Conference 7.286::golf

    
    that's obviously "break" and "wind" in those "variables" in
    .o.
    
    this vt125 at home sucks!
    
    tom_who's_awaiting_a_vaxmate
    

                               -< agree ... but ... >-
    
    Yea, I'd generally go along with the firm putt that if missed would
    travel the 'recommended' foot and a half past the hole, but I also
    find this to be true when putting form no nearer than 2 meters.
    
    Nothing is more frustrating than hitting a putt from less than 2
    meters and see it flash past the lip, having too much velocity to
    drop, or flip out and do a 180 !
    
    There again I love it when I sneak one in the side door just because
    the speed would have carried it one or two inches past if a millimeter
    more offline !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Working on the putting stats...
    
    Peter

    			<TAKEN INTO CONTEXT>
                        
    	I believe that the source of your information comes from this
    months edition of GOLF magazine ("Whats a good putt?" pgs 34-35
    by Dave Pelz) in which the entire edition was dedicated to the
    fine art of Putting.
    
    	I agree with .2, as does the author of the article (by the way
    I read it), in that he explains that the "make probability" of
    "first try putts", by PGA pro's, under "real conditions" for putts
    over 10 feet are a staggering low 22% or LESS.  The author of this
    article is making a point that by being aggressive from outside
    of the 10 foot range, reduces significantly the effects of outside
    factors such as break, cleat marks, small deficiencies in the green
    etc.
    
    	As a matter of practice I'm gonna try this on the practice greens
    during the coming weeks and see where it gets me during league play.
    
    
    
    			Garry

     Yea.... I think that a firm putt usually eliminates many of the
    flaws with public greens.... ie: ball marks (boy, people who don't
    fix their ball marks bug the heck out of me) .... 'cleat
    draggers..(pick up your feet, man).....
    
     The problem with this type of putt is when you are playing very
    fast greens, or have a down hill putt. On a down hill putt, if you
    stroke it too hard.... your going to go waaaaaaaaaay by the hole,
    and even if it's on-line, you may bounce off the lip. I suggest
    that down hillers, and very fast greens must be played differently.
    You MUST read the green for breaks, and let the break of the green
    guide your ball into the cup. Yes, at all times you should go slightly
    past the hole.... cause I have NEVER seen one go in that has been
    left SHORT!
    
     Smitty
    

    LIKE LEE TREVINO SAYS " 98% OF THE SHORT PUTTS DONT GO IN". I ALSO
    AGREE THAT YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE GREENS DEPENDING ON HOW FAST THEY
    ARE THAT DAY. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING 'THE INTERNATIONAL' LATELY AND
    I WOULD RATHER LEAVE IT SHORT ON SOME PUTTS THEN TO LOOK AT A THREE
    PUTT COMING BACK. THOSE GREENS ARE THE FASTES GREEN IN THE STATE.
    

    In this month's Golf Digest, they say that it is better to knock
    a putt by the hole. By watching it travel by the hole, you can figure
    out what kind of break will be coming back.
    
    Of course, I try to knock all of my putts *into* the hole first.
    If it misses, I hope it goes by slightly.
    
    Mike

    I think the best putt I ever made, that didn't drop, was the one
    I made last Saturday: I was about 90 feet from the hole, and was
    considering hitting it with a 3-wood. Anyway, I hit it as hard as
    I could (was sure I'd wind up chipping back from the adjacent tee),
    and it just skimmed the edge of the hole and stopped 6 inches past.
    
    Of course, I proceeded to 3-putt the next hole...
    
    	Frank
    

    
    Never up never in I guess is the cry of most of us and it is so
    true. BUT, I for on e find it very upsetting when I put a ball three
    feet by the hole and three put. Got to find the middle ground and
    that is what seperates the men from the boys. when you have the
    touch. Always around the hole. We need to have the good machanics
    but we also have to have the feel for the greens. 17 inches by is
    to much for this cowboy if I don't hit the put correctly that could
    very easily turn into tree feet or if I miss the line on a fast
    green. BACK OF THE CUP, that's the ticket.
    
