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Practice Putts

• bluzgolf 1,077 Posts

  Thu, Jul 24 2014 8:41 AM

  I agree with YankeeJim, with a bit of an exception.  When 1st learning a shot from sand,deep rough, weeds, I'll tell people to go ahead and use the free ball or giveaway ball to get a rough idea of what's going on.  But to dial it in, you then need to switch to what you use.

  On putting, I rarely need to practice the exact putt, just putting practice.  So I putt away and then try again, rather than use the mulligan feature -2.  This also works your putting distance control on the putt away.

• lonniescott711 4,207 Posts

  Thu, Jul 24 2014 9:05 AM

  YankeeJim:

  lonniescott711:

  You will also learn your clubs as well . So practice with the free ball its cheaper

  Respectfully disagree here, Lonnie. It may be cheaper but the ball makes a big difference in carry and this is the first thing one needs to learn about their clubs. I personally can't see any advantage to practicing with starter balls. Even putting with them makes you adjust to a faster meter first.

  IMO, saving a few credits by practicing with a starter ball is tantamount to being penny-wise and pound-foolish. Practice with what you use and learn it inside and out.  :-)

  Depends on the club . I have always gone for the slower meter clubs as much as possible . When using the free ball , as I stated its about learning , ball placement , course management , and shot selection . Adjusting to a faster meter is important as well . You better know how to when you get caught short and have to finish a round with the free ball .

  Some players use 2-3 different types of balls when they play, and they learn every one of them . The free ball is no exception . Too me it makes no sense to waste 180 + credit sleeve of balls on practice rounds . To a point its needed when first learning a new set of clubs , but how long should that take ? WGT already makes enough off me in ball replacement so why waste credits and balls .

  So for the most part since this started off about putting , which is the most important part of the game . I think its safe to say that using the starter ball for practicing is ok  . Since putting is about reading the greens speed , distance , elevation and break .

   

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Thu, Jul 24 2014 9:36 AM

  MainzMan:

  I've never played practice rounds

   

  I take it a step further, I don't even play RR's as practice rounds...always seem to get favorable winds, better lies in the rough, etc.

   

  Now if we could set conditions...I/e headwinds, side winds, etc...I'd be inclined to practice.

   

  But I do think it (practice) makes sense for putting though.

• fatdan 3,379 Posts

  Thu, Jul 24 2014 10:01 AM

  when I practice I try to miss putts instead of using mulligans....by miss I means I aim left/right of hole a few inches and try to hit that spot...then putt it off to a different angle and try again until I am reaching maximum shots on the hole. then try to make it from the area I had the most trouble with....

  putting is about hitting it where you aim it, it doesn't have to go in the hole to do that....I just want to see how the ball reacts from as many angles as possible for future reference...

  as far as what ball, I use one close to what I play with by keeping one out of a sleeve for practice...like when we got the free "red vapor" ball I kept the last 3/4 of a ball for practice, I switched from lvl 61 nike to lvl 81 and didn't like them so I saved 1 for practice, used the lvl 64 vapor for mapping shots but left one when I went back to 61's...

  when I'm not in the mood to play a few days I use the free balls gifted to us on ctth's for xp points just hitting them anywhere for the points but saving game ball hits for when it counts....BUT I NEVER use the rock lol...