Putting: At what distance should one realistically expect to make it?

[rowdyray]

I recently acquired a practice basket for my back yard. As I practice from various lengths and positions, I find myself asking the question, "At what distance should I exepct to make putts on a regular basis?" I'm not a pro, but rather a very average player who has been playing a little less than a year. At what distance can the best players inthe world putt consistently and at what distance should the average player strive for?

 

[slowRoll]

8 steps Ray. That is in the 20'-25' area and you should want to make everything closer than 8 normal walking paces from the basket. Just practice till all the 8 steppers feel easy.

 

[GLong]

assuming no wind/obstacles/elevation, the best pro players can consistently putt out to ~40 feet.

slowroll's advice is spot on. You want to make EVERYTHING inside 25 feet. Even if you don't have a 'perfect putt' you can still make good percentages on these shots. What I have learned recently is that it's all about FOCUS. Put in the time practicing, and then put yourself in that headspace everytime you step up to putt.

Putting is the one thing that anyone can be good at. Not everyone can throw 500 feet, even with endless hours of practice. But put in the time, and learn the focus, and anyone can be a solid putter.

 

[Dan-hyzer]

I started at about 8 feet and did nothing but putt about 100 times. The next day, move to 9 feet and repeat. Keep adding a foot per day until you get below 90% and then stay there until you can hit 90% from that level. You can move in and out if you feel the need but that's the basic formula I used with my basket at home. In a month, you should be making almost everything from 25' on in. Right now, I'm struggling to get 50% from 35' but it's sure fun to make them more often than I used to.

DH

 

[DiscJunkie]

Most pros expect to make everything inside the 10m circle.
However, there is no "magic" distance.
Slowroll's advice is good. With a bit of time and practice, most everyone can get good to 20-25'. After that, fundamentally sound form and lots of practice can get you out to 33' and beyond.
It's you and the practice basket and time.

 

[Mr. America]

Putting is the one thing that anyone can be good at. Not everyone can throw 500 feet, even with endless hours of practice. But put in the time, and learn the focus, and anyone can be a solid putter.

This is what I am thinking! Just like in ball golf with the short game and putting. Thats how I kept up with people otherwise significantly better than me, I practiced my short game 2-3 hours a day.

I've really been trying the Discraft putting confidence idea from youtube. I think that's actually paying off a little. Before club rounds, I don't join the madness of guys trying to make 30'-40' putts and missing them all. I just step up and drain a couple 20' putts and stop. I told those guys saturday that all they were doing is telling themselves they can't make a putt. I think it's helped even make putts longer than I would normally make in the back yard practicing.

 

[GLong]

It's you and the practice basket and time.

this right here.

also, everyone has different practice routines. unless you are working on pure muscle memory to fix your form, I do not recommend throwing a ton of putts from the same distance. In a round of DG you will rarely if ever have the same putt two times in a row. Plus, a big part of putting well is developing the routine and going through it before each shot. If you are throwing from the same distance it's hard to make yourself go through it. You just wanna step up and throw it.

Even if you just move back a foot or two, you are forced to reset your feet, find your balance, etc. I find this to be more beneficial in the long run. But you have to figure out what works for you.

 

[slowRoll]

You don't want to just stand in one spot and putt because you never get to do that on the course. The best putting game I've found was recommended by someone on here (sorry I forget who originally posted it), but I will pass it on to you.

Take 2 putters and a mini outside to your practice basket. Walk 5 steps from your basket and place the mini on the ground. Then (taking your time and treating them like they will be the only putt you will have) putt from that spot. If you make them both; go get your putters, pick up your mini and walk another step away. If you make one and miss the other; shoot again from that same distance. If you miss both putts, pick up your mini and move 1 step closer to the basket.

Your goal in this is to make it all the way out to 13 steps away. Then once you make both from 13 steps,to bring it all the way back in to 5 steps again to finish the drill. Once you get good, the whole thing will only take about 20 minutes... the perfect quick practice drill for putting.(and about all most of us can stand to really focus at one time)

My personal preference is to pick up my mini every time, and place it back down (as part of my routine). This helps me simulate real tournament pressure putting. I also prefer to take my steps out in different directions(5 steps towards 2 o'clock, 6 steps towards 8'oclock...etc) so I'm not always putting with the wind at my back, or with the sun on my left, or downhill, etc... You get the point. Mix it up, make it entertaining for yourself, and try to enjoy the process of working on your game.

