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Putting - Consistent center strike or consistent squaring of face


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I really like my double wide putter and I make consistent contact in the center of the putter face. The only issue is I have trouble squaring the putter through the impact zone, leading to putters starting off line. I have started practicing with a blade putter with more toe hang. While I seem to be starting putts on line much more frequently, I’m finding my strike tends to stray from the center more often. Both putters have the same head weight, length, etc. This is probably a result of my comfort level with my old gamer (the double wide), but it made be wonder which is more desirable in everyone’s opinion: consistency with contact or consistency with squaring the putter face?
 

Hopefully my question makes sense.

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16 minutes ago, GF_SGCC99 said:

I really like my double wide putter and I make consistent contact in the center of the putter face. The only issue is I have trouble squaring the putter through the impact zone, leading to putters starting off line. I have started practicing with a blade putter with more toe hang. While I seem to be starting putts on line much more frequently, I’m finding my strike tends to stray from the center more often. Both putters have the same head weight, length, etc. This is probably a result of my comfort level with my old gamer (the double wide), but it made be wonder which is more desirable in everyone’s opinion: consistency with contact or consistency with squaring the putter face?
 

Hopefully my question makes sense.

While I haven't done any scientific study, it seems to me that starting the ball on your intended line is absolutely critical.  Obviously speed and read are the other important factors, but you can make any straight putt with a little inconsistency in speed, which is what off-center contact is likely to cause.

:titleist-small: Irons Titleist T200, AMT Red stiff

:callaway-small:Rogue SubZero, GD YS-Six X

:mizuno-small: T22 54 and 58 wedges

:mizuno-small: 7-wood

:Sub70: 5-wood

 B60 G5i putter

Right handed

Reston, Virginia

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5 hours ago, GF_SGCC99 said:

 consistency with contact or consistency with squaring the putter face?
 

Depends on how much your face angle varies.    if you are pretty consistent then I would take consistency in contact because I would put speed control a little higher on the priority list.  

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

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Dave Pelz thinks line is more important. 

14 of the following:

Ping G430 Max 10.5 degree

Callaway 2023 Big Bertha 3 wood set to 17 degrees

Cobra F9 Speedback 7/8 wood set at 23.5 degrees

Callaway Epic Max 11 wood

Ping Eye 2 BeCu 2-SW

Mizuno 923 JPX HM HL 6-GW

Hogan sand wedge 56 degree bent to 53

Maltby M Series+ 54 degree

Ping Glide 3.0 Eye2 58 degree

Ping Glide 3.0 60 degree

Evnroll ER2

Ping Sigma 2 Anser

Cheap Top Flite mallet putter from Dick's, currently holding down first place in the bag

TaylorMade Mini Spider

Bridgestone XS

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31 minutes ago, Hook DeLoft said:

Dave Pelz thinks line is more important. 

Not sure about that especially since he says the ball should use the speed to get the ball 17 inches past the hole.   That makes me think he thinks speed is first priority.  

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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3 hours ago, cnosil said:

Not sure about that especially since he says the ball should use the speed to get the ball 17 inches past the hole.   That makes me think he thinks speed is first priority.  

I’m was going off memory. I’ll have to get the book out and double check. 

14 of the following:

Ping G430 Max 10.5 degree

Callaway 2023 Big Bertha 3 wood set to 17 degrees

Cobra F9 Speedback 7/8 wood set at 23.5 degrees

Callaway Epic Max 11 wood

Ping Eye 2 BeCu 2-SW

Mizuno 923 JPX HM HL 6-GW

Hogan sand wedge 56 degree bent to 53

Maltby M Series+ 54 degree

Ping Glide 3.0 Eye2 58 degree

Ping Glide 3.0 60 degree

Evnroll ER2

Ping Sigma 2 Anser

Cheap Top Flite mallet putter from Dick's, currently holding down first place in the bag

TaylorMade Mini Spider

Bridgestone XS

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12 hours ago, Hook DeLoft said:

Dave Pelz thinks line is more important. 

To me, line is more important on shorter putts, putts that you have a real chance to make.  If you have erratic control of your line, you'll miss a lot of those.  For longer putts, the ones you want to get moderately close for an easy 2-putt, distance is most important.  Its unusual for a combination of read and line control to leave you as far away as erratic distance control can.

I think most of us learn to read greens through experience, we make an initial "guess" and learn from watching the results, adapting our read for the next chance.  But if you can't hit your intended line, or your distance is erratic, you're learning to read greens based on faulty data.  So to me, line is first, speed control is second, and green-reading is the final piece of the puzzle.  To make one putt right now, each one is critical in its own right, but learning to putt you should be building one piece on top of another.

:titleist-small: Irons Titleist T200, AMT Red stiff

:callaway-small:Rogue SubZero, GD YS-Six X

:mizuno-small: T22 54 and 58 wedges

:mizuno-small: 7-wood

:Sub70: 5-wood

 B60 G5i putter

Right handed

Reston, Virginia

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21 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

To me, line is more important on shorter putts, putts that you have a real chance to make.  If you have erratic control of your line, you'll miss a lot of those.  For longer putts, the ones you want to get moderately close for an easy 2-putt, distance is most important.  Its unusual for a combination of read and line control to leave you as far away as erratic distance control can.

I think most of us learn to read greens through experience, we make an initial "guess" and learn from watching the results, adapting our read for the next chance.  But if you can't hit your intended line, or your distance is erratic, you're learning to read greens based on faulty data.  So to me, line is first, speed control is second, and green-reading is the final piece of the puzzle.  To make one putt right now, each one is critical in its own right, but learning to putt you should be building one piece on top of another.

Definitely agree with you; all aspects are important and very interrelated. The added complexity is that there are multiple line/speed combinations that will work for putts so it is about right speed for the right line.  As a player you need to be able to understand you line or speed mistake because putts can still go in the hole when you make a mistake or miss the hole when you do everything perfect.  

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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1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Definitely agree with you; all aspects are important and very interrelated. The added complexity is that there are multiple line/speed combinations that will work for putts so it is about right speed for the right line.  As a player you need to be able to understand you line or speed mistake because putts can still go in the hole when you make a mistake or miss the hole when you do everything perfect.  

Agree. Aggressive putters are going to have a different line and speed compared to a less aggressive putter.

The golfer has to know their speed and pick their line based off that 

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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4 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

To me, line is more important on shorter putts, putts that you have a real chance to make.  If you have erratic control of your line, you'll miss a lot of those.  For longer putts, the ones you want to get moderately close for an easy 2-putt, distance is most important.  Its unusual for a combination of read and line control to leave you as far away as erratic distance control can.

I think most of us learn to read greens through experience, we make an initial "guess" and learn from watching the results, adapting our read for the next chance.  But if you can't hit your intended line, or your distance is erratic, you're learning to read greens based on faulty data.  So to me, line is first, speed control is second, and green-reading is the final piece of the puzzle.  To make one putt right now, each one is critical in its own right, but learning to putt you should be building one piece on top of another.

Pulling 3-5 footers is what led to me making the putter change. I’d been reading on toe hang and it’s affects on closure rate, and thought that this new-to-me putter might aid my stroke.  Practicing with this new putter and struggling with making consistent center contact is what got me asking this question. Again, I likely just need more practice with the new putter. Putting is by far the weakest part of my game, and is my main target area to strengthen this season.

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