Brian Manzella
Administrator
It was a mercy killin'
Should I Give Up Putting Practice - Or just quit golf altogether?
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It was a mercy killin'
magicmarker
New
Get fit for a putter and remember Jack Nicklaus once wrote that "fear of any kind is the No. 1 enemy of all golfers, regardless of ball-striking and shotmaking capabilities."
Do you trust the line you choose 100%? I can live with picking a bad line, just blame the grain or give it a Bubba Watson "really?" and move on. Find your line, stroke the line, always with at least enough pace to go past the hole.
Young kids always make putting look easy and fun because it is, remember that. Kids never hang their head if they knock a putt 4 or 5 feet by, they just go bang it in. I think Dschultz said in another thread he putts like an 8 year old and he makes a lot of putts.
I have played with good putters and bad putters and I will say that the worst putters I have seen DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING, they get close to the hole and they try to putt with perfect dead weight speed. It isn't pretty make or miss, especially when you have to watch someone miss short from inside 3 or 4 feet. It screams of fear. If I were you my first goal would be to start banging putts into the back of the cup instead of gently coaxing them over the front. Your fear of the 3 foot comeback is the main reason you lag putts you should expect to make. It's just golf, nothing to fear.
I think you should quit. All of that time you spend playing golf with your buddies, could now be spent with your wife and her friends. You'll probably become a much better shopper and instead of wasting time going to places like Pinehurst, you could try something new like Macrame or Needlepoint.
Damon Lucas
Super Moderator
Bruce,
Use a claw, or a severely weak grip, and then go to the practice green and hit every putt with at least a 3 second pause before looking up. Get very involved in the listening for putts. Roll the putts mostly with dead weight so that you avoid the short ones as much as possible. Remember what Venturi said to Hogan about not caring and start evaluating your results AFTER the 2 week mark. Report back here!
Use a claw, or a severely weak grip, and then go to the practice green and hit every putt with at least a 3 second pause before looking up. Get very involved in the listening for putts. Roll the putts mostly with dead weight so that you avoid the short ones as much as possible. Remember what Venturi said to Hogan about not caring and start evaluating your results AFTER the 2 week mark. Report back here!
Thanks again all for your comments.
As an almost 70 year old, golf if my only real hobby (well there is still sex), so I don't want to give golf up. Macrame and needlepoint are out. If I spend more time with my wife, I might drive her crazy. Can do a little shopping though with her from time to time.
Most of the golf I play now is team type better ball type matches and I hate to be such a drag on my partners.
I am playing a "casual" round tomorrow - not matches - no pressure. I am going to give the Bulls Eye a try with what I can remember of my old stroke - some arms, a little right wrist bend in the back stroke.
Damon - I will spend some time on the practice green the next 2 weeks. When you say a severely weak grip are you referring to the right or left hand. I have thought of turning my left hand well to the left (weak or more under). I will report back from time to time.
I would be happy to hit solid putts - on line and good speed - if I misread and miss or hit a little off speed, I can live with that. Almost never hitting a short putt that even looks like it might go in is very unnerving.
Bruce
As an almost 70 year old, golf if my only real hobby (well there is still sex), so I don't want to give golf up. Macrame and needlepoint are out. If I spend more time with my wife, I might drive her crazy. Can do a little shopping though with her from time to time.
Most of the golf I play now is team type better ball type matches and I hate to be such a drag on my partners.
I am playing a "casual" round tomorrow - not matches - no pressure. I am going to give the Bulls Eye a try with what I can remember of my old stroke - some arms, a little right wrist bend in the back stroke.
Damon - I will spend some time on the practice green the next 2 weeks. When you say a severely weak grip are you referring to the right or left hand. I have thought of turning my left hand well to the left (weak or more under). I will report back from time to time.
I would be happy to hit solid putts - on line and good speed - if I misread and miss or hit a little off speed, I can live with that. Almost never hitting a short putt that even looks like it might go in is very unnerving.
Bruce
Damon Lucas
Super Moderator
Bruce, Both hands weak on the grip. Maybe some right wrist bend for longer putts, but not so much for short ones. Getting to the necessary work to eliminate pushes and pulls has to wait awhile, while you get your head into a decent place.
You can certainly see based on the responses - those that have never had the yips before or possibly have no idea what they are.
Finding a solution on the practice putting green is practically useless - as it can fall apart on the course when it counts - after all there is no issue when putting on the practice green. Working on solutions while you are on the course, under the performance pressure is a good first step. Not caring is not an option unless you don't care how you do and the game of golf and what you score - means nothing to you.
Finding a solution on the practice putting green is practically useless - as it can fall apart on the course when it counts - after all there is no issue when putting on the practice green. Working on solutions while you are on the course, under the performance pressure is a good first step. Not caring is not an option unless you don't care how you do and the game of golf and what you score - means nothing to you.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
I had the pitching yips. It didn't matter if it was in a tournament or in my backyard. Pride alone made it actually better in tournaments.
