Question about putters (not what kind to get)

[JeremyKShort]

Putting in the time to practice is going to be what helps you improve. Be patient and confident and treat every putt individually. I was most successful staying within my comfort zone while developing my putt. It kept me confident and allowed me to focus on making the next one. I would step outside my confidence circle every once in a while to shake things up though. It helped me forget the missed putt and have the confidence to keep trying.

This is really it here. Just getting out there and doing it. Mark Ellis, in his putting clinics, has several important bits for everyone to remember. And while I don't agree that all of them are the best for everyone, I do think that his 15-minutes at a time idea is good. Two 15min putting sessions will help you tons, heck, even one 15min session a day will improve things a lot.

 

[Mabuku1]

not a typo. heh heh. its my ALL Groove bag. I have 18 I throw. ranging from 163-175g but I have become quite good at putting with it. I have a stack of kc pros, yeti pros, and challengers. my favorite are the yeti because they don't spit out, but you will come to a situation where you need a slick putter.

 

[DeadEye]

I putt with Ions, and have a stack of them from range 172-175. I have a mixture of 2nd runs in medium and soft, as well as the early run protons in medium and soft. I'll practice with whatever feels right to me based on the temperature and wind to get the muscle memory back, then if I'm feeling more comfortable I'll use the entire stack, but if I'm getting ready to go play after I use the entire stack, I'll focus on the ones that I'm going to use that day and end with a few rounds of the ones I'm gonna use.

 

[Savage Henry]

I have about 15 different putters. When I go practice I throw them all like I'm throwing off the tee. Then I go get each one and throw it back like my bag is the pin. Then I go get those and throw them like I'm putting at the goalpost my bag is next to. I do that twice, than do the same thing with both my putters and mids. Twice. Then throw everything in by bags and repeat. Even putting with the fairway and long drivers. That way I can see what I should and shouldn't be throwing. It adds up to about 300 throws. And I've dropped long drivers from my bag but I'm money inside 50 feet with any putter.

 

[Bobby_B5932]

There's your first problem. There is a lot of bad information mixed in with the good on here.

But like I said, there really is no single good answer. I practice with a variety of different Challengers (cryztal, soft, pro-d) and that works for me. But if you're finding inconsistency from using several different putters in practice, you might be better served to just focus on the one or two that you use on the course to rebuild that familiarity and confidence.

Got that right!!

 

[SteezeOG]

not a typo. heh heh. its my ALL Groove bag. I have 18 I throw. ranging from 163-175g but I have become quite good at putting with it. I have a stack of kc pros, yeti pros, and challengers. my favorite are the yeti because they don't spit out, but you will come to a situation where you need a slick putter.

Why in god's name are you carrying around 18 grooves and what are you doing giving advice about putting with them? :\

If you want to putt with drivers and only practice putt during a round that's cool.....not sure anyone else should waste time and effort like that though.


We're looking for improvement not regression.

 

[Chainchaser]

I started this yesterday and always had a stack but i am going to try two and really focus in on a routine.


I am keeping track here if anyone wants to join in.

 

[simpletwist]

Lots of good ideas out there. But for my two cents, I would say that muscle memory should be the primary focus for practice. And to that end, having multiple identical putters would be the ideal. How many then becomes the question. I guess that depends on how many do you want to pick up at a time? How many times do you want to walk back and forth? 6 seems about right to me, some might say more, some less.

Seems to me if you use all your putters (same weight, same plastic, same color even) in practice then all of them will be beat in consistently enough to confidently use play.

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

Honestly, just like your style and form in putting, it really differs a ton from person to person how they will practice effectively.

My main problem is just getting myself to do it. I do it all the time in my garage where I have a target, and that is good for muscle memory, and I draw on imagining my garage when I'm trying to make shorter putts. But to really take it to the next level, I need a more disciplined regimen, that is also fun. Looking around on this forum and this thread has some good ideas in it:

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=295

 

[Toro71]

I'm of the "both" school.

Practicing the same putt from the same spot with 6 putters is good for muscle memory, as stated. But, if you remain in your stance, etc, and putt all 6, then repeat, you are missing out on the "practice like you play" aspect as Tbird888 and others point out. You just won't get 6 tries at a putt during a round. So, sometimes when I practice putting, I'll only use 2, or sometimes even only 1 putter, my main "putter" putter. That way, each one matters, and you're practicing your routine, focus, getting into your stance,etc, which is also important.

I'm just too lazy to really make every putt "count" when I'm practicing with 4+ putters.

Muscle memory can swing both ways, meaning always practicing with 6 putters can reinforce bad habits as easily as "grooving" good ones.

 

[wake911]

Muscle memory can swing both ways, meaning always practicing with 6 putters can reinforce bad habits as easily as "grooving" good ones.

great point. "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect Practice makes perfect."

I try very hard to focus on perfect form, even when putting with 5+ at a time. It's tough, but i try to figure out anytime i get off track, so if i throw a bad one in a tourney, I know how to fix it.

as I get closer to a tourney i do less multi disc putting, and more situational putting, 1 at a time, maybe 2 at a time. At least that's my new strategy, lets see if it works for BG Ams.

 

[elnino]

practice does not make perfect.

perfect practice makes perfect!!!!

 

[Dan Ensor]

There's some video out there that it's said "Most pros are getting up and down from 100' no matter what lie they have" so I grab as big a pile of putters I can, throw up-shots from a ways out (80-200') and I try to take a 2 on every putter; up-shot, drive.

 

[chrishysell]

I use one putter