God bless.

 

[kenjiac]

This is what I am thinking! Just like in ball golf with the short game and putting. Thats how I kept up with people otherwise significantly better than me, I practiced my short game 2-3 hours a day.

I've really been trying the Discraft putting confidence idea from youtube. I think that's actually paying off a little. Before club rounds, I don't join the madness of guys trying to make 30'-40' putts and missing them all. I just step up and drain a couple 20' putts and stop. I told those guys saturday that all they were doing is telling themselves they can't make a putt. I think it's helped even make putts longer than I would normally make in the back yard practicing.

I agree with you on the putting practice. I want to get in my head that I can make the putts. I try to practice putting from about 20ft where it builds my confidence for the tourney round.

 

[t i m]

The other day I was practicing putting and found that it actually helped my practice to close my eyes. I'd set my stance, line up the putt, then close my eyes and THEN putt to where I could envision the basket to be. Only open your eyes AFTER you hear the chains.

With your eyes closed, form is CRITICAL. If you've got good form -- good mechanics -- then you don't need to see the basket. Your body should putt for you.

I got the idea to try this from watching a Cam Todd putting clinic. He never suggested ACTUALLY putting with your eyes closed, but said something suggesting that if you lined up right, it shouldn't matter if your eyes were open. So I tried it.

Really was reassuring to can a bunch of 20-30' putts in a row with my eyes closed. Helped block our distractions. Obviously, I wouldn't suggest trying this on the course in a tourney round, but great for practice.

For me, once my eyes were closed, I had to focus more on my body. With eyes open, I could make small corrections or changes with my arm/hand trying to hit chains. With eyes closed, it is 100 % about the right form.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[slowRoll]

Did t i m just write "Use the force" ?

 

[ReinZ_96]

when i practice at home i take two putters, just toss one of the discs left of my target the other right. then i throw an approach shot and a putt, working on twice the skills in half the time. and it is a LOT more fun than just putting from the same spot 100 times in a row, plus it make your practice much more like your playing a round, which i think practice should be like to get better the fastest. i did this for a week and my putting range increased by 7-10 ft.

 

[gcr_russell]

20-25' putts should be your Goal. However there is zero wrong with working on 15' and less. I spent a good amount of my year of putting practice at 17-18' as I felt I should make it everytime but it would test me mentally.

Realistically if you putt 90% at 20-25' you will be putting at the level of a lower level pro, and can always be in contention as an Am, unless driving doesn't get you there ever.

 

[CwAlbino]

I'm not too happy if I miss a putt inside of the circle. 25' and in should be in the chains every time.

 

[Connor Jones]

I didn't really read what everyone else said,but here's my best story/advice.

I've been at the point for the last month or so where I really feel like I'm ready to start competing,I feel like my driving and approaches are very solid,and I'm not really all hung up on distance like a lot of people,I know I can achieve more once I fix some nose angle issues,but that's unrelated.

Putting is all about consistency and confidence. I've never been big on studying,or practicing or any of those things in life,maybe a shortcoming,but my putting in the past month has improved so much,just from simply not worrying. I go up,and I putt,and more often than not from within the circle,it goes in. If there's wind,don't overthink it,just adjust.

Sorry for a long paragraph with a simple point... Just do it.

 

[Shipley]

New players - 15 feet
Experienced players - 20 feet
Advanced players - 25 to 30 feet
Pro - 35 to 40 feet

 

[eegor]

The practice basket in my back yard did me no good until I started taking every putt seriously. Remember, you practice MAKING putts. If you aren't making putts, move in closer until at least 80% are in.

 

[Wally]

Just the fact you went out and got a practice basket puts you ahead of the game. I saw on here a nice method to practice where you move one step away more from the previous spot every time you make 10 putts at a certain distance. I usually start at 3 steps (~9ft.) and gradually move back when all 5 of my Wizards and Focus go in. I like this routine when I start my putting practice on my basket because you gain that early confidence.

To answer your question, after a few weeks with your basket you should really be able hit almost all your putts within 15ft. and it should feel easy.

 

[Lanebrew]

GREAT answers all. I am fairly new and have been having some trouble with my putting the last few weeks. I think I got overconfident because when I first started, I was lights out from 15-20 feet. I definitely plan to go out a couple times a week just to putt and use some of the tips listed. Thanks!

 

[SomeChump]

Did t i m just write "Use the force" ?

I was about to type "Use the Force Luke!" when I saw your post.