And the Corona. Don’t ask me how, but it’s possible.If we could harness the power of lip outs we could get rid of fossil fuels.
A bit of both - I'm not always great at starting the ball on the line I pick, but I think it's at least as often that I pick the wrong line in the first place. Direction is generally much more difficult for me to get right than speed; I'm generally around the hole for distance, particularly as I don't tend to be as aggressive as someone like @FL4WL3SS, but sometimes that can mean late break in a putt defeats me in a way that it wouldn't if I were charging the ball at the hole. (Of course, my two three-putts today both involved getting my speed wrong and banging the ball 4-5 feet past the hole, so there you go.)@Conigliaro's Potential - when you miss putts, is it more because of a misread, or more because you don't hit the ball where you aim?
I guess my only counter to this is to ask whether you think shorter putts raced at the hole at such a speed are more likely to actually go in than putts which you aim to finish no more than a foot past the hole. Obviously your way takes most or all of the break out of short putts, but you're also making it much less likely to hole putts which might only catch the edge of the hole. (To say nothing of the current COVID situation whereby the flagstick has to remain in the hole - and at least on my course, it's often leaning the wrong way. That's hopefully a temporary situation, of course.) But if it works for you, I'm not trying to dissuade you!I am confident enough inside of 6 feet that I would rather risk a 2-4' second putt than not giving the first a chance to go in.
My son learned this one, and suggested it to me. Putt tees 3, 6 and 9 feet from the hole. Take three balls. Sink all from 3, then 6, then 9. If you miss one, you go back to 3 feet and start again. It’s really forces you to think about and figure out a consistent stroke. It also builds your confidence in those inside 6 feet putts.@Conigliaro's Potential - when you miss putts, is it more because of a misread, or more because you don't hit the ball where you aim?
For me, it's a wild mix of everything. If I make a good read, I'll struggle to hit where I aim. If I hit it true but miss, I look at it after and think, geez, I didn't see that at all.
And is speed or direction a bigger issue for you on the greens?
Generally my approach is to try to get the speed right, first and foremost, especially on any putt outside like 6 feet. I just need to get it around the hole, and proper speed is the best way (that I figure) to get it close. Am I way off there?
I've got a terrible swing plane with my putter. I mean obviously occasionally I drain some putts, but it's a huge weakness. Any tips on improving putting from even 6 feet and in? I know I cost myself 3-5 strokes a round from that distance.
Man, that last qualifier is at my home course 2 miles from my house. Shooting high sixties to low seventies out there is pretty normal for me. But, the actual mid-am is like 4 hours from here. Not sure I can pull of that trip.Actually looks like you would need to qualify in CO: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/2302572
There's still time to signup and play!
I mean, you know how we get satellites to places in deep space, right? And how figure skaters speed up their spin rates?By the by, you've intrigued me about the science of lip-outs, and whether a lip-out can actually add speed to a putt. My inclination would be that it can't - unless the lip-out redirects a ball onto a downslope, in which case the speed gained is actually from the slope and not from the lip-out itself, and a half-assed internet search finds a few forums which (eventually) agree:
https://www.reddit.com/r/golf/comments/9bx8zt/can_a_lipout_add_speed_to_the_putt/e56v402/https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=44458.0But perhaps any smarter and more physics-inclined golfers here might disagree?
Fair enough.
Check out putting plates. Really simple tool that you can take to the course with you that help drive consistent contact and consistency.My son learned this one, and suggested it to me. Putt tees 3, 6 and 9 feet from the hole. Take three balls. Sink all from 3, then 6, then 9. If you miss one, you go back to 3 feet and start again. It’s really forces you to think about and figure out a consistent stroke. It also builds your confidence in those inside 6 feet putts.
I’m sure there are drills to help with the squareness of the stroke consistency, too (or being on consistently on your preferred stroke plane).
For sure. Those pesky 2-3 footers that I miss routinely bit me three times today. I need to implement some of the strategies you guys suggested for me in order to improve. But ball striking was very solid. If I can ever get even just not-awful with the flat stick, maybe I can become a decent player.Sounds like a lot of positives to take away from that round and a few notes to improve. Successful round.
Giving yourself a 2 footer is generous... someone giving themselves a 4 footer is ludicrous.The best trick ever for making 2-4 footers is to make 2-4 footers. Sounds dumb, but everyone gives them to themselves and then wonders why they struggle with them.
Seriously? I've seen a dude claiming to be a 2 handicap give himself about 5 eight footers and claim he shot a 74. This was in a money game on Memorial Day of this year. He took like $170 from the group. As a reward, he shot an 88 and 87 in the 2 actual tournaments he's played with us so far.Giving yourself a 2 footer is generous... someone giving themselves a 4 footer is ludicrous.
I largely agree with your point though... I'm just shocked there might be people out there giving themselves over a yard to the hole.
I was shocked when I started playing the money game at my club that they allowed gimmes. I've put a stop to it and now we force everyone to hole out. If you're in the same group as the guys you're betting with and have say over the gimme, then no big deal. However if 3-4 groups are going out with money on the line, no fucking way.Seriously? I've seen a dude claiming to be a 2 handicap give himself about 5 eight footers and claim he shot a 74. This was in a money game on Memorial Day of this year. He took like $170 from the group. As a reward, he shot an 88 and 87 in the 2 actual tournaments he's played with us so far.
Edit: This is why everything worth more than $5 should be played into the hole. It takes 4 seconds to make a 6" putt, so just go ahead and make it. Gimmes are for fucking around in practice rounds.
