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PUTTING - Gauging break and power (a formula and work in progress).

Sun, Jul 8 2012 5:47 PM (125 replies)
  • saltiresfan
    2,266 Posts
    Thu, Apr 12 2012 2:50 PM

    I think this is a good intro to breaks to help give a feel. I just get frustrated by how badly I read them atm. This at least helps you get it right which you can then internalise rather than getting the abacus out for every shot.

  • G0LD
    358 Posts
    Thu, Apr 12 2012 4:53 PM

    Thank you, Jim; my initial idea takes with you a graphical form that makes it less abstract and hence more understandable. Good work.

    Do note that I will soon be posting in the forum an updated version of my formula, in an effort to improve its usability.

    All the best!

  • G0LD
    358 Posts
    Thu, Apr 12 2012 5:09 PM

    Woodo., you are right in underlying the difficulty in attributing the right numerical value to each break line. That is why rating the speed of the travelling balls has to be done with a minimum of rigor with a keen sense of the pace of ticking seconds. 10 seconds = 1, 8 seconds = 2, and so forth. I will try to map this in my future update.

    Do note that suncity. (an outstanding player) has confirmed to me that his approach is similar to mine, and his "feel" of the putts comes from a long experience of making the right gauge, based on the travelling balls indicating break. Sure, you can go on instinct, if you don't care to refine your method, but ultimately the scope of your success will be directly proportional to the scope of your efforts. 

    Incidentally, do note that my 1.43 putting average would be more like 1.38 if I could ding the darn putter more consistently. My compromised physical condition is a limiting factor I have to live with and accept gracefully. 

  • GolfDum
    396 Posts
    Thu, Apr 12 2012 5:47 PM

    Sk, don't take this harshly but if you don't like this thread or what it's about, why be in it? You are only derailing the thread and for no good reason.

    Gold is trying to help people out here, not hinder them.

    Although I still don't totally understand it, I'm sure, if I thought about it, a fairly simple excel formula could be created to make this quite quick to calculate.

     

  • YankeeJim
    25,827 Posts
    Thu, Apr 12 2012 5:53 PM

    MBaggese:
    I guess you still have to factor in when the grid is not starting square on the hole.

    I think this is where the beauty of the system could be. With the preponderance of what I call "take your best guess" views, those views from an angle, going by the numbers in this exercise would take the skewed view out of play. It's a numbers thing that you can envision on a flat surface. The break is built in by you rating the speed of those dots.

    I think you effectively reduce the guess factor from the entire line to that of just the box near the pin.

  • G0LD
    358 Posts
    Thu, Apr 12 2012 7:35 PM

    Saltire, is right about internalizing the process of gauging, tho I do use the Windows' calculator on long, downward, and awkward putts. When I miss, it is usually by a very small margin. Mind you, the grids are sometimes a daunting and maddening mess of inconsistencies, or even contradictions, between front and reverse views. We can then only make the best of a bad situation.

  • pillsy
    489 Posts
    Thu, Apr 12 2012 7:45 PM

    YankeeJim:

    Thanks, GC, but it's Gold's brain that got us here.  ;-)

  • Buggyyy
    1,963 Posts
    Thu, Apr 12 2012 9:19 PM

    I already have trouble in Algebra 2. I don't think I'll implement this into my game. It was a lovely formula though.

    Buggyyy

  • YankeeJim
    25,827 Posts
    Fri, Apr 13 2012 5:25 AM

    In mulling over the possibilities of this method it occurred to me that Links was similar in the way you counted grids to aim. It was a little easier because you got the elevation change as well as the green tilt so it was a simple count up/down and left/right. This isn't that far removed.

    I do have a question for Gold. With putts that have multiple breaks, do you assign a negative value for a parallel line that has dots moving opposite of the majority of them. For instance, on a double breaking putt with, say 10 lines, the first few break one way and the last few break another way.  Would you have numbers something like 1,1,2,3,2,1,0,-1,-2,-2?

  • G0LD
    358 Posts
    Fri, Apr 13 2012 5:38 AM

    Jim, logic dictates that two consecutive break lines of equal numerical value (speed of the "dots"), but of opposite directions, cancel each other and amount to 0.

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