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Putting math? I know, no exact formula but.....

• FinalJudgement 13 Posts

  Wed, May 21 2014 5:38 AM

  I'm working on adding a putt distance calculator to my Chrome extension. I understand there is no exact formula for determining the strength but, perhaps the right math could get some of us new players close. I've got a version of my add-on running locally but, have been having trouble working out the math to at least get putts close. It allows for the input of the distance, the change in altitude (in inches), the full strength of your putter (30, 150, etc) and the green speeds.

  If I could get to where the values offered by the calculator got the putts close then hopefully the learning curve to becoming a better putter would be shorter. I'm including a screen shot of the calculator so you can see what it will look like. Additional form fields can be added if needed for propper calculations.

  Thank you for any help offered! 

  

• ApexPC 3,164 Posts

  Wed, May 21 2014 10:19 AM

  It varies somewhat by course.

  Merion is a good example and has somewhat slow greens requiring a harder stroke than the other golf courses.

  But as a basis:

  Standard greens - no factor.

  Fast - divide distance by 1.1

  Very Fast - divide by 1.2

  Tournament - divide by 1.3

  Championship - divide by 1.4

  Down hill putts require increasing the factor as the elevation change gets steeper and the putt gets longer.

  For steep grades on Tournament speed greens I use up to 1.8 or 1,9 as a factor. For flat putts 30 - 40 feet on tournament speed greens I use 1.32 and as distance gets longer I keep increasing the factor so for a 45 foot putt I would use 1.35.

   

   

• raycin1019 377 Posts

  Wed, May 21 2014 11:37 AM

  you may want to contact daddycat.  she has developed a tool to adjust for both wind and distance on the putting green.  Her tool has all the speeds from slow to champion.

  i have used it for about a month and it takes some getting used to and learning how your clubs play at her distances.  For example, i have found that my irons need to be hit about 3 yrds less with a downwind and 4 yds more into the wind.

  you can put a message on her wall and she will contact you..... its free

   

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Wed, May 21 2014 12:10 PM

  I use distance+/- elevation+ 2 X .65(champ green) .7(tournament) .77 (slow tournament)

   

  20ft putt up 5" would be 20+5+2= 27 X .7 = 18.9 power

  I use .7 on champ greens level and uphill....  .65 downhill and start adjusting to less power at 3" or more downhill....

  I personally find this formula right on the money for distance...

• borntobesting 9,695 Posts

  Wed, May 21 2014 1:16 PM

  mine are as follows. 

  Slow  + 20%

  Standard add 2 feet for all putts over 10 feet

  fast no change for putts under 20 feet over 20 feet  -5%

  very fast  -15% 

  TM Tourney -20%

  Tourney -25% 

  Championship -30% 

  I'm a lousy putter but it's not because of distance control. I just can't read the breaks well enough. 

   

• chris2345 528 Posts

  Wed, May 21 2014 4:38 PM

  borntobesting:

  mine are as follows. 

  Slow  + 20%

  Standard add 2 feet for all putts over 10 feet

  fast no change for putts under 20 feet over 20 feet  -5%

  very fast  -15% 

  TM Tourney -20%

  Tourney -25% 

  Championship -30% 

  I'm a lousy putter but it's not because of distance control. I just can't read the breaks well enough. 

   

  But breaks have a huge  amount  to do with speed of putts...

  Maybe that's why you're a lousy putter...

• SplashLewis 363 Posts

  Thu, May 22 2014 4:27 AM

  for downhill putts I use the standard math that everyone uses above MINUS another factor.  If you are using a putting aid and go by "percent" power, then for down hill puts i subtract (down elevation * 1.5) from the power example.

  Example, if your standard calculation (which uses elevation) says 89% and the putt is downhill 4 inches, then i subtract another 6% (4inches * 1.5) on the putt percentage.  89% - 6% = 83%

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Thu, May 22 2014 6:36 AM

  borntobesting:

  mine are as follows. 

  Slow  + 20%

  Standard add 2 feet for all putts over 10 feet

  fast no change for putts under 20 feet over 20 feet  -5%

  very fast  -15% 

  TM Tourney -20%

  Tourney -25% 

  Championship -30% 

  I'm a lousy putter but it's not because of distance control. I just can't read the breaks well enough. 

  I would take 75% Championship but I am aggressive in my putting.  Apart from that (personal accepted) the above is a v good basic starting point IMO.  Breaks and especially down hill breaks on champ greens will both break and ROLL more, but as a ball park get you to TL can't go too far wrong with this simple one IMO.  

  In my calcs the above assumes no elevation, and so after that you need to +/- that after the above calc.  E,G. 10' down 2" on tourney speed = 7.5 = 2 so say 10 feet power.  Also for  V fast  I would go 1:1 up to 10 feet to start with as well as being aggressive with speeds below that .  Green speeds vary though (inside of all that basic stuff), and so some of it is see how that first one goes and mix from that.   

  I would also recommend you look at a decent putter soon.  Now I say that and there is a top player that changes his putter daily doing the fandango with anything, but us mere mortals IMO benefit from something better than what you have. The L35 Ghost is a little gem IMO at 800 credits (and v close doing daily XP which can do with one hole via community link).  Learn it (or your other choice) well especially taking advantage of the meter scales, and watching vids from top players and applying that methodology etc.  Get to TL and learn more finesse then hit me up and tell me lol:)

• FinalJudgement 13 Posts

  Thu, May 22 2014 9:33 AM

  So I've tried to use the info provided here to build a calculator I've built into my Chrome extension. Please give it a look if only to let me know if the math seems to be close. I appreciate any critique whether it's to tell me "yup, that's pretty close" or "nope - this stinks!".

  You can get the extension here:
  #mce_temp_url#