What is Your Comfort Level When Standing Over a Putt?

[seemoreputters]

Do you feel as if you are ever comfortable standing over a putt?  Do you have a confident feeling all the time, some of the time or never?  What is it that gets you to that comfort level if it is great?  It is amazing how much better one can putt when feeling comfortable over every putt.  The confidence grows in the putting stroke when this happens.  Appreciate your thoughts and input.

[DaveP043]

I'm a decent putter, I know I can make any putt within 10 feet or so.  Not WILL make, but cane make a significant percentage of them.

42 minutes ago, seemoreputters said:

It is amazing how much better one can putt when feeling comfortable over every putt. 

While this is an interesting question, more interesting is which comes first, success or confidence?  I'm confident because I've practiced putting, particularly "makeable" putts, and I've had success on the course.  I'm sure there are some players who are naturally good putters, even without practice.  But for most of us, its hard to turn confidence "on", we need to develop it.  To me, its not amazing that I putt better when I put in the practice that develops confidence.

[Kenny B]

On my home course I am confident that I can make a good putt; make a high percentage of ones I should make and lag long putts close.  Confidence comes from practice and course familiarity for this old amateur.

I am in AZ at the moment and I have no confidence putting on these greens or anything bermuda.

[CarlH]

Putting is high on my list of strengths.  I feel very comfortable over my putts.  While I obviously don't make every putt, I practice and feel confident with my distance control.  If the putt doesn't fall, I generally have a very makable 2nd putt.  I primarily play bent grass greens, but also have access and play Bermuda greens, so I feel comfortable on both.

[Stuka44]

I will echo these comments. I was not a confident putter, and had virtually no confidence even on 3-4 footers.  With practice on my indoor putting green, and just repeating that putting stroke(probably now 1000 times since I got it), confidence has grown.  I've gone from being a  non confident defensive putter, to a confident positive putter.  I know via putting statistics that I am not actually going to make many 12-20 footers, so I will never let not making them upset me.  But my mindset now is to try and make them, having the confidence that I am a good enough putter, that 3 putting is unlikely,  instead of simply being happy with a "mindless" two putt where I didn't really put any concentration into trying to make it.

[chisag]

... Being positive is a choice. Yes, it is easier when coupled with success but I honestly think I will make every putt I face. Some days they almost all go in but on the days when nothing is falling, I always think the next putt will fall. Having a 100% definitive read helps. I have learned when I am unsure of a break, committing to something even if I am not sure can make all the difference because doubt is a killer. To be fair I am not always successful in over riding that doubt especially when it looks like it does something different from opposite sides of the hole, but I am more successful than not. I know I have said this too many times to count, but if everyone ignored the line once they think they have the read and soley concentrated on their speed, they would very rarely 3 putt. 

... I am reminded of Jay Cutler after throwing 3 picks to the same DB in a game against Green Bay and asked after the game if he regretted throwing at that DB. He said If there was more time left in the game he would have thrown at him again. If he played golf Cutler would probably a very good putter. 

[bellken]

I think I have missed enough putts to not worry about it. I am comfortable on most every putt, the exception might be fast downhill/severe breaking putts.  I, just, focus on making the best stroke I can make, and, starting the ball in my intended direction. 

[MrBandit]

10 hours ago, seemoreputters said:

Do you feel as if you are ever comfortable standing over a putt?  Do you have a confident feeling all the time, some of the time or never?  What is it that gets you to that comfort level if it is great?  It is amazing how much better one can putt when feeling comfortable over every putt.  The confidence grows in the putting stroke when this happens.  Appreciate your thoughts and input.

For me.. once I made the decision on which line am taking, am very comfortable over the putt. I just pull back and forward. Even if I miss, as long as I was hitting the spot I was intending to hit am ok. All that mean need to adjust my aim.

[Christof]

If the feeling is good the putting goes well too the concentration and rhythm is then better and reads the green better, confidence and focus is better and doubts less; is so with everything, for me the closer to the hole the more stress and tension I experience before finishing it.

 

Christof

[MrBandit]

From all of the things we doing in Golf, I think putting is the most individual part. There are 50 different ways to putt and not one is better than the other.  Is all user preference and what makes you , like you said comfortable with your putt.

[Golf2Much]

For most of my almost 50 years of golfing, my putting tended to be my Achilles heel.  I would go through periods of feeling somewhat comfortable and confident to being very confident that I was going to miss my putt, I tried everything I could think of.  Long putters, short putters, standard grip, left hand low and for about ten years I even putted side saddle like Sam Snead.  My shed is filled with so many putters, it's hard to even count them.  If I had confidence, it was fleeting at best.  

A few things helped me gain confidence over the last several years.  I found a left-hand low putting grip that finally felt comfortable.  I established a repeatable putting routine that helped me feel more confident of the line and pace.  I got fitted for a putter that matched my existing stroke (versus changing my stroke to match a putter).  COVID actually impacted my confidence as well.  At the onset of COVID I got a 10 foot practice green and set it up in our spare bedroom.  With all the lockdowns, it gave me more time practicing the length of putts that drives golfers with my handicap crazy.  All the practice helped me establish a consistent, repeatable stroke.  Finally, a series of injuries forced me to have a better short game and putter.  I couldn't reach even short par 4's in regulation so to "survive" I had to become a better putter.

