My Lag Putting Sucks!

[merarmou]

I'm starting to get frustrated with my lag putting. My lag putting has always been my weakess link in my golf game. From inside 20 feet, I am a very good putter, however, beyond around 20 feet I am hopeless. 50% of the time I am way short, 25% of the time I am way long, and 25% of the time I within 5 feet. My alignment is good at all distances. I have spent countless hours practicing and I can't seem to get a feel for the very long putts. I have tried Greg's putting drills but I seem very inconsistant once the putter moves near of past my right foot. I have noticed that for very long putts I frequently mishit some of my putts (toe, heal, etc), but can't seem to correct it. Any ideas on making better more consistant contact for very long putts and on lag putting in general. I would really like to improve here since I probably make two 3 putts per round...
thanks,
Matt

[GregJWillis]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

How are you making the stroke? Is it with only your shoulders?

[bill reed]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

hi
sounds like your using a barn door type swing and on the longer putts you swing the putter head more around the body and that why your mishitting on the longer putts.
try and bend over the ball more and swing back using the shoulders but with no body turn.
the club will still open and close through the swing but not as much and will be square more through the impact zone.
put some talc on the putter face to see there your making contact with the ball. and also check were that ball is in your stance, to far back or forward will give you the same poor results on long putts.
Dave Pelz book the putting bible is a great book for helping with lag putting.
cheers
bill

[Neil18]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

In my vocabulary there's no such thing as a lag putt.

What are you trying to do if you're not trying to hole a putt? Miss it on purpose?!

You're a good short-mid range putter because you're trying to hole it. Try to hole the long ones. Your misses will be closer.

[Cams154]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

The one thing that helped my putting was putting looking at the hole and not the ball. I was worried that I would miss hit a lot more putts with this method. Actually it has been quite the opposite. There is a thread on it, you should give it a read. it might help you with lag putting

[merarmou]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

How are you making the stroke? Is it with only your shoulders?

Yes. My putting is only with my shoulders. No other body movement. Eyes are straight over the ball. My stroke is straight back and straight through. I position the ball slightly forward of center. On longer putts, the ball tends to bounce sometimes usually ending up short. No matter what I do, a few times per round I get a bouncer. I'm not really sure why.

To answer other posts, I'm certain I don't have a "barn door" swing. And yes, I am trying to hole my long "lag putts", but if I miss I would prefer not to have 8ft left on my second putt.
-Matt

[bill reed]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

hi Matt
sorry to imply you had a barn door but the results your having often are due to that kind of putting stroke.
i think you should work on your set up and getting the ball to hit the sweet spot of very close to it. use talc or impact strips so you can see the results.
also as Cams said try looking at the hole and not the ball. i putt looking at the hole and i did do a test with 20 ball putting looking at the ball and 20 looking at the hole and i was putting from 20 foot with all balls. i not only got better results looking at the hole but the pattern on the putter face was more compact looking at the hole that it was looking at the ball.
this was like cam said not what i thought would happen.
for the last 15 months or so i look at the hole when putting and my putting is good and it use to be my weakest part of the game.
best of luck
bill

[Neil18]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

I am trying to hole my long "lag putts", but if I miss I would prefer not to have 8ft left on my second putt.
-Matt

Hey merarmou,

If I may suggest; "but if I miss I would prefer not to have 8ft left on my second putt" sums up your current perspective on long putting. Putting not to three putt, or putting not to leave yourself a big one coming back only makes it worse. It also slightly contradicts your own comment where you say you're trying to hole it. If you entertain not leaving it short or worrying about bashing it long, you will be inclined to do just that.

I would recommend researching the mental approach to putting a little more. Putting is by no means a physically complicated task. There are many styles and it's all about feeling comfortable. Your approach to it sounds textbook, which is great as long as you're comfy. It doesn't really matter that much.

It sounds as though you may not trust your natural touch. "Putting Out of Your Mind" by Dr Bob Rotella is an absolute must read. If you've read it, re-read it.

Thinking about the mechanics of putting takes us away from the goal; get the ball in the hole. A blank mind, absolute trust in your read and letting it go to yor target are the keys to good long putting, and putting in general.

Brad Faxon actually makes a point of practicing putting standing like Arnold Palmer, or Ben Crenshaw, whilst putting with a wedge, driver or the toe of his putter from an open stance, closed and square. So putting is 5% mechanics and 95% trust. From all distances.

All we're doing is rolling a ball along the floor. This isn't meant sarcastically or to be condescending. It's just that simplifying it is the best approach. It's how I think of it. And I hole my fair share of semi-Terry Wogans!

Plus, if your short-mid range putting is good, who cares if you've got 5 feet left?! You're gonna hole it, right?

I think it sounds to me as though you're better at it than you think you are.

[ReefBoy]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

Yes. My putting is only with my shoulders. No other body movement. Eyes are straight over the ball. My stroke is straight back and straight through. I position the ball slightly forward of center. On longer putts, the ball tends to bounce sometimes usually ending up short. No matter what I do, a few times per round I get a bouncer. I'm not really sure why.

To answer other posts, I'm certain I don't have a "barn door" swing. And yes, I am trying to hole my long "lag putts", but if I miss I would prefer not to have 8ft left on my second putt.
-Matt

Hi Matt.

There are a couple of things I picked up on in the above quote.

1 - Lining up your putt is done with eye line slightly inside and behind the ball. If you are over the top two things happen, you don't get a good visual on the path the ball will take and it also interferes in the movement of your arms in the swing leading to inconsistent ball striking.

2 - If you are getting the ball to bounce it sounds like you are trying to hit the ball. The way I tend to think of my putts is trying to roll the ball to the hole with the putter. This results in a smoother transition of the the club head from back swing, through impact to release in a nice easy motion. Also try to keep your grip of the club handle very soft, as tension is the biggest killer of feel for your putting and this is especially important when lag putting.

Putting for me is the strongest part of my game. I have been playing for a year now still as a high handicapper because the other parts of my game are not so consistent. But one thing I can tell you, I get truly cheesed if I 3 putt now(not a common experience). The book that really moved my putting along was Stan Utley's "The art of putting". In my opinion, is a real gem.

Hope that helps a little.

Christopher

[Spiffo]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

With my putting Ive started lining up the putter about 1 1/2 inches behind the ball. This has improved my putting immensely at all ranges. I seem to hit the ball truer everytime.

I guess its just finding something that works for you!

You could just pitch closer to the hole!

[jambalaya]

Re: My Lag Putting Sucks!

If you are coming up short and you don't want a longer stroke to add power, try moving the ball up in your stance just a little, put more weight on your left foot and deloft the club (lean the shaft forward a touch). It gives you a little more punch on the stroke.

I don't know about other people, maybe this is the wrong approach, but I always start my session on the putting green with long putts. I think this gives me a better feel for distance control. The thing is to get a good line and get a feel for distance. It will go in the hole a few times but mainly it will get you close to the hole.