some putting is good - some putting is bad......

hi guys,

ive got my game back on back on track after a  four year gap. i got got down to around the 4 handicap mark when i took the break, i dont hit the ball 'bubba' long but am pretty accurate, but i prided myself on the way i holed out back then.

my ball striking is pretty much back to where it was. im knocking round to about 6 now but..........

my putting is very inconsistant....im using the same putter and what i think is the same stroke..

any tips or drills.... tips would be better as i dont get the time to spend hours on the putting green(maybe thats the problem..lol)...

thanks Dan

I was really struggling with my putting at the start of the year, but I started gripping the putter about 4in lower. Felt that having fully straight arms helped the 'pendulum' effect and thus making a more solid putting stroke

Also if you dont already, draw a line on your ball. Considering how many pros do this (including Tiger) its staggering how few clubs players do it!!

Drawing a line around the ball, to me, is making the putting terchnique too mechanical and as we can all see really does not produce the results that a mechanical stroke should, i.e repeatable. Un less the putt is read to perfection  as to where to line up the line on the ball then the result will be no better than any other method. It is also a great timewaster in my opinion as I have to witness it from a couple of my regular playing partners.

Of course I would say that, wouldn't I being an old timer who has always played with his eyes and a feel for weight.

Again John, its down to personnal preference. For me it is an alignment tool. Its something I've always struggled with, so the combination of that and a 2-ball putter means the ball will roll in the direction I plan it to.

......just wish I could read greens!!!! Haha

You can't be that bad, Dave, playing off your handicap.

For your system to work any better than others then the greens have to be perfectly true, or it is a waste of time and effort.

That would certainly be the case on my clubs greens, as they are a putters nightmare. I won a £1 off Russ Middleton by betting him that he would not better 36 putts when he came over to play at my club. he was i nactual fact over 40, yet he himself will confirm that he is a pretty sound putter.

I managed to get out for the 2nd time in 4 months yeterday and found that the putting was the hardest part of the game to get a feel back for.

I struck the ball as well as i ever have, putting it to within 10 feet in reg on at least 6 greens. the problem was that i couldnt buy a putt.

My stroke was solid enough, it was my reading and feel that was wrong.

i thought that i had holed at least 4 of the birdie putts, just to see them miss by a ball or need 1 turn more to drop in !

I hit an 82 with 38 putts !

I am with both dave a John if that is possible, in that i need a solid reliable stroke but know that touch and feel are equally as important if the ball is to drop not just go close.

Sorry that i dont have any tips other than play as much as possible in order to keep your touch.