Do you agree with a putting routine or just get a feel and go?

[Javs]

Saw this article and thought I would share. I am a feel player and putter. I understand routines, but can’t say I have an exact one. What about you?
 

https://golf.com/news/brandel-chamblee-blasts-rory-mcilroy-putting-us-open/?utm_campaign=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&utm_content=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&utm_medium=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&utm_source=PANTHEON_STRIPPED&amp=1

[HeathS16]

I remember reading somewhere that practice strokes before a putt does you no good and you just nix that from the routine and make the stroke,  if I find it I will link it, it was a long time ago.  

I think it is up to the individual.  I myself, have a "routine" but it can fluctuate a bit from round- to-round depending on how I am feeling that day.  So it isn't a strict routine I guess.  I do think it is important to have something you can go to when under stress, as it can provide a bit of comfort and familiarity.  I do think Brandel is a bit off here. Just because Jack didn't have one doesn't mean everyone should just step up and hit it.  

[RetiredBoomer]

3 minutes ago, HeathS16 said:

I remember reading somewhere that practice strokes before a putt does you no good and you just nix that from the routine and make the stroke,  if I find it I will link it, it was a long time ago.  

I think it is up to the individual.  I myself, have a "routine" but it can fluctuate a bit from round- to-round depending on how I am feeling that day.  So it isn't a strict routine I guess.  I do think it is important to have something you can go to when under stress, as it can provide a bit of comfort and familiarity.  I do think Brandel is a bit off here. Just because Jack didn't have one doesn't mean everyone should just step up and hit it.  

I walk up to the ball and hit.
Eventually, it goes in.

[Javs]

1 minute ago, HeathS16 said:

I remember reading somewhere that practice strokes before a putt does you no good and you just nix that from the routine and make the stroke,  if I find it I will link it, it was a long time ago.  

I think it is up to the individual.  I myself, have a "routine" but it can fluctuate a bit from round- to-round depending on how I am feeling that day.  So it isn't a strict routine I guess.  I do think it is important to have something you can go to when under stress, as it can provide a bit of comfort and familiarity.  I do think Brandel is a bit off here. Just because Jack didn't have one doesn't mean everyone should just step up and hit it.  

Agree with you. Like putting routines are a very individual thing. While I am a feel player, I do some set things to get ready to execute. I do not usually take a practice swing or stroke. Unless I have been waiting awhile to get to go. 

[HeathS16]

Just now, RetiredBoomer said:

I walk up to the ball and hit.
Eventually, it goes in.

I cannot argue with that at all.

 

[Josh Parker]

I have a routine of one practice stroke after setting my line for direction. Pick my spot and then go. 

I'm a feel person for putting and trust my mark I pick out. 

[HeathS16]

3 minutes ago, Javs said:

Agree with you. Like putting routines are a very individual thing. While I am a feel player, I do some set things to get ready to execute. I do not usually take a practice swing or stroke. Unless I have been waiting awhile to get to go. 

Right, sometimes you feel the need for a stroke, sometimes you don't.  Blasting someone as weak for relying on a routine in a position like Sunday afternoon at the US Open seems a bit...overly harsh.  Not going to lie the 4 footer he missed was a gnarly little putt. 

[Rob Person]

I do both. If it's a simple enough looking putt, I'm confident enough to feel the speed needed and putt it.

Other times I will take a couple of practice swings to feel if I'm ready to make it happen.

[Javs]

4 minutes ago, HeathS16 said:

Right, sometimes you feel the need for a stroke, sometimes you don't.  Blasting someone as weak for relying on a routine in a position like Sunday afternoon at the US Open seems a bit...overly harsh.  Not going to lie the 4 footer he missed was a gnarly little putt. 

Agree and getting in contention is a big deal. 

[Lefty11]

Being an old basketball player I believe in routine. I’ll usually do two practice swings and go. 

[TSauer]

The only routine-ish thing I do is aim the ball at my chosen line, take a step back to make sure it looks good, then step up and hit it. No practice strokes or anything for me. 

