SonicGuy
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I make the vast majority of 15' putts with a bag on without putting any thought into it. I am a bad putter as well. Paige made a mistake that had nothing to do with her skill level.
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Driving is easier than putting, or is it? Climo thread drift
- Thread starter SonicGuy
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I make the vast majority of 15' putts with a bag on without putting any thought into it. I am a bad putter as well. Paige made a mistake that had nothing to do with her skill level.
It depends so much from hole to hole (and course to course) that anyone and everyone could be right in this discussion.
I have a friend who prefers longer layouts with legit par 4's and 5's because he has solid driving both BH and FH, but he's been frustrated by putting recently. For smaller par 3 courses, it seems like the best round always goes to whomever is hot at putting that day.
Ultimately it's 2 sides of the same coin. Better driving means you'll be lining up easier putts, and better putting means that you have more margin for error off the teepad. One skill set will never completely replace the other (unless every shot is an ace...would that count as driving or putting??)
If you want to talk about a real trade off, how about driving vs. get-out-of-trouble shots? If your drive placement is good enough, you'll rarely need to throw from an awkward stance or try to hit a tiny gap.
I have a friend who prefers longer layouts with legit par 4's and 5's because he has solid driving both BH and FH, but he's been frustrated by putting recently. For smaller par 3 courses, it seems like the best round always goes to whomever is hot at putting that day.
Ultimately it's 2 sides of the same coin. Better driving means you'll be lining up easier putts, and better putting means that you have more margin for error off the teepad. One skill set will never completely replace the other (unless every shot is an ace...would that count as driving or putting??)
If you want to talk about a real trade off, how about driving vs. get-out-of-trouble shots? If your drive placement is good enough, you'll rarely need to throw from an awkward stance or try to hit a tiny gap.
flightpath
Par Member
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Why would McBeth say that if he is down to the end with Ricky Wysocki that he just needs to hang around? If it is close you can count Ricky out. I think that we focus on the skills because we are not the caliber of a great player. If I worked more on my game I think I could attain a 1000 rating (currently 953), but I could never trick myself into believing I could be a 1030+ just because those players are not negatively affected by huge pressure moments, putting or driving.
In addition, there are people on this board that can truly drive 550' like many of the pros, but would not even competitively score with those players. Also amazing putters, I'm thinking Yeti, cannot consistently compete with the best young guns. Yet some mental giants, Scwebby, Climo, and Schultz keep finding themselves in competitive situations with some players that are "more skilled".
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When aim for the chains says that putting is harder than driving I'm guessing he's not picturing Charlotte courses, or courses with lots of OB rope and windy, or big elevation changes and thick rough. Sure, if the course is wide open and reachable you just throw and try to make the putt. But many courses make getting to the green much harder and more skillful than that.
Lol...thats a funny one. So here is a pretty normal hole where i can get within putting range but dont often hit the putt. Countless examples of these kinds of holes where throwing a 300' drive isnt as hard as sticking the putt.
Again you can throw FH overhand BH rollers on many different lines driving a hole and get within putting range. Hitting that putt never ever changes except slight variations in baskets. You need to hit the chains and even then welp......
Again you can throw FH overhand BH rollers on many different lines driving a hole and get within putting range. Hitting that putt never ever changes except slight variations in baskets. You need to hit the chains and even then welp......
Gotta disagree. I love practice putting. Let's me zone out and relax.
^agreed but thats why its boring 
Bah, you kids and your attention spans...
So true... Video games ruined us duhhh!
Lol...thats a funny one. So here is a pretty normal hole where i can get within putting range but dont often hit the putt. Countless examples of these kinds of holes where throwing a 300' drive isnt as hard as sticking the putt.
Again you can throw FH overhand BH rollers on many different lines driving a hole and get within putting range. Hitting that putt never ever changes except slight variations in baskets. You need to hit the chains and even then welp......
I think your reasoning that there are many more types of drives to learn and perfect helps prove the point that driving is a bigger part of our game. And it sounds like you May be a driving savant. Most people I know get proficient at putting before they can ever hope to park that 300' wooded fairway.
I can't believe no one else marveled at this; it's the reason I love math.
Awesome revelation, Steve.
NotActuallyChris
Bogey Member
There's "good" and "elite", and I think the payoff's are different. Once you're good at driving, putting becomes exponentially more important. But few players ever get good at driving. Conversely, while getting elite at putting is hard, getting good is pretty straight forward.
Big disclaimer on that one in the limit case.. Once you're *amazing* at driving, putting no longer happens and becomes inconsequential.
Definitely depends on the course. I'm pretty consistent inside the circle, but there are lots of 450 foot holes out there that I have almost zero chance of getting a birdie on because I will never be inside 50 feet. If you can actually drive 450, then you have a significantly higher chance of getting a birdie than me, even if you aren't that great of a putter.
On shorter courses, then yes, putting is probably the most important, because any competitive player has the distance to get in range.