Long story short........it's mechanics or alignment. Then it goes to the head.
Long story short........it's mechanics or alignment. Then it goes to the head.
Bruce,
You say you have two hobbies: Sex and golf. In one you say you are a drag on your partners who are liable to turn their back in disgust at your woeful performance.............................................................................................Just be thankful
Seriously, I used to have a major problem here. I overcame it when I told myself I can MISS or I can MAKE. That's all. MISS or MAKE. Just telling myself that made the world of difference. Clears out a lot of clutter up in the attic.
Good luck.
You say you have two hobbies: Sex and golf. In one you say you are a drag on your partners who are liable to turn their back in disgust at your woeful performance.............................................................................................Just be thankful
Seriously, I used to have a major problem here. I overcame it when I told myself I can MISS or I can MAKE. That's all. MISS or MAKE. Just telling myself that made the world of difference. Clears out a lot of clutter up in the attic.
Good luck.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
As I eluded to earlier, even on a 2 footer I can line the putter up outside the hole and to me standing over the putt, it looks dead center. Then I hit the putt right where I am lined up and miss the putt. I need that line on the ball lined up on my intended line when looking from behind for me to putt with any success. If not, then you can understand what that would do to technique in regards to path or club face.
The error (by the math) is that the face angle would have to be worse than 5 degrees off. I wasn't sure an error like that which is fairly visible would be missed by sightlines or other line-up issues, but I will accede so. Thinking about it, my miss on these would be because I yank the putter some how, but if its one per round it's not a chronic thing. And, for me, causes relate more to tension than technique.
Thanks.
Thanks.
welshdentist
New
Great summation Kevin.
Been there with chipping and pitching yips. It is never just mental or just technique. They just mish mash together and one leads to the other. There is no one mental or mechanical fix, you need to work on both although tension can make it seem more mechanical sometimes.
Technique is not my domain, some good advice here.
Mentally, you need a routine that you follow and learn to control your breathing. You also need to start immunising yourself to on course pressure.
This can be done in a number of ways. I use a practice book so that I write down a score and whether I went through my routine for putts from
3x3ft Par is 3 putts total
3x12ft Par is 6 putts total
3x30ft Par is 6 putts total
Then
8x5ft Par is 8
You have some competition and have a best score. You also go through the routine of marking a score and adding pressure.
Never do the test more than once in a day, or say I wasn't trying on that one. Keep score and monitor it.
PM me if you want the website I use for these stats.
If you feel pressure of 1 or less when you are practicing, it's too easy and not helping.
I do the above with one ball and mark it where I would or tap in as I would on course.
Thanks again for all of the comments and helpful hints. Obviously, on short putts it is a serious putter face control issue.
To me (it seems or feels like) it is a left hand issue rather than a right hand issue. Either the left hand drives forward opening the face or the left hand just stops prior to impact and turns the face to the left. On short putts I have more trouble with right to left putts than with left to right putts.
I will be playing today but with nothing on the line, so the "pressure" is off somewhat. Going to try the old BullsEye today to see if it can evoke some old positive "memories". I will also putt in some practice time this week using Damon's suggestions to "weaken" both hands - left turned more left and right turned more right. Do have a match set up for Wed.
Bruce
To me (it seems or feels like) it is a left hand issue rather than a right hand issue. Either the left hand drives forward opening the face or the left hand just stops prior to impact and turns the face to the left. On short putts I have more trouble with right to left putts than with left to right putts.
I will be playing today but with nothing on the line, so the "pressure" is off somewhat. Going to try the old BullsEye today to see if it can evoke some old positive "memories". I will also putt in some practice time this week using Damon's suggestions to "weaken" both hands - left turned more left and right turned more right. Do have a match set up for Wed.
Bruce
I feel for you Blen - I know about it all too much - although I think my issue may be a technical one. I recently really improved my driving, and for a higher handicap, I'm a good iron player - so I have given myself a lot more birdie opportunities. Problem is, I have went back, and know in the last 10 or so rounds, I have had 25 or so birdie putts within 10' feet, a few within 3 - and have made a grand total of 4! The frustrating things are a) I used to be a better putter b) most of these are lipping out, and I, and even the guys I play with, can't believe it. But struggling over this long a period of time, you know it's more than just bad luck. Then, like you said, it just gets in your head! I am to the point that my wife asked me what I wanted for fathers day, and I told her a lesson with Damon - which I am working on.
magicmarker
New
If this has anything to do with feeling nervous try this sometime. As you step into the tee box, try to play the hole in the fewest number of breaths (as well as the fewest number of strokes). You will force yourself to breathe deeper, hold it in a little longer, and exhale slower until the putt is holed. Easiest way to calm down is not to get too excited in the first place.
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