    Lasher

    re:  <<< Note 132.7 by BTO::HOGANP >>>
            -< back of the cup >-      
    
>>  I for on e find it very upsetting when I put a ball three
>>  feet by the hole and three put.
    
    The best advice I can give you is to practice 5 footers.  Personally I
    don't mind going 3 feet by the hole because I've made so many from 5
    feet it looks like a tap in.
    
    
    
    						KO
    

    I find that if you can't make the 3fter on a consistant basis then
    it usuall three putt time.
    
    Here is a putting lessen I use for the better half of the year until
    I feel that I have the "feel".
    
    Take five golf balls out of the bag an to the practice green. Start
    12 inches from the hole. Putt. for each ball within one putter's
    blade length you get one point. For each put sunk you get 2 points.
    Object is to score 7 points or better.
    Once you score 7 points or better move to a different point around
    the hole and add 6" to the length of the putts. If your unsuccessful
    at scoring 7 points from a distance move to another side of the
    hole and continue. If you fail three times to score 7 or more then
    digress by 6" and continue. 
    It may sound like a pain but it can be fun.
    
    From here when I think I have the "feel' I then putt from short,long
    etc. but only with one ball. My feeling is that they don't give
    you two chances on the green so why take two on the practice green.
    Also I'm not to concerned with sinking putts on the practice green.
    Most times you spend much more time studying a putt on the course
    than you do on the practice green. If you get a close line but the
    distance is on(min. being to the hole, Max. being 12" past) then
    most of the battle is won.
    
    
    Tom 

    Re .-1:
    
    Sounds a lot like the drill I do. Except I am a little tougher on
    myself. I start with 6 balls in a circle around the hole at about
    2 feet. Then I try to make all 6 putts. When I do, I add another
    foot to the putts. If I miss even 1, then I do them all over from
    the current distance.
    
    It gets interesting when you get out to about 6 feet. I think the
    furthest I ever got from the hole was 12 feet. Trying to make 6
    12 foot putts from around the hole was tough.
    
    It is good to put the balls around the hole instead of wacking 6
    putts from the same spot because if you do it from the same spot,
    then it makes it too easy from trial and error to learn the line
    and speed. When you are constantly moving, it makes your judgement
    of putts get better.
    
    Mike

    
    In this week's Sports Illustrated there is an interesting article
    on some putting stats from the PGA tour. Seems that the pro's
    make only 58% of their putts from 6 feet. So the next time you've
    got a 6 footer remember, a pro only has a 50-50 shot of making it
    so don't expect too much out of yourself :^)
    
    Mike
    
    

    
    re: -.1 on Dave Pelz
    
       Dave Pelz has a great book out on putting named "Putt like the
       Pros", and is sold at B&N.  I followed his suggestions as well
       as I could last year with good results.
    
       I'm purchasing a 'putting track', which helps to groove your
       swing path and to ensure that the blade is perpendicular to the
       path.  Has anyone else tried the Pelz putting track?
    
    /Jim
    

    
    Since the winter is too long, I spent an unreasonable amount of money
    on a "putting track" from Dave Pelz.  It has a pair of curved aluminum
    rails to groove your putter path, and lines along the top to help check
    alignment at any point during the stroke.  There's a mirror at one end
    that allows you to verify that your eye is directly over the ball at
    address.  I've also added a couple of clips on my putter (costing a
    whopping 30�) that ensure that I make contact on the sweet spot.
    
    Overkill? perhaps.  But I feel like I'm practicing the _right_ thing
    for the first time.  It's a great way to learn to set up properly and
    automatically.  Pelz believes that you need to take 20K correct swings
    before your muscles can no longer remember how to hit the ball any
    other way; whether or not that's true, it's an eye-opener to see just
    how bad your (my) swing is, and how much room for improvement there is.
    
    /Jim