On shorter courses, then yes, putting is probably the most important, because any competitive player has the distance to get in range.
TYVEK
Bogey Member
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Whats easier, Putting or Driving. that's the question here. the answer is not the same for everybody, for me putting is much easier than getting consistent drives. it just comes more naturally to me, but I know people that is the exact opposite. they are much better at driving and putting is a thorn in their game. there is no hard and fast answer for this. statistics will never be able to relied upon for stuff like this.
I think the issue here is math vs perception. I tend to agree that putting is more important. Than driving. ESPECIALLY on courses with more par 4's and 5's. On par 54 courses, I still think it is putting because you can be the best driver in the world...there is an element of luck that comes into play that causes flairs, skips, kisses, and rolls that you can't account for 350' away from a pin. We get more of those on a drive than they do in ball golf. An odd bounce or sprinkler head hit is rare in golf but we see it multiple times per round.
Most people I know walk off the course lamenting the 3-20' putts that they missed. 1 rolling away to 30' and they missed the come back putt. Thats almost 40 ratings points. I NEVER hear anyone walk off the course and say, man, on that 400' hole, I only drove it 375' and missed a putt. If only I had thrown it 385' I would have had a birdie. Thats where Sonic's arguments fall apart. Chainouts and spit throughs are more rare than roll aways and flairs and can be more damaging since they move you out of putting range. Poor luck putting usually results in an easy next putt.
Most people I know walk off the course lamenting the 3-20' putts that they missed. 1 rolling away to 30' and they missed the come back putt. Thats almost 40 ratings points. I NEVER hear anyone walk off the course and say, man, on that 400' hole, I only drove it 375' and missed a putt. If only I had thrown it 385' I would have had a birdie. Thats where Sonic's arguments fall apart. Chainouts and spit throughs are more rare than roll aways and flairs and can be more damaging since they move you out of putting range. Poor luck putting usually results in an easy next putt.
exactly. sometimes you literally need to use your brain and call it how you see it.
NEVER has someone said to me in all the years playing "damn I would have scored better with XYZ more feet on ABC drive..." Its ALWAYS about the putts and that goes from the top down IMO.
Look at what kept Cat from 1000 rated weekend... I think someone broke it down to what 3 putts?
runningDoc
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The thread drift really skewered the original argument of why present McBeth would probably beat in his prime Climo.
I like to think that driving is easier also because McBeth has a solid sidearm so he can take a hyzer route towards "left handed" fairways/lines. Everyone now has the option to learn and throw a consistent forehand and increase your driving probability success because of that option.
But putting? Climo has a push / hyzer/ drop putt that he was awesome at, but McBeth? McBeth has a hybrid spin/push putt that he can use in high winds, uphill/downhill from 10ft all the way near to 100ft away.
On top of that McBeth seems to have mastered how to do proper straddle push/spush putts AND putts from the knee around obstacles and bad footing.
McBeth probably has the advantage because of his putting. But he is indebted and stand on the shoulders of giants (all the past players that paved the way to learn and then improve upon).
normal putting with no obstacles and good footing you can actually say that other top pros have McBeth matched % wise, but when you factor in the fact that McBeth can also hit putts from awkward angles, footing, around obstacles, and in the wind - it gives him that much more of and advantage.
It's congruent with the argument that putting is a bigger factor in lowering your score, but is also more difficult compared to driving because not all greens are flat/open/calm winded/have good footing/obstacle free.
Learning how to putt around obstacles, different spins/push/combo, in a straddle, from one knee consistently is difficult.
I like to think that driving is easier also because McBeth has a solid sidearm so he can take a hyzer route towards "left handed" fairways/lines. Everyone now has the option to learn and throw a consistent forehand and increase your driving probability success because of that option.
But putting? Climo has a push / hyzer/ drop putt that he was awesome at, but McBeth? McBeth has a hybrid spin/push putt that he can use in high winds, uphill/downhill from 10ft all the way near to 100ft away.
On top of that McBeth seems to have mastered how to do proper straddle push/spush putts AND putts from the knee around obstacles and bad footing.
McBeth probably has the advantage because of his putting. But he is indebted and stand on the shoulders of giants (all the past players that paved the way to learn and then improve upon).
normal putting with no obstacles and good footing you can actually say that other top pros have McBeth matched % wise, but when you factor in the fact that McBeth can also hit putts from awkward angles, footing, around obstacles, and in the wind - it gives him that much more of and advantage.
It's congruent with the argument that putting is a bigger factor in lowering your score, but is also more difficult compared to driving because not all greens are flat/open/calm winded/have good footing/obstacle free.
Learning how to putt around obstacles, different spins/push/combo, in a straddle, from one knee consistently is difficult.
TexansNation56
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I practice putting more than i practice driving but I go out to the field to throw on the weekends and putt on the weekdays and also play rounds on the weekend
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