I think I’m doing this and maybe trying to find intermediate line point on mid range putts
I tried this today and it was fucking terrible. Head down for life
I’ve been putting heads up for a few months now, and exclusively heads up the last 10 rounds or so, and I feel way more confident putting now, and that’s on all putts. My short putt (6’ and in) make % has gone up a lot, and even if I miss, it’s usually a speed issue. The longer the putt, my speed control has gotten so much better and gotten a few more to drop on occasion. I know it’s not for everyone, and I wasn’t a bad putter to begin with, but it was always the weakest part of my game. Now, I feel like it’s coming up to the level of my approach play and that I can always make up for a bad shot if that happens with my putting
I’m very excited for everyone who’s finding improvement with heads up putting. I tried it yesterday and wow it was bad. Felt like I was barely making contact
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I walk off the distance for putts just as a sanity check. And then base my stroke length on that. I guess I do the hole visualization method, too, but I need to be looking at the ball for contact. After some experimentation a couple years ago, I focus on the front of the ball, and that promotes solid contact.
I have for a while but I also lack a functional lead side eye. I try to deal with direction standing behind the ball and pace while standing over looking at the target.
Loved the pod with Sasho.
I’m originally from Prince Edward Island where Sasho is from so it funny to hear him talking about mussel picking and potato farming and Grant Waite at Perrier Classic on the Canadian Tour at Brudenell back in the 90’s.
I did heads up putting as a junior in the 80’s because I think it must have been something that was in a Golf Digest article. I can remember it being really helpful on long putts but less so on shorties.
The hockey analogy did work for me because that’s largely what you do as a hockey player when you are shooting. Will give it a go soon.
I may need to really committ to it on longer putts. I’m off a 3, and my SG putting vs scratch on course is -0.92. The speed on mid to long range putts is really killing me
I leave a ton of birdie looks on the door step.
Last 3 rounds I’ve tracked and I’ve had 16 tap in / gimme pars inside a foot. All short.
This is me. I tried it on a putting green, but felt like I was going to miss the ball completely. Gave up after about 10 goes. I don’t find putting too much of a problem, a lot is expectation management. Anything over 8ft, I am more likely to miss.
I can’t imagine anyone is THAT bad at putting that changing to heads up is going to cause a significant improvement…and there would need to be a significantly large data set of results to prove it. Anecdotal evidence isn’t worth anything.
Also, my opnions probably mean nothing. I haven’t, and won’t, listen to the pod. Sasho has been on pretty much every podcast I listen to, peddling the same information in the main. I’m sure he’ll be on Chasing Scratch and Sweet Spot soon to talk about heads up putting; and the super new Stack add on that will revolutionise the world.
TL, DR: you don’t like Sasho lol
I need a hypnotherapist. I can’t putt heads up. And I can’t stop thinking about trying it in rounds.
I thought the most interesting thing was the part about hitting a 15 footer. The people that practiced a variety of putts were more accurate than the ones that just drilled a single putt.
not at all…i just get tired of listening to the same voice on everything I listen to.
I was tempted to get Stack myself - but really, not sure spending £500+ on it is going to make a huge difference to my game. It’s a fair chunk of change to spend on something I may get zero benefit from. Sure, I could also gain a huge amount - but I’m not spending that much money to find out.
I’d also point, again somewhat anecdotally, to the various advertisers and ask if they have improved significantly? The Chasing Scratch guys haven’t, NLU appear to all be of the same handicaps that they always have been.
just me being grumpy I guess.

Haha yeah surely not
(he says, averaging 31.3 putts per round)
Be grumpy. I get it, if you do enough golf pods it’s the same message and the same people doing the circuit, which definitely gets tiresome
I like Sasho because everything he does is backed by research and he gives a decent chunk away for free, just like the TPI guys. But ya I don’t think you need the Stack or to heads up putt to improve at golf
I’ve gone from a mid 5 to a 3, stack has been a part of that, but so has the gym, more structured practice and a consistent coach
I’m over 32 as a 3. I’d kill for 31.
It kills me in practice I’m close to a 1 SG putter over scratch and almost 2 strokes worse in actual golf on the greens.
I think there’s definitely some data missing because it feels like I should be more like 33/round or more. @carrybagswag reminds me frequently that I should learn to putt good
All in all, for how frustrating it is to barely miss birdie putts, I wonder if your 3 putt % has gone down. I have really noticed I’m making at least one more 15+ footer every round or two that I normally used to miss, but that my dispersion around the hole has gotten significantly tighter
I wish i had longer term data, this is about a 12 round sample size, all head down outside of about 5 holes.
I do rarely 3 putt, for the season my 3 putt % is 4%, which i think is ok? Equates to 0.72 per round. Last year it was over 1
I think we may need to take a big ol step back here and recall something Sacho himself says at the beginning of the pod:
“50% of putts don’t go in on the PGA Tour because of green reading”
Even if heads up putting is objectively better (IDK), Sacho himself notes that actually hitting the putt is only half of the equation. He complains that people spend too much time worrying about club path and strike location and not enough on pace and face angle, but I rarely see anyone actually working on reading putts.
What are people doing around green reading? Anyone have any useful practice techniques/drills?
I use the much sweared of method, but I find it extremely quick. Aimpoint Express.
Now, should I calibrate yada yada…yes. But I don’t play on tour. Get me a general read and feel, and let me putt. The fact I also play the same course the majority of the year also helps!
