Mystic Krewe Golf Club

Tyona's Putting Lesson
 

A putting lesson for Links 2001

ok so most of us have come to know that putting is the hardest part of this game. Here is a method I have been working on for a couple months, I hope it helps you. If followed properly your 3 putts will disappear *smiles* Sorry but my screen shots are not very crisp, personal problem I guess so you'll just have to trust me *grins* Lets start with figure 1
 

1st thing is to place the aiming marker, always place the marker as far away from you as the hole is then move it left or right from there. By doing this you get consistency. in this figure we see that the hole is 19 feet away so place the marker 19 feet away as I have done here. By right clicking your marker will stay visible when you move it around and also when you have placed it, I recommend right clicking for the marker, then left click to drag it where you want.

2nd thing is reading the break, this is where things get a little hairy for most players. Using the figure above... note my ball and the line it is sitting on that runs through the cup, we'll call this the fault line, and this putt break right to left so we will be using ONLY the fault line and the first line to the right running parallel to the fault line. Now note all the lines running between the fault line and the first line to the right. We will call these breaker lines. Use only the breaker lines BETWEEN the ball and the cup I count 6 breaker lines, remember, we don't count the breaker line my left foot is on or any breaker lines past the cup, now using the 6 breaker lines as stated above count each individual break in those lines (only between the fault line and the first line to the right) I count 13 individual breaks (have to trust me here because my screen shot is a little blurred) ok each individual break equals 1 inch, so the first part of our calculation is 13, that is 13 inches for 13 breaks...

Now we must figure in distance as well. You have to add 1 inch for every 5 feet of  distance to the cup. In the screen shot above we have a 19 foot putt, so we will add 4 inches, that is 1 extra inch for every 5 feet of distance to the cup. Now we have the second part of our calculation, 4.

Now add the original 13 inches from the individual breaks in the breaker lines to the 4 inches we got from the distance..

That's   13 + 4 = 17

So for this putt we have a total of 17 inches of break...Now for figure 2

Ok in this figure we see that the aiming marker is 19 feet away from me and 17 inches right of the cup. How do you see that Tyona? you might ask. Well we use the ball to cup indicator (we'll call it that because I don't know what it is really called *winks*) ok in the figure above using the ball to cup indicator note the white numbers that I pointed too, the white # 19' on top next to the flag shows distance too the cup, we are concerned with the white #'s below,   19' to the left and 17" to the right...see them? ok the 19' to the left shows how far the marker is away from me, the 17" to the right shows how far the maker is from the cup *winks* easy enough... and that's how we place the aiming marker. *smiles*  in case you were wondering, I've included figure 3 and 4 to show the results of my shot...here it is  *points down*                                             

                

ok... so all of that is for a flat lie from ball to cup on moderate medium greens, the formula is very close for all green types, you have to adjust on your own for firm or soft greens, but like I said, what I listed above will get you close on any greens condition *smiles*

Now that was for a putt breaking to the left, if you have a putt breaking right, you simply use the fault line and the first line to the left. You might say, "but Tyona, my golfer is blocking some of the breaker lines on the left". Yes this I know and by simply holding down the control button while moving your aiming marker your golfer will disappear  giving  you a complete look at the breaker lines on the left *smiles*

Now there is 1 last thing, if you are putting uphill or downhill, you will have too add to or subtract from, the total that you got from individual breaks and distance...this is how...

Say we have the same putt as above but, it's uphill 15" ... for uphill putts you have to subtract 1" for every 3" of elevation. so we have our 13 inches from the breaks and 4 inches from the distance, now we would subtract 5" for the elevation, that's 1 inch for every 3 inches uphill, so now we have

13 + 4 - 5 = 12 inches of total break

now say we have the same putt but it is downhill 15"  you have to add for downhill putts 1 inch for every 3 inches downhill, so we have....

13 + 5 + 5 = 23 inches of total break

and that my friends will get you close or in every time *smiles*   I know it seems like a lot to remember, but if you apply it to every putt for a round or 2 it will become second nature and you will see your scores dropping....

Now I recommend that you use a putting chart there are several places to get them. they merely tell you how far the ball will travel for each dot on the swing meter, you still have to hit the right dot and the snap...

Now 1 last putting tip...

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AIMING ONLY HOW FAR THE BALL WILL TRAVEL!!!!

I suppose most of you know how hard to hit the ball to make it go 11' or 14' or 16'  but what if it was a 16' putt uphill? or a 16' putt downhill?

The rule of thumb I use is.... add or subtract 1 foot of distance for every 2 inches of elevation..

So if you had a 16' putt that was uphill 12 inches you would putt it like a 22 foot putt...16 + 6 = 22, that 6 additional feet for the 12 inches of elevation

For downhill putts you simply subtract 1 foot for every 2 inches of elevation

So using the same example, we have a 16 foot putt that's downhill 12" you would putt it like a 10 foot putt that's 16 - 6 = 10 that's subtracting 1 foot for every 2 inches of downhill elevation...
 

GOOD LUCK and I'll see you on the course scoring birdies like it's your business !!!