[FleeingKnight]

I'm finding putting power very inconsistent. I can pull it back the same amount, and it either goes 6 inches, or 20 feet. Can you add a power meter or something to assist with putting.

Thanks

[UrsusArctos]

You are getting spyglassed. Putting power is incositent due to this mechanism.
You MUST use your yellow pointer to select your putting power.

[FleeingKnight]

Can I ask what you mean by Splyglassing, also I do use the yellow marker for width and height, just same backswing varies distance too much

[BAMA9]

I also would like to know more about the "spyglass effect" and how others control putt power.  With shot suggestion set to "club only," I find that on very short, flat putts (1-2 feet) I have to pull the stick back more than seems logical even if I move the aim marker a couple feet past the hole.

Does the pace of the forward swing affect putt power, i.e., do you get more power on putts if you push the stick forward faster?

[HB_LorinB]

Allow me to address what Ursus refers to as the spyglass effect.  He is referring to how the yellow marker effects putting power.  Here is an explanation:

The Yellow Marker

The yellow marker CAN effect the putt, but it doesn't always.

Here is what the yellow marker does:

Wherever you set the yellow marker, lets say at 45 feet, it tells the game that this is your intended distance. Now, lets imagine the backswing goes from 0 (putter not moving) all the way back to 100 (the putter at its furthest back). And let's say, for the purposes of this demonstration, that your putter's max distance on a flat, medium speed green is 90 feet. So to achieve 45 feet, you would need to pull the putter back to 50 in that 0-100 scale, right? Well, the yellow marker has told the computer that 50 is your intended power and it smooths the edges around that 50 mark by 1 or 2 on each side. So if you pull back to 48-52, you will get the same results.

This is done to account for the lack of pixel-perfect fidelity in the controls. That is how it can effect a putt.

Now, if you had the exact same scenario - you put the marker at 45 feet, but you only had a 9 foot putt, it would not effect the putt at all. This is because, using the previous set up, you would be pulling back to 10 in the 0-100 scale (10% of 90 = 9) and the smoothing effect of the marker distance would have no effect (because set at 45 feet, it would only effect putts around 50%).

The way the game is intended to be played is that you set the marker at the distance for which you want to aim, which should be about 2 feet past the hole on flat putts, and then adjusted from there for elevation as described in my above posts. You will have to adjust for slow to fast greens, of course, which can be done by either changing your aim or by using less or more backswing.

All that being said, there are people who play perfectly well, and enjoy it, by moving the marker 100 feet out every time (marker doesn't effect the power at all) and also those who don't adjust the marker at all, they just leave it hole high. They have just learned to swing with slightly different parameters. There is no one way to do it.

Does all that make sense?

[HB_LorinB]

And here is my advice on putting power:

Putting How-To

So here is what I posted in another thread about learning power and distance, see if it helps:

First, you will need to find a fixed point of reference to be able to consistently judge how far back to pull your club.  I use the golfer's foot as a reference for how far back to pull.  Some people use the club shaft (shown here).  Either way, you will need to find a fixed reference to learn how to pull it back consistently.


To determine power, the % of back-swing is a good place to start but, adjusting the marker for an aiming spot, the way you would do it in real golf, is also very important.

So, for a flat put, put the marker about 2 feet past the whole. For an uphill putt, put the marker 2 feet past the hole plus about 1 foot for every 1 inch of elevation. For a downhill putt, leave the marker on the hole for 1 or 2 inches of decline, but for anything more than that, move in toward you, 1 foot for every 1 inch of decline beyond 2.

Once you have adjusted the marker, use the method where, if the putter represents 101 feet and your putt (distance to the marker) is 50 feet, pull back roughly 50%. Then you can adjust a smidge and use the golfer as a reference point (club head at the back of the feet, front of the feet, etc.).

If you use this method you should get the feel for it in no time.

Let me know if this helps.

