Putting Drill – What is Your Percentage

By | on January 27, 2023 | 22 Comments |


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Paul Wilson is the creator of Swing Machine Golf and founder of Ignition Golf. Paul's golf swing technique is based on the Iron Byron swing machine. YouTube Channels: Paul Wilson Golf and Ignition Golf Tips. Please Join me on Google+

22 Responses to “Putting Drill – What is Your Percentage”

  1. September 14, 2015

    PETERMCMULLEN

    Paul I have never done this exercise, but I have a good idea what my percentage will be on a straight putt of 3-6 feet. My problem comes from the downhill putts. That percentage is much lower that an flat or uphill straight putt. A down hill putt with a little break is a killer for me. I want to hit it so that it does not go 5-8 feet past the hole, but when I hit it easy the break takes over and I miss too many on the amateur side. Any words of wisdom?

    • September 14, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      Peter,

      On downhill sliders line it on the toe and hit it. This will take the edge off. Try it.

      • What does “line on the toe” mean?

        • John,

          Did I say this? If not, it would be instead of lining the ball in the center of the face you line it off the toe. That is how I am understanding it.

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            May 20, 2018

            JohnBenson

            September 14, 2015
            Peter,

            On downhill sliders “line it on the toe” and hit it. This will take the edge off. Try it.

            On this comment I was trying to figure out what downhill sliders and line it on the toe meant.

            Will this keep it from breaking so much and keep it on the pro side?

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            May 21, 2018

            Paul Wilson

            John,

            A lot of people play it off the toe on downhill putts. This allows you to hit it gently. Try it. It is not about break. It is about stopping you from hitting it too hard. So hit a real putt just like you would but do so with the ball on the toe side of the center of the face.

  2. September 14, 2015

    Steven D

    Such great advice, Paul. I believe Jack Nicklaus putted that way – always tried to die the ball into the hole. If he came up short, it was very short. If he went long, it was only a little bit and, if he was a little off line, there was a chance that gravity would do him a favor, especially if he was a little too much on the high side of the hole. Worked pretty well for him.

    • September 14, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      Steven,

      Jack was a phenomenal putter. If it worked for him we might want to take notice.

  3. September 15, 2015

    RaymondCHASTEL

    Paul ,there’s a statistical curve ( And a Mathematical formula ) by GELMAN and NOLAN OF COLOMBIA Univrersity for straight puts to the hole .The ” curve ” gives 60 % chances at 5 Feet .Dave PELZ ,IN HIS BOOK ” The Short Game Bible gives 50% chances for tour Pro’s at 6 feet .I train every day at home on a WELLNESS putting mat ,from various distances from 2 to 25 feet .
    At home ,not on the golf course ,I average far better than 50%. Sometimes I CAN put in 20 balls or more in succession from 6 feet ,
    But the Real golf Green is another game and another challenge .
    As for ” dying THE ball in the hole ” ,I am OF opinion it’s a Bad strategy !Why ? Most greens are uneven around the hole ,it’ s a ” volcanologue “in miniature ,due to all the players having trod around ,some picking up their ball by intoducing the putter in the hole .the hole isn’t round anymore ..If the stoke is too weak ,the ball Will deviate in the last inches to YOUR complète bewilderment .

    • September 15, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      Raymond,

      Well, I hope everyone does not take your advice. I want them to die it in the hole.

      • September 16, 2015

        RaymondCHASTEL

        Paul ,Your advice “to die the ball in the hole “is correct in theory ,but for pro’s or good amateurs putting on perfectly manicured greens.In the real world of golf ,most greens are spoiled by those golfers playing carelessly on them and the vicinity of the hole is usually in a very poor state :very often the ball deviates in the last inches,if it has no speed.. I prefer “ramming the ball “in the hole .Dave PELZ says it should have enough speed to go 12 inches beyond the hole.

        • September 16, 2015

          Paul Wilson

          Raymond,

          I am not going to argue with you. You do not understand the problem with ramming it in the whole. Too many amateurs do this and hit it 4-6 past. In doing so they will miss a high percentage coming back. Why not stop doing this? It’s simple just die in the whole and it will never happen. Reduce the mistakes then you can get into a better frame of mind about your putting. A lot of people I talk to think they are bad putters when really they are just making unnecessary mistakes.

          The Pelz distance is 17″ past the hole. This can easily turn into 4-6 feet if people try to do this.

  4. September 15, 2015

    RaymondCHASTEL

    Not volçanologue “VOLCANO”

  5. September 19, 2015

    RaymondCHASTEL

    Paul,I tried YOUR méthod on the golf course yesterday during 18 holes .I must say it works ( Die the ball in the hole ) though I was Skeptical at first .However ,on one occasion ,the ball ,which was about to ” die in the hole ” ,deviated at the last moment on the ” ridge ” which surrounds the ” VOLCANO ” around the hole ( Too much trampling by former players around the hole )
    ” Dying the ball in the hole ” works the best for long distance puts .

  6. December 10, 2015

    LenKoblenz

    Hi Paul,

    Many have said that 100% of the balls that don’t reach the hole don’t go in. I believe it was Harvey Penick that said that 100% of the balls that go past the hole don’t go in, either. He also said that a ball that dies in the whole in reality makes the hole wider.

    I’m with you and Harvey.

    Thanks again,
    Len

  7. April 13, 2016

    GregMartin

    My index is 19.8. How many putts are reasonable for me as a goal for 18 holes
    Greg

  8. A golfer wants to leave the first putt (or chip) in the cup or within three feet of it, long or short. The strategy of dying the ball in the hole is more likely to accomplish that. Why? Because trying to ram it in under the pretext, “Never up, never in,” raises the risk of leaving outside three feet. Players don’t aim for a spot 12 or 17 inches past the hole; they aim for the hole. If they aim for the hole, thinking about leaving it 12 or 17 inches past the hole, they’ll give it more juice without actually considering the spot where they want to leave it. David Breslow would probably advise against that, because the brain tends to do what we ask it to. “Don’t hit it in the water!” The brain doesn’t hear the word don’t. It hears hit it in the water. Similarly, “Hit the ball 12-17 inches past the hole!” If he or she putts with that in mind and misses it 12-17″ past the 12-17″ mark, then suddenly he or she’s putting it back 24-34″ or farther. Aim at the hole with the intention of hitting it no farther than the hole. If it comes up short, it’s going to be an easy putt. I’m with Paul.

    • Will,

      Very good. You will see players trying to make them all the time and they hit it too far by.

  9. Or think about it if it’s a slippery putt, downhill or side hill. Would you really want to try to hit it 12-17″ past the hole. That’s a recipe for letting it get away from you. It could end up 12-15 past or even off the green. So if you putt to cozy it up on putts like that, why wouldn’t you do it on all your putts?

  10. Paul ,Could you give us some practical guidance of how to read slopes on the green .I’ve tried the AIMPOINT technique ADAM SCOTT utilizes and I didn’t find it improved that much my green reading ability .

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