Forums

aim marker and putting

• Habitant 5 Posts

  Sun, Apr 4 2010 2:07 AM

  Outside of putting, the aim marker serves little purpose... But what about putting?

  I've read quite a few posts and not many seem to go into the details on this. I understand the lines and so on, I see them and can adequately apply them. However, should the marker always be placed on the same parallel (distance wise) as the hole? What calls for it to be placed much farther or shorter to the hole and what effects will miscalculating that have on the putt?

  Some of the experts seem to suggest to not touch the marker at all (in which I would assume its left at the cup) and work the breaks on the bar (left and right of ding). There must be something I am missing in that as it seems almost blind...

• borntobesting 9,628 Posts

  Sun, Apr 4 2010 9:22 AM

  Habitant:

  Some of the experts seem to suggest to not touch the marker at all (in which I would assume its left at the cup) and work the breaks on the bar (left and right of ding). There must be something I am missing in that as it seems almost blind...

  I too fail to understand the shall we call it miss the ding on purpose style of putting, but some of the masters swear by it. It is all about feel. You have to chose to putt how you fell is best for you. I always put the marker as close to the break line as I can and try to ding the meter sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. But if you want to become a better putter read Nivlacs guide to putting. It has helped many many of us become better putters.

  But I feel you are wrong about the aim marker serving little purpose elsewhere. True if every shot went perfectly straight and every green were perfectly flat then it would serve little purpose. Put you put the aim marker where you want the ball to land and let the slope of the green take it toward the hole..

• ghettocop1 259 Posts

  Sun, Apr 4 2010 10:15 AM

  I use the "miss the ding method" and I agree it can be like putting blindly.  However you get used to it, and can learn how far to miss right or left to compensate for severity and speed of the break fairly well.  Other than putting, I use the aim marker extensively in Driving and flop/pitch/chipping.  Everyone has their own method of play, I guess, which is one of the reasons this game is so cool.  It's not cookie-cutter playing.

• CShepherd32 3 Posts

  Sun, Apr 4 2010 10:31 AM

  I have just played a round and twice were baffled by the shots I played. Firstly I aimed a tee shot just to the right of the flag with a 3mph wind going slightly to the left. I hit the perfect shot line and the ball immediately went off to the left from the tee, and ended up missing the green. WHY? Surely from the tee its going to set off straight before the wind takes hold, which was just a breeze. Next I had a practically flat putt and aimed just inside the right cup, again hit the perfect shot line and it immediately again went left after leaving the putter and missed by a fair margin. Is it me or is something not quite right there. I know golf can be the most frustrating sport around, but sometimes it just bites you hard and spits you out lol.

• Joeyola 1,210 Posts

  Sun, Apr 4 2010 1:12 PM

  In putting, it is important to understand that a ball breaking below the hole will never go in, while a ball breaking above the hole at least has a chance of going in.  I try never to miss on the hole side of the white line...if anything, I'll intentionally hit (miss the ding) on the opposite side of the line, from where the hole is located, depending on the break and the aiming point. 

  One thing that has helped me on those short sidehillers, is hitting the ball harder to take out some of the break.

  Joey

• borntobesting 9,628 Posts

  Sun, Apr 4 2010 2:46 PM

  CShepherd32:

  I have just played a round and twice were baffled by the shots I played. Firstly I aimed a tee shot just to the right of the flag with a 3mph wind going slightly to the left. I hit the perfect shot line and the ball immediately went off to the left from the tee, and ended up missing the green. WHY? Surely from the tee its going to set off straight before the wind takes hold, which was just a breeze. Next I had a practically flat putt and aimed just inside the right cup, again hit the perfect shot line and it immediately again went left after leaving the putter and missed by a fair margin. Is it me or is something not quite right there. I know golf can be the most frustrating sport around, but sometimes it just bites you hard and spits you out lol.

  What you have to remember that with the starter equipment which you have there is a lot less precision than in the upgrades.