Finally, I made the investment on the putter matching my fitting specifications.  My latest putter addition has made all the difference in the world as far as confidence.  It's been in play for almost a month now.  The data suggests that it's a good investment which pulled in the above-mentioned things that contributed to the new gained confidence.  Now, I stand over a putt knowing if I aim it in the correct direction, I'll make the putt.  I can truly say, I've never had this feeling for a prolonged period before.  The good news is the data suggests this confidence is well justified.  In 2022 (old putters), I averaged over 28 putts a round, 69 holes between three putts and 0.84 shots gained against my handicap peers.  I was somewhat confident when I stepped up to a putt.  With the new putter in 2023, I'm averaging 26.6 putts per round, 216 holes between three putts and 2.91 strokes gained on my handicap peers.  Today, I my bad wood and iron play was offset by this putting line:  22 putts, 97 ft. of putts made, I made all my putts from 0-3 ft, 3-6 ft. 6-9 ft., two of three 9-12 ft. and two of four from 12-16 ft.  

I can only hope that this ride of confidence continues deeper into 2023 and beyond!

[MNUte]

On 1/23/2023 at 7:39 AM, seemoreputters said:

Do you feel as if you are ever comfortable standing over a putt?  Do you have a confident feeling all the time, some of the time or never?  What is it that gets you to that comfort level if it is great?  It is amazing how much better one can putt when feeling comfortable over every putt.  The confidence grows in the putting stroke when this happens.  Appreciate your thoughts and input.

Have a clear and consistent plan/routine. Putting and chipping are the areas of my game where I'm the most confident because they're the areas I feel most consistent. I think about my line and plan behind the ball while I'm doing my pre-chip/putt routine and the moment I step over the ball, I stop thinking/worrying and just commit to that plan no matter what. That way, even if I mess it up, I don't get down on myself since I can still say either: 1) I executed the plan perfectly, it was just a dumb plan that time  ; 2) The plan was perfect, I just didn't execute it well enough; or 3) "well shoot, that's unlucky." 

[GolfSpy_APH]

100% Confidence. Without a doubt and unquestionably I have a stupid amount of confidence putting. It is the strongest part of my game and after a little experiment with a putter I had once really liked in shops I have gone back to my go to and was just wow. 

No matter the greens, the speed or conditions I have an annoying amount of confidence putting. 

All to say I am super comfortable standing over a putt. Long or short, for bogey, double or eagle or really whatever. I love the art of putting and am able to see it in order to get myself super comfortable standing over the putt and not second guessing any of it. 

[TylorJudd]

I must say after getting my new 2ball Ten, which fits more into my stroke, it has increased significantly. I just need the greens to be cut down a bit here

[GolfSpy TCB]

6 minutes ago, TylorJudd said:

I must say after getting my new 2ball Ten, which fits more into my stroke, it has increased significantly. I just need the greens to be cut down a bit here

The 2 ball Ten is my favorite mallet... though the DF2.1 is giving it a run (but would you call that a mallet??? ).  The 2B10 is in my bag at the moment.

[TylorJudd]

18 minutes ago, Golfspy_TCB said:

The 2 ball Ten is my favorite mallet... though the DF2.1 is giving it a run (but would you call that a mallet??? ).  The 2B10 is in my bag at the moment.

The DF 2.1 was my runner up to the 2ball 10 as well! I couldn't get my hands on a DF to try and that led to the Odyssey. 

[Jim Shaw]

wow, another great thread, reading the comments it intrigues me how confident some of the posts are. I wonder if the amount of confidence we have in our putting isnt the real question when it could possibly be, how many putts for 18 holes do you average? Or how do you measure success in your putting? 

I consider myself a really good putter, not a great putter but really good, I keep track of how many putts per round I take, and on occasion how many feet of putt I make every round, always in social games and only keep my number of putts in tournament play. 

I work hardest on my putting and I am aware of "cause and effect" on how my putts roll on their intended line. 

[cnosil]

9 hours ago, Jim Shaw said:

 how many putts for 18 holes do you average? Or how do you measure success in your putting? 

IMO, by itself number of putts doesn’t really tell you anything.  Is 36 good or bad?  If I caveat that with I hit every green would that change the perception of 36?  Feet of putts made can be deceiving if you make a really long putt since it could artificially inflate the number.   I think strokes gained, 3 putt avoidance,  and putts missed inside of 3 feet are better measures of putting success.  

[Jim Shaw]

2 hours ago, cnosil said:

IMO, by itself number of putts doesn’t really tell you anything.  Is 36 good or bad?  If I caveat that with I hit every green would that change the perception of 36?  Feet of putts made can be deceiving if you make a really long putt since it could artificially inflate the number.   I think strokes gained, 3 putt avoidance,  and putts missed inside of 3 feet are better measures of putting success.  

In my experience, every great round I have had my putt numbers are in the mid to low 20's so that is what drives me to put putting at the top of my "must be good list" how do you measure "strokes gained putting" 

[cnosil]

23 minutes ago, Jim Shaw said:

In my experience, every great round I have had my putt numbers are in the mid to low 20's so that is what drives me to put putting at the top of my "must be good list" how do you measure "strokes gained putting" 

I am not sure what you consider a great round, but I would think low to mid 20s count in putting is probably related more to good approach shots or really terrible approach shots and good short game shots that put you into makable range.   Like i said, I will take 36 putts and 18 greens hit and consider that a great round because I just shot even par.  If I miss all 18 greens and have 28 putts I probably have a short game or putting problem so I’d need to know more about those metrics.  I just don’t see how putt count without some other qualifying information can tell you anything about your putting ability.   How do you separate the  number of putts from other aspects of your game to ensure you are only measuring putting ability?

I currently use shotscope to measure my strokes gained. It there are various other free tools available online that you can find with a quick google search.