[Loonerisav]

A comment SethO posted made me think of this and I figured it could be an interesting discussion.

running it by 3 feet is better than leaving it short.

I know that there are different schools of thought on this from putting instructors. Some will to say to putt the ball 18 inches past the hole and others will say let it die in the cup.

My feeling is almost the exact opposite of what Seth said. I don't mind coming up short any more than missing long, simply because I missed either way. I try to die it in the hole and if I misjudge by a foot, I don't feel any worse if it was short than if it was long.

[avaissema]

If it doesn't get past the hole it never had a chance of going in. A putt left short can never go in Hawk. I do think it's important for longer putts to be conscious of where you might want to leave it.


Sent from my forged iPad

[DP5Ups8o]

Well here is my very first reaction and thought. If it never makes it to the hole it can never go in. Wayne Gretzky is the greatest goal scorer of all time by taking the shot because he missed 100% of the shots he never took. Gotta get it there.

[namaikaimvputka]

I like this idea for a thread, and look forward to what others have to say.

For the longest time, I have tried to get the ball to die at the hole. Slowly that turned in to me leaving everything short, very short. Some times even laying up on a putt. It got pretty bad, and I had to focus on getting the ball moving better toward the hole, rather than just trying to lag it in to the hole. However, I dont want to blow it past the hole by 3 feet, but if I am going to miss, I would rather miss long than miss short, as with my game I have found that when leaving putt short, my putting gets worse.

[oscilsoda]

A comment SethO posted made me think of this and I figured it could be an interesting discussion.




I know that there are different schools of thought on this from putting instructors. Some will to say to putt the ball 18 inches past the hole and others will say let it die in the cup.

My feeling is almost the exact opposite of what Seth said. I don't mind coming up short any more than missing long, simply because I missed either way. I try to die it in the hole and if I misjudge by a foot, I don't feel any worse if it was short than if it was long.

If you run it past, you can see the break as it goes by. That will help you when you putt it back. I was taught the 18" rule. I try to put it about that past the hole.

[PVaQlNaP]

Interesting question Hawk, I can't see how leaving it a little short is any worse than running it a few feet past. Now granted a putt left short never had the chance to go in, but did that putt that rolled past really have a chance to go in as well? If it was the right speed and right line then it would've likely gone in right?

Also the 20' putt on an uphill green that's pretty slick, when left short you still have an uphill putt, much better than running past a few feet and having to putt back down the hill. Just my thoughts and remember, I'm a terrible putter

[Loonerisav]

I used to think the same thing, but I think if it went long it never really had a chance either. It seems like if you hit it right on the edge of the cup, but too hard, it is more likely to roll around the rim than drop.

[infollafago]

can't have a chance of making it if you can't get it there. period

[DaleJrGirl]

My step dad was always a joker and was always saying "97.4% of short putt's are missed putt's", lol. Duh!

[Loonerisav]

I also think there's a difference than being tenative and hitting the ball 4 or 5 feet short than misjudging by a foot or so.

[pesty4077]

Depends on where I am on the green. Sometimes its better to play the 18 past, others it isn't. Frankly I know if I leave it within 2 1/2 feet on any side I'll make that putt, so the location dictates how true I gun for dropping the first putt.

Just me though.

[Lgcjqxlw]

I think it depends on the hole, but obviously a putt that never gets to the hole doesn't drop. At my first round a Grand Cypress my playing partner told me that the putts there are much easier if you get them to the hole and a little past. I don't know why, but it seemed to work. As long as the first putt went by the hole the comebacker seemed easier. He was a wise man. I wish he had told me that before I 3 putted the first 2 holes though. After that I don't think I had a 3 putt the rest of the day.

[glasscollector]

For me it depends on length of putt. Under 20 feet and I want it past the cup so it has a chance to go in. Over 20 feet and I am really happy with a good lag... short 1 foot or long 1 foot, if I am that close on a longer putt I am happy. If I hit a great putt right on line from 15 feet and it comes up 6 inches short, I look at it as a bad putt. I never gave it a chance. "You gotta' get it up to get it in!".

[Usendyduexy]

If it has enough pace to make it to the hole, even if you hit it too hard, it could catch a lip or bank the back and fall. A putt hit too hard has a chance of dropping. A putt left short never makes it to the hole to have that chance.

[Mr_White]

Too short is never good (TWSS)!

I don't mind a putt that is a couple inches short....well, of course I agonize in the moment that I just missed sinking it, but I still consider it a good putt. A putt that is a foot or more short I don't consider a good stroke.

Also, you should never ever leave an uphill putt short. The higher lip in the back of the cup can act as a sort of backstop to make your ball drop.

Dave Pelz has shown, with excruciatingly detailed data, that a putt has a best chance of going in if you strike it to stop 17" past the hole. I don't know if that type of idea really helps anyone, but I try to hit the ball to just past the hole.

OTOH, Harvey Pinnick said he likes for the ball to die at the hole, because it effectively increases the diameter of the hole. A slow putt on the edge is more likely to drop in than to lip out.

I sort of try to split the difference between those two ideas.

[XarokLasa]

Depends on where I am on the green. Sometimes its better to play the 18 past, others it isn't. Frankly I know if I leave it within 2 1/2 feet on any side I'll make that putt, so the location dictates how true I gun for dropping the first putt.

Just me though.

This. I agree that a putt left short is not going to go in, however if I have a downhill mid-range putt and am concerned about the ball going more than 2-3 feet past, I don't mind if I leave it a foot short. On uphill putts, however, you have to get it there.

[namaikaimvputka]

I also think there's a difference than being tenative and hitting the ball 4 or 5 feet short than misjudging by a foot or so.

I agree. However, in my attempt to get the ball to die at the hole, I developed a terrible habit of being tentative and leaving it short. It was a terrible habit to break.

[Loonerisav]

I agree. However, in my attempt to get the ball to die at the hole, I developed a terrible habit of being tentative and leaving it short. It was a terrible habit to break.

I can see that happening for sure.

Going off of what Rusty posted - I will admit to being influenced by Harvey Penick and Bob Rotella with my opinion. Do you all consciously think "I want to get it 18 inches past the hole" when you are preparing your putt or is it just something that you do automatically?

[infarrelisam]

I think the distance of the initial put and the slope of the green makes a difference as far as strategy, and how I feel about my putts. If it's a putt over 25 feet, my plan is to get it within 3 feet of the cup if it doesn't go in. So that's a success, for me, and I don't care if I short sided it or blew it past. If I'm above the cup on a sloped green, "Option A" would be to make the putt; but "Option B" would be to miss it long so I have an uphill putt coming back. So if I were to miss that putt short, I'd feel like it was two mistakes.

I actually prefer when my chips go in, and I don't need to pull the putter out of the bag at all.

[+++Poguru+++]

Whether it's a putt, a chip or a full shot. Short is never good (unless long gives you a severe downhill putt or chip). For fullk shots, I try to shoot for the back of the green because I am short more often than not.

Back to the putting point of the thread.,