[cnosil]

I would say EVERYONE has a routine, even feel players.  You read the putt to determine necessary speed,  you identify and determine the start line for that speed,  you aim the putter, and then make a stroke that launches the ball with desired speed on the start line you picked.    This is all done pre-shot so it is a pre-shot routine. 

 

[Headhammer]

I've tried a routine before and I don't seem to putt any better than when I take a quick look at the line & walk up and hit it, no practice strokes. For me the routine got me thinking about too much stuff rather than just stroking the putt.

[Golf2Much]

I think Chamblee was a little too harsh.  I thought I heard that up to 16 and 18, he made 54 of 54 putts within five feet.   Rory would not have been in the position to win if it wasn't for his "process."

I personally have a set of simple process steps I try to use when approaching a putt.   Like every other golfer, I miss my share of putts.   However, nothing frustrates me more than when I don't follow my routine and I miss a short putt.   It's often it's a short putt that looks automatic and I step up to tap it in.   Usually, there's more there than meets the eye that I don't pick up because I didn't go through the steps and ultimately paid the price with a miss. 

As much as I'd like to say it's the routine that has made me a better putter over the years, I think it's more about having and not deviating from a disciplined approach when putting.

 

[Javs]

39 minutes ago, Golf2Much said:

I think Chamblee was a little too harsh.  I thought I heard that up to 16 and 18, he made 54 of 54 putts within five feet.   Rory would not have been in the position to win if it wasn't for his "process."

I personally have a set of simple process steps I try to use when approaching a putt.   Like every other golfer, I miss my share of putts.   However, nothing frustrates me more than when I don't follow my routine and I miss a short putt.   It's often it's a short putt that looks automatic and I step up to tap it in.   Usually, there's more there than meets the eye that I don't pick up because I didn't go through the steps and ultimately paid the price with a miss. 

As much as I'd like to say it's the routine that has made me a better putter over the years, I think it's more about having and not deviating from a disciplined approach when putting.

 

Agree with you on Chamblee. Easy to poke holes from a booth. Harder to execute on the course.

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Here is my routine. Easier for me to do without others around but I can manage. It also has me less worried and anxious about putting. It works for me
 

pace off my putt

on the line of my putt check 3 to 4 spots with my feet and feel the break

on putts 9’ and in, point ball line to where I felt break and heads up putt

if longer than 9’

make a equilateral triangle with pin on my left and ball on my right. Look at hole, ball, hole, ball. While looking at the ball the last time, walk to it, setup, one peak at the hole and go. 

Edited June 19 by Vegan_Golfer_PNW

[Mdrnsamurai]

Honestly, WTF does Chamblee even know about the game?? I'm not a fan of Rory either but I hardly think that Chamblee can say anything about anything in regards to his game... Sometimes, I think they keep him around to say stupid s*** like this so they have something to write about...

Personally, I don't take practice putts because my distance is pretty locked in at this point... I Read, Feel, Adjust, and Bombs away... (My Routine) and it works pretty well...

I don't Rory changed anything he does normally, he just missed a putt that he makes 99.9% of the time in a high-pressure situation which can happen in a Major Championship... Not that Brandel would know anything about that...

[Haro]

I think Chamblee makes things up just to get controversy started and hooks audience like  Stephan A smith does 

Tiger has a routine.... reads ... walks around the putt ...    take two practice swing then  putts   

[cksurfdude]

For me having a pre-shot routine on every shot - including putts - is absolutely essential.

Now a "routine" can be as brief .. or as drawn out .. as suits you. And specifically you; it's your routine. The idea is to prepare yourself for executing the shot. 

So if all you do is walk up behind the ball and go, that's great - that's your "routine" let's call it if that's what you do every time.

Mine, and what works for me, is a little more involved as I still need to think about what I'm going to do and plan the next shot. All a part of the bigger work in progress!