I had something similar, though much less important, happen to me last year in a CGA event. I hit a beautiful drive and lipped out my approach shot for a 2" birdie putt. My 7 handicap opponent yanked his drive into the deep rough left and bladed his approach that hit the flag at what appeared to be 100+ mph and dropped in for an eagle on one of like 8 holes I wasn't giving him a stroke on. I think he shot 72 as a 7.In other news, how would you like to go into the last hole of a tournament tied for the lead, make an eagle and lose?
https://golf.com/news/how-golfer-was-tied-for-lead-on-final-hole-made-eagle-and-lost/
The counter to that.... when I play against my brother, it is for pride. Any betting is for entertainment purposes only. I'll make him hit a few close ones. Then start giving him them... with the idea that if we are close going into the final holes, I'll stop giving them to him. We generally end up 5&3 (for or against), so it doesn't end up mattering. But the idea is sound.These stories are incredible. I love this thread.
As to the idea of making people hole putts out...agreed. The easiest way to avoid the old “you’re not gonna give me that?” is to just have everyone have to hole out, plain and simple. No fuss, no muss.
By “reverse sandbagger” you mean, “liar and cheater“?What about the reverse sandbagger? You know, the people who shoot 85 but will post a sub 80 round for their ghin. They’re my favorite.
I know a guy who wants to be a low handicap so bad that he’ll shoot 83 and post 78 or 79. His current index is 3.4, but I truly believe he hasn’t legitimately shot his handicap once this year. It’s embarrassing.
My reply is usually "if you have to ask, it's not good". Will shut them up the rest of the way.These stories are incredible. I love this thread.
As to the idea of making people hole putts out...agreed. The easiest way to avoid the old “you’re not gonna give me that?” is to just have everyone have to hole out, plain and simple. No fuss, no muss.
It's called a vanity handicap. I have no problem with those people $$$$$By “reverse sandbagger” you mean, “liar and cheater“?
To be clear, giving putts in match play is not only acceptable but encouraged; both to speed up play and to fuck with your opponent's head as you so rightly do.The counter to that.... when I play against my brother, it is for pride. Any betting is for entertainment purposes only. I'll make him hit a few close ones. Then start giving him them... with the idea that if we are close going into the final holes, I'll stop giving them to him. We generally end up 5&3 (for or against), so it doesn't end up mattering. But the idea is sound.
I get spoiled in the PNW during summer, it doesn't get dark until around 10pm at the solstice and right now you can easily play until 9.Anybody play Connecticut national? Playing tomorrow after work at 5pm. Twosome riding. Hopefully we can get in 18.
Is that the one in the Putnam area' (NE CT) ? I think you can get 12 to 15 in.Anybody play Connecticut national? Playing tomorrow after work at 5pm. Twosome riding. Hopefully we can get in 18.
Not sure where you are in PNW, but at least in Seattle you get the benefit that it doesn't snow either (though it's wet).On the flip side, it's dark all day during the winter.
I'm a big fan of that course, my social club has our yearly tournament there. I haven't played there outside of the tournament yet though.Anybody play Connecticut national? Playing tomorrow after work at 5pm. Twosome riding. Hopefully we can get in 18.
Work in downtown Seattle, live on the east side where it snows quite a bit. I get the best of both worlds.Not sure where you are in PNW, but at least in Seattle you get the benefit that it doesn't snow either (though it's wet).
I fucking love the PNW.
I may be mis remembering, but I believe that course was a LPGA stop in the mid 90's. I had a summer job selling lemonade at tournaments. This was when the CVS Charity Classic still went to Pleasant Valley .... Zinger grabbed a $3 lemonade from me and left a healthy tip. We did an LPGA course in VT...It was on a ski resort, and we stayed in Brattleboro ..18 at Mount Snow, VT. 75 degrees and very breezy. Nice mountain resort course. Back tees. Nearly 7,000 yards. Lots of ups and downs and some beautiful terrain.
43 on the front including a three putt from 8 feet on the first and a triple bogey 7 later on the front nine. Did make a 25 footer though so that makes up for some of it.
39 on the back. One godawful duff that would have made a first year player proud. Two more three putts from 12 feet. Ugh.
But made some great shots. Six drives of 300+. Flushed a bunch of irons.
82 total on a not so easy course playing it for the first time, and in windy conditions.
I’m pretty pleased overall. Three birdies on the day and just the one bad hole.
I haven’t had the chance to play it yet (my daughter is a student there), but the Middlebury College golf course might fit your criteria. Probably 45 minutes to an hour from Burlington.Going to Vermont with the better half for a week. Staying around Burlington, trying to find a couple courses to get some early AM rounds in, but nearly everything I've found is either closed or private. Any Vermonters know a decent track or two within an hour of Burlington? I'd hit up some of my old QC courses if the border were open
edit: Jay Peak 80 min away may be my best bet
edit 2: Stowe Country Club looks public, $100 to walk it and 40 min away. The pickins are slim
Weather can easily make this possible in Scotland. A few years ago I played an inter-club match at Dunbar which I won despite shooting approximately 96 - it was so windy that three times I putted into bunkers. (Twice from more than 60 yards from the green, because putting seemed more sensible than any other option, but still.) But that's not really what you're talking about, is it? My condolences...I certainly know what it's like to feel so helpless on the course like that.So I'm not the best golfer here, but I wonder how many of you have the full range I've got (anything from a 75 to a 107 in a 10-month span)???