Hurts me to write this post but I'm at a new low for my putting performance and am looking for advice from you guys.

Quick overview of this is that I have always been a good ball striker but struggled immensely with my short-game. Putting of all categories just really holds me back from really low numbers.

Rock bottom came this weekend when I played twice and hit 22/28 fairways and 31/36 GIRs, yet only mustered a single birdie (tap-in range) and had 10 3-putts.

The course is a Donald Ross design (aka: small greens). It isn't like I'm putting hundreds of feet away, but I just can't get my reads, my speeds, my stroke down to any level of consistency. 20 feet for birdie and I blow past by 6-10 feet.

Right now I use a 35" Scotty Cameron Newport Pro Platinum and putt with the lefthand low grip.

I've never been a good/great putter and it seems like even when I practice, that I truly struggle on the course. For someone who maintains a 0-1 handicap for the last 4 years, it's very pathetic and is obviously holding me back from better scores.

I don't categorize my putting as having the yips. I actually hit putts on line pretty well but my pace is atrocious (as is my reading).

I'm at a loss as to what my next steps should be. New grip, new putter, something else?

Any advice would be most appreciated!

First and foremost would be doing practice to improve your pace: put a dime down and try to roll a ball to that point.

As for green reading, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and more PRACTICE. Also, try to make a mental note of all the features of the green when you approach and create a story for how you'll think it'll break (i.e. "green drains left, but theres a hill, so it'll probably start right, then break left). Then when you see your line, see if it matches up with your story. If it doesnts, its time to look at the putt again.

Have you read Putting Out of Your Mind by Bob Rotella? Prob worth a read.

I would find a buddy who knows the greens and pay for his round or something in return for talking you through the putts you aren't sure of.

As far as pace goes..practice is the obv answer. But i haven't messed around with that grip so maybe it's just tougher to get a feel for it? that must be pretty frustrating if you're practicing and your pace is still bad.

Golf would be so much more fun if the cup was 24" wide. Putting sucks and always ruins the fun of my round. Golf should just be called "Putting".

I too am horrible at reading greens. I wonder if being classic colorblind hurts that at all...

I am not nearly as good a player as you UCB but my putting game definitely improved markedly when I would go to the practice putting green and putt for hours, working specifically on set distances like 25 ft, 35 ft, 45 ft. Something I found really helpful was practice putting with my eyes closed to work mostly on distance control.

Also I would say get some of that impact tape stuff and put it on the putter head to try to see if you hit off the sweet spot with any regularity and how you tend to miss. Then you can find a good mechanical drill to work on the stroke flaw. It's tough because some people seem to be all "feel" with putting and others like to think about mechanics, at least while practicing, so depends a little on how you think you learn best.

Never been one to believe in golf books but I'll def check it out. Hopefully it's available on the Kindle

I do most of my putting practice with an edge putting rail and/or a metronome.

I like deathdonkey's advice, and i'd switch your grip. In my experience, cross handed is great for putting a nice roll on the ball, but i could never get a good feel for distance with it.

just keep trying new stuff, new drills, new putters , etc.. I sometimes change putting grips midround.. it's kind of not a big deal , imo.

This is going to sound like me being a dick on the internet, but asking for advice here results in text replies of advice and good information.

The only difference is that with a book, the answers are already printed. It's just like reading a poker book. Read it and take the parts you liked and apply it to your game.

Heh, np.

I love forums as much as the next and forums were vital in my success in poker -- it's just a little tougher to believe that a book can help something that is primarily just a physical activity.

That said, I'm buying the book tonight. I'll report back

I'm going to assume you are not lazy and are really just struggling and don't know where to search (Tons of stuff on the internet).

First my opinion about putting. Putting is the easiest part (to at least 2 putt, and hopefully at least scare the first putt by the hole) IMO. I mean you can blow a drive, blow an iron, duff a chip, etc but putting requires no defiance of gravity.

1. Start visiting the Instruction Forum at Golfwrx and search putting. Tons of great stuff.

2. Find out if you are left or right eye dominant. (Clue: left eye dominants have a tendency to pull putts left and right eye dominants tend to push putts right. Some say the offset in the blade putters is not good for left eye dominants and we should get zero offset putters since we look at the face more)
Visit this link for a quick test. http://www.wikihow.com/Determine-Your-Dominant-Eye

3. Lookup Edel putter fitting and see the laser test they use to find out where your aim is. You could be left eye dominant and aiming to the right, you never know. Normal is for left eye doms to aim left. (Hint you can do it yourself with a friend.)

4. Hit up puttingzone.com and read the tips.

5. Here is a post someone really liked on golfwrx I posted. I personally am using a right hand dominant push stroke. It frees you from lines and spots and what not and let's your right hand flow to the target. I am also experimenting with the position of my right thumb behind the club to brace the face more.

Post#7 (I am using a cheap lightweight blade RAM putter for the best results. Might go to an expensive lightweight blade though possible offset too, we shall see)
http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/...1#entry4939942

In short there is a wealth of info on the subject of putting. For instance, Geoff Mangum of puttingzone.com says that a perfect pendulum stroke require manipulation of the hands/arms etc. I believe him. Most golfers should have an arc.

Here's another tip, make sure your lead hip, specifically the ASIS (the curved bone on the front of the pelvis in front of the hip that sticks out the most does not move in the putt.

Point is if you have the will to learn the science of putting there are plenty of things to experiment with. I personally got tired of aimlines and crap one day and just started pushing the putts toward the hole with a light putter on a path my eye told me was good. I still miss a few 5 footers and what not but my distance control and aim are much better flowing the ball to the hole.

P.S. Geoff Mangum has a video "The Reality of Putting" available for 25.00 on either puttingzone.com or secretinthedirt.com He also has a book Optimal Putting for 10.00 which is some really cerebral stuff.

Also have you done the putting part from Doc's Ultimate Practice Routine. Do that for a couple weeks, guarantee you see some solid improvement.

I am surprised no one has mentioned a belly putter. I suck at putting and my firends never give me the short ones when money is on the line. Though knowing the way I putt I wouldnt either

I heard one PGA player say it takes a 100,000 putts to get fully used to a new putter.