[TJ Hall]

I have a routine for every shot.  For putts specifically, read the putt and figure out the line that I want to start on.  Line up the line on the ball with that and stand behind it to make sure it still looks good.  Try to visualize the putt and then set up over it and go.  No practice strokes here.

[Hacker60521]

Routine vs Feel isn’t one or the other.  It’s good to have a routine to create discipline around how you putt or take any swing for that matter. But as you continue to play and create more reputations, the “feel” side comes in more because you’ve seen more putts.

[jolter1]

If standing behind the ball and getting a read, then stepping up and maybe take a practise stroke a routine, then yep I got one.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

I spent a long time working out cross handed putting, where to place the front low hand, on face balanced putter, as straight back-and-forth stroke as possible.  I am the opposite of Patrick Cantlay, I don't fidget.  I read the green quickly. I am on a public muni so it gets a lot of use, not pristine condition, no sense in trying to discern each and every slight dip.  Confidence is high, speed is paramount.   No practice swing.  Concentrate on not twisting either hand on contact.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

On 6/19/2024 at 12:39 PM, Mdrnsamurai said:

Honestly, WTF does Chamblee even know about the game?? I'm not a fan of Rory either but I hardly think that Chamblee can say anything about anything in regards to his game... Sometimes, I think they keep him around to say stupid s*** like this so they have something to write about...

Personally, I don't take practice putts because my distance is pretty locked in at this point... I Read, Feel, Adjust, and Bombs away... (My Routine) and it works pretty well...

I don't Rory changed anything he does normally, he just missed a putt that he makes 99.9% of the time in a high-pressure situation which can happen in a Major Championship... Not that Brandel would know anything about that...

Not a fan of Chamblee on the mic, but he did have a TOUR card and he probably plays better than he comments.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

I just heard:  Rory is going to take putting lessons from Marcel Siem.

Maybe Lexi should do like wise. 

Edited June 30 by Donn lost in San Diego
2nd brainstorm

[Triple_Putt]

I aim the ball on the line I think I need, step back and make sure it looks good. Step in, take 1 practice stroke, then step in and hit it. Any more thought than that and I putt terribly 

[AverageSizedDog]

I'm more about getting the pace right on the practice green, then I can feel my way to the cup. 

[bens197]

For the longest time, I would line up behind my mark and get my line, set my ball and take one practice stroke.  That changed in 2022 when Cameron Smith won the Open at St. Andrews.  

He addresses the ball, looks at the hole and fires.

It made sense to me…that I should trust myself and my line and roll it.

Now I place my ball, find an intermediate target between my line and my ball, stand at address and aim toward my intermediate target without taking a practice stroke.  My putts per round average is 32.4 and while I only use GHIN app stats, it does not reflect my improvement at putting.

I am hitting an average of 2-3 more greens per round since switching to the T100 irons. More greens means more 2 putts.

[russtopherb]

7 hours ago, bens197 said:

For the longest time, I would line up behind my mark and get my line, set my ball and take one practice stroke.  That changed in 2022 when Cameron Smith won the Open at St. Andrews.  

He addresses the ball, looks at the hole and fires.

It made sense to me…that I should trust myself and my line and roll it.

Now I place my ball, find an intermediate target between my line and my ball, stand at address and aim toward my intermediate target without taking a practice stroke.  My putts per round average is 32.4 and while I only use GHIN app stats, it does not reflect my improvement at putting.

I am hitting an average of 2-3 more greens per round since switching to the T100 irons. More greens means more 2 putts.

I also stopped with the practice putting strokes after seeing a number of studies that show they tend to wire your brain to do the wrong thing. I get the break, find my spot to aim at, and go. 

[cnosil]

39 minutes ago, russtopherb said:

I also stopped with the practice putting strokes after seeing a number of studies that show they tend to wire your brain to do the wrong thing. I get the break, find my spot to aim at, and go. 

I’ve added a “practice” stroke based on what I have read.   Start with a large stroke and then look at the hole and let the brain dial in the distance.  Amazing how the stroke will size itself based on what you see.