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

[Berg Ryman]

I think, like a lot of others in the thread, it depends on your definition of routine. Like for me, I line up the stamped line with my intended start line, do that run a thumb across the putter face think before setting the club down, and then just go.

Is it a routine because I do it everything time? Yeah, but the dictionary definition sure. It is something I'd classify as a routine in the definition we as golfers use, not exactly.

Same thing with tee shots, I bring my hand back to touch my right knee now every time after putting the peg in the ground, settle in, one waggle, go. Habit, yeah. Pre-shot routine... harder to say.

Edited July 3 by Berg Ryman

[jbern]

I try to read the green as much as possible on the walk up to the putt and step off the distance. Then I line up the line on the ball to a spot and decide on a distance number. Then set the putter behind the ball, take my stance and go. I try to hit a distant number like I’m putting on my Exputt

[GolfSpy_KFT]

Like others have said, I think it depends on the individual and the way they approach the game mentally. I have a pre shot routine that I'll follow on all shots. Stand behind the ball, pick my target line, approach the ball and wipe my left hand on my back pocket, go through setting my feet up the same way, couple waggles as I get comfortable in my stance and swing. I never take a practice swing on full shots. On touch shots around the green, I typically do. No rhyme or reason to it as to why that is different, it's just what I do.

With putting, I crouch behind the ball and visualize the line I think the ball will take. Wipe the left hand as I do with any other swing, set my feet, take a couple practice strokes, set the club down behind the ball and go. It's an interesting concept that maybe taking those out could improve my putting. It is the strongest part of my game so I'm not overly keen to trying to change it. But it is interesting nonetheless.

[Hook DeLoft]

Chamblee mentions Bob Rotella in the article.  As it happens, I am reading Rotella's book "Putting Out of Your Mind."  He does emphasize the importance of a routine, but the purpose of the routine is to help you get to the point of being comfortable with the putt.  If your routine doesn't do that, then you are not doing the mental part correctly.  Chamblee seems to think that a routine is all physical.  It's not.  It's purpose is to "feel" the putt and see the putt in your mind while blocking out distractions and negative thoughts.  And, perhaps most importantly, the routine comes after the read.  Chamblee's example of Tiger Woods doing something differently before the famous putt  misses the point of a routine.  Woods took his time getting the read and feel for the speed and then started his routine.

[Haro]

long putts 

1 lift and mark with my left hand /left eye above the ball 

2 fix ball marks with putter on my right hand 

3 crouch down and read . set the putter in my right hand when I read 

4 find my spot and putt to the spot  

short putts<5 feet 

1 use the line on the ball to the cup

2 practice strokes looking at the line and the cup 

3 place my right hand on my right thigh as I setup to the ball 

4 tap stroke looking at the ball keeping my eyes looking at the ball and trying to hear the ball drop into the cup 

 

Edited July 5 by Haro

[Wasper007]

I take my time with the read and then I like to get my putter on my read, put my eyes on the spot I want as the apex of the break, take an exhale to relax the grip and let my stroke work. I never found “practice strokes” to be effective for me. I don’t have any data to support this, but my makes and lags have improved.