Foursomes match and putting woes

Foursomes – the very word can strike a chill. It sounds like fun, it can be fun, but striking every other ball makes it so much harder to settle into your game. And as for putting, you can go a large part of the round without having to make one ( hole conceded when they hit out of bounds or you take three from a bunker) then find yourself facing a testing ten-footer with no feel for your stroke or the state of the greens. Let’s just say that in our Winter Foursomes semi-final a warm-up on the range helped, but I wished I’d spent that time and a bit more besides on the practice green.

Afterwards I found this really useful post on short putts. It contains a useful drill, but what hit home was the statement (backed up by tour stats) the player that putts the best inside 8-10 feet during the tournament usually wins. Ergo (like that touch of logic?) getting on the green inside that range is crucial. Equally so is sinking the short putt.  Translating this for a high handicapper who is realistically happy to be on the green in regulation rather than near the hole, I’d say that you don’t expect to hole a long first putt (although sometimes you will) but it has to be in the ‘golden circle’ – or even closer  - to make sure of holing the second.

I think it was Nick Faldo who first recommended putting into the radius of a dustbin lid rather than aiming at the hole. It’s a theory that has been derided (FFS just aim for the hole!) but it does make some sense. Yes, of course you aim for the hole, but don’t expect it to go in. Anywhere close (I’d prefer a dainty dustbin myself ) will do. If every now and then it does go in (and it will) that’s a bonus, the icing on the cake.

In the end, despite my putting ineptitude, we won that match, but maybe it would have been better (for my golfing soul) if we had lost.

Then instead of sitting here theorizing, I might be out on the green getting in some practice.

Match Play Magic

Up to now my experience of match play has been strictly limited, but I'm starting to come round to the idea. Playing yesterday in a doubles competition, it struck me as quite refreshing to focus on the competition (in every sense) rather than individual achievement. Okay, as said before, the individual thing is what makes golf what it is, but playing hole by hole means you can write off those lost holes a lot more easily than when the score (painful as it may be) goes down on the card.
BTW - we won - and on the 16th - this may have helped!

A quick PS: Although my round was less than spectacular, I do seem to be shaping up a lot better for those pressure putts. Thanks to everyone who helped with the yips problem!

Yikes, is it the yips?

Yesterday’s disaster was compounded by an attack of putting nerves. I’m not sure if this is true ‘yips’ but it’s bad enough. I can do long putts, but if there’s anything at all at stake, short putts defeat me. I don’t think I’ll abandon my White Hot Odyssey putter, but replies on the Golf Monthly Forum have reminded me of a number of things to try, including changing my grip. A lot of people find that putting with the left hand lower lessens interference from the wrists, though in my case I think the interference may be from the brain! Still, the effort of concentrating on a new stroke might be enough to drive out the demons.
Whatever I decide, the main thing is to practise more, especially before a round. Of course I’m not alone with putting problems. Monty is notorious for losing things on the green. I know how he feels, but can’t help feeling he has less excuse than me for not practising!
Picture credits here