[bob5453]

This putting method works great and LorinB shows you the way in his posts. I just wanted to add that if you are experiencing any choppiness or low frame rates, then this method will still skip a beat at times and putts will go 20 feet past the hole or 10 feet short of the hole on a 20 foot putt, luckily, the PC guys can lower the resolution and at least get some smooth play. The game is fantastic when smooth....

[FleeingKnight]

Just played a round, still no help what so ever, I have tried everything he said, I had a 45 foot put, pulled back about 50% and it went 25 foot. Next hole I had a 24 foot putt, pulled back same amount and i went flying past the hole. Both were level putts, so the putting power is so inconsistent. Everything else is great.

[FleeingKnight]

Just played a round, still no help what so ever, I have tried everything he said, I had a 45 foot put, pulled back about 50% and it went 25 foot. Next hole I had a 24 foot putt, pulled back same amount and i went flying past the hole. Both were level putts, so the putting power is so inconsistent. Everything else is great.

How about adding an option for a % amount to show when pulling back

[HB_LorinB]

Just played a round, still no help what so ever, I have tried everything he said, I had a 45 foot put, pulled back about 50% and it went 25 foot. Next hole I had a 24 foot putt, pulled back same amount and i went flying past the hole. Both were level putts, so the putting power is so inconsistent. Everything else is great.

Two questions:

1) Did you adjust the yellow marker?  If the putt was flat, it should be adjusted two feet behind the whole (though, at this distance, that shouldn't be the issue).
2) Did you have a nice, smooth back and forth motion without too much hang at the transition point?  Pacing and forward swing speed matter too.

[FleeingKnight]

Yes, on both shots I didn't move the marker. I just find the putting power very inconsistent. I have tried moving to the same point on my foot, or counting on the back swing to the same number, different lengths on putt.

[BAMA9]

Thanks for the detailed explanation Lorin. I think I now understand the spyglass design. I have not paid attention to the max putter distance (the 90 feet in your example), but will now.

I need lots more putting practice, because it seems to me in my short 2 days of play that big moves of the aim marker affect the distance my ball goes when I execute the same swing on medium to long putts (at least with the "club only" setting). I now understand from your above post that the marker moves should not be affecting the power, at least outside the spyglass zone. So I need to get better in determining what is a 20%, 50%, 70%, etc. swing with my stick!  The other post you linked regarding visual markers (putter shaft, shoes) should be helpful in that regard.

And thanks also for confirming that speed of the forward swing affects putt power. That makes sense

[HB_LorinB]

TBH - I almost never look at the length of the putter.  I just adjust the yellow marker and have learned about where 4, 7, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 , 60 feet are in the backswing.  And at anything over 35, I have almost no expectation to make it because...well, why would I?  I make those 1 in 200 IRL 

[mebby]

This is very helpful and helps explain why I often miss "tap-in" putts.  If I've got the marker right on the hole and swing close to the right amount (of backswing) the 1-2" hedge is likely to affect my putt causing it to still fall short.

When I first started playing I thought that the distance of the aiming marker impacted the putt but then I determined later that it didn't affect it but now I understand that it will in some cases and won't in others.

Makes perfect sense now.

[Rede lMl ptioN]

Yes, on both shots I didn't move the marker. I just find the putting power very inconsistent. I have tried moving to the same point on my foot, or counting on the back swing to the same number, different lengths on putt.

Hey man..I hear you on this, I have been so conformed to putting in Tiger that this definitely takes some time to learn. I certainly make the same mistakes in hitting it 17 feet on a 40 foot putt. What has been helping me out in which I have become much better at leaving my second putt inside 5 feet on anything between 30-60 feet is to just stick to one way of learning it. I do not adjust the yellow marker, I just focus on the pendulum of the putter motion and how far back to bring the putter head, like in real life. Just go into course creator and keep practicing the motion from different parts of the green. Yes I know this will test your patience, but one solid day of practicing will certainly help increase your ability to judge each putt.

The main reason I say learn one technique (at least for me this works well) is players create both slow and fast greens, so by focusing on one technique, you will learn to master that technique and putting motion and can adjust for the type of green speed much easier.

Best of luck!