Putting Help

[spicybeef]

I like the game a good deal so far but my inability to figure out putting is making it almost unplayable for me. I'm trying to figure it out by trial and error but the results just seem random. I can't figure out the speed and break ratings I enter.Do I need to aim?

If someone could just step by step me through their process it would be helpful. I hit so many greens, but the 3 putting is getting old fast (even with a 70 putting rating).

[Gary Gorski]

OK so putting breaks down to two things (unless you're playing tri-click then the accuracy of the meter is a third). First is your putting rating (and your caddy's read green skill) and second is your input for speed and break. Your golfer always aims at the hole for putting so you don't have to do anything with that but prior to making the putt attempt you want to click the buttons to read the speed and the break. The break will show a circle with a line through it if you and your caddy feel there is no break and will show arrows - one arrow means not too much break, two means some, three means alot etc.. The more arrows the more break. Then in the box for break you enter a number from 0 to 10 based on what you think the break said. If you're way off you'll miss the putt - if you get the number dead on you'll have a better than normal chance of making it. Speed works the same way - you see a meter that looks like a battery icon. If its empty there's little to no speed. If its full then the putt is very fast and you should enter a high number for speed.

[spicybeef]

Thanks for the reply! Anyone know if the break/speed inputs correlate roughly to particular distances? That I think is where I'm having the most trouble, just approximating the scale.

[Zorro]

I would also load up on my Putting attributes like get it to 90. Also a good caddie. I made this my priority in the first 2 years . I lead the tour in putting. I am at 95 and my caddie is a 10 in reading greens. Hope this helps..............Z

[PointGuard]

Speed works the same way - you see a meter that looks like a battery icon. If its empty there's little to no speed. If its full then the putt is very fast and you should enter a high number for speed.

Gary, in the last sentence, did you really mean to say "enter a high number for speed" if the icon is full? Don't you do the opposite, tone down the speed number if the batter icon for speed is full or nearly full? If it's a fast green, you don't need your golfer to be hitting it so hard/fast, right?

[PointGuard]

Thanks for the reply! Anyone know if the break/speed inputs correlate roughly to particular distances? That I think is where I'm having the most trouble, just approximating the scale.

I've played with tri-click method a fair amount and its still a bit of a guessing game for me with respect to putting. I use the caddie's comments combined with reading the break and speed icons to try to determine what numbers I will enter for the putt.

For break, if there is no break, I use "0", but as the break icon (and caddie's comments) indicate more and more break, I increase that number (e.g., if there is a little break, typically a "1" but maybe a "2", then if there is a lot of break maybe as high as a "4" or "5". Again, I'm still playing with this and continuing to experiment.

For speed: It looks like I've been doing this wrong all the time, but it still worked out pretty well for me. So no advice from me at this point until I mess around with the new advice from Gary and Zorro.

Bottom line: there is no magic formula..it's a "feel"...sort of like actually putting in real life. And like in real life, the more you do it the better you get at it.

Like Zorro says though, if your golfer's putting rating is very high and your caddie's putting rating is very high, it will make life easier. I tend not to have as high ratings for both my golfer and caddie as what Zorro was indicating, so I definitely struggle a little more with putting.

[Zorro]

Speed works the same way - you see a meter that looks like a battery icon. If its empty there's little to no speed. If its full then the putt is very fast and you should enter a high number for speed.

Gary, in the last sentence, did you really mean to say "enter a high number for speed" if the icon is full? Don't you do the opposite, tone down the speed number if the batter icon for speed is full or nearly full? If it's a fast green, you don't need your golfer to be hitting it so hard/fast, right?

No, It has nothing to do with how hard you hit the putt. If you have 4 bars you would want to put the number 8 ,9 or 10 in. Remember you are seeing not only what your caddie is telling you but also how good of a rating you have. So you could be off big time if your putting skill and caddie is bad. I hope I am explaining this ok, I have a hard time conveying what I mean to paper at times. ...............Z

[Zorro]

In short in a perfect world where your rating is 100 in putting and your caddie is a 10 in reading the green then when you see the speed meter and it shows 4 bars you know for sure it is a fast putt and now you must decide how high of a number you want to enter. The same with break. Like Point Guard has said everyone is different and plays different. I always try and define my game with great putting and great distance and great wedges. (Meaning High Attributes in those areas.)That is what makes this game so enjoyable. Everyone can have their own style of play...............Z

[Zorro]

Also don’t expect to be averaging a one putt a hole no matter how good your attributes and caddie are. I am a 95 in putting with a 10 caddie ( Which is pretty high.) and even though I am leading the Tour in putting Ave my average is only 1.673 which is over 1 and a half putts a hole. Sometimes this game (like real golf) is very frustrating. Lol............Z

[spicybeef]

The advice on how to use the speed entry was spot on. Improved things immeasurably. Thanks so much!