iron fitting is often discussed and I think many would agree it to be important to play one's best.    I have had a driver fitting as well as my irons, but I never had a putter fitting.   I often wonder if part of my problem is that I am using a putter that is not appropriate for my putting style so to speak.   What do ya think, is it worth the price of a fitting?

 

 

For me it is worth a fitting.   You can always learn to use any putter but it may not be the best fit and will result in making putting harder.   My putting instructor did a podcast that is about 55 minutes long in which he explains putter fittings and his approach to how to putt.  I posted the link in the putter fitting thread.

Driver:  :ping-small: G400 Max 9* w/ KBS Tour Driven
Fairway: :titelist-small: TS3 15*  w/Project X Hzardous Smoke
Hybrids:  :titelist-small: 915H 21* w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype
                :titelist-small: 915H  24*  w/KBS Tour Graphite Hybrid Prototype        
Irons:      :honma:TR20V 6-11 w/Vizard TR20-85 Graphite
Wedge:  :titleist-small: 54/12D, 60/8M w/:Accra iWedge 90 Graphite
Putter:   :taylormade-small:TM-180

Testing:   SPGC_logo.jpg

Backups:  :odyssey-small: Milled Collection RSX 2, :seemore-small: mFGP2, :cameron-small: Futura 5W

Member:  MGS Hitsquad since 2017697979773_DSCN2368(Custom).JPG.a1a25f5e430d9eebae93c5d652cbd4b9.JPG

 

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Evidence of Pros > Joes VIDEO

Driver:  :ping-small:  G 10.5* W/Tour Stiff 65g Ping Shaft   

Fairway Woods:  :cobra-small:  Cobra F6 13.5*, F6 Baffler 16*  

Irons: Split Set-  :ping-small: i200 3i - 7i ,  :benhogan-small: Ft Worth 15s, 8 (36), 9 (40), PW (44) 

Wedges: :benhogan-small:  TK, 52* & 56*

Putter:  :ping-small: Sigma G Kushin 

Bag:  :ping-small: Hoofer 5way

Balls:  :taylormade-small: TP5/X

 

 

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Yeah, I could do that.   ;)

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Driver:  :ping-small:  G 10.5* W/Tour Stiff 65g Ping Shaft   

Fairway Woods:  :cobra-small:  Cobra F6 13.5*, F6 Baffler 16*  

Irons: Split Set-  :ping-small: i200 3i - 7i ,  :benhogan-small: Ft Worth 15s, 8 (36), 9 (40), PW (44) 

Wedges: :benhogan-small:  TK, 52* & 56*

Putter:  :ping-small: Sigma G Kushin 

Bag:  :ping-small: Hoofer 5way

Balls:  :taylormade-small: TP5/X

 

 

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