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You Need Big Balls to Make More Putts

December 2, 2019 | By Greg D'Andrea | 3 Comments

Yes, that’s right; having Big Balls will help you convert more putts – especially from shorter distances. But I’m not talking about doing something ballsy on the golf course. I’m talking about gaining the confidence you need to drop more putts from 6-feet or less.

Do you have Big Balls on the practice green?
Do you have Big Balls on the practice green?

Pro golfers rarely miss short putts. In fact, from 4-feet or less they are more than 90% accurate. But the same can’t be said for weekend hacks. Heck, I miss 4-foot putts multiple times per round!

If I’m putting from 6-feet it gets substantially worse for me (pros are 70% from 6′). And farther back from that is anyone’s guess (pros are around 50% accurate from 8′-9′). The reality is, if recreational golfers want to convert more short putts, they need to practice. But let’s face it, practicing stinks.

Who wants to hit putts from 2-, 4- and 6-feet over and over again? The answer is simple: No one. Especially if you’re not getting paid for it (and even then you probably still don’t want to do it).

But what if we shook things up a bit? And maybe threw-in a little fun at the same time? After all, golf should be about having fun!

This is how having those Big Balls can help:

Big Balls are oversized golf balls to use as a training aid for 2-6 foot putts…The concept is simple, warm up and practice with Big Balls 10-20 times around that distance. Then when you go back to your ProV1, it will feel like you are putting a marble into a bucket, building confidence at that [critical] distance.

Recently, the good folks over at Big Balls sent me their product free to try out. After having a good chuckle unboxing them, I took a moment to wrap my brain around the fact that these were in every sense a golf ball, only in a much larger size. It was a bit surreal to be honest.

Big Balls are 30% larger than normal golf balls. It’s enough to immediately notice the novelty of it all. But it’s also super effective at building confidence: “There’s an immediate boost in confidence that gets you reading putts and sinking putts with more consistency,” it says on the Big Balls website. And they’re right, go back to a normal-sized ball and you really do feel like you’ll make every putt.

Big Balls are 30% bigger than regular golf balls
Big Balls are 30% bigger than regular golf balls

Despite being bigger, Big Balls are actually the same weight as a normal ball – helping them preform with true feel and roll while you practice. But the increased size provides an immediate impact that sticks in your mind – even after you switch back to your actual ball out on the course.

And while I’m sure practicing with Big Balls is actually helping your putting stroke in a physical way, these balls are really intended to mentally make you a better putter. And everybody knows golf is half mental!

So the next time you and your golf buddies hit the practice green, toss a couple of Big Balls down on the turf and begin putting. Not only will you be building confidence for the actual course, but it won’t be long before the rest of your foursome takes notice. And once they do, you’ll have a great putting tip for them and a few laughs to boot!

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: practice green, putt, putting, putting green

Book Review: The Grumpy Old Golfer’s Putting Tips

January 29, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | 3 Comments

PuttingTipsI’ve never been one to spend a ton of money on a putter. To spend $100+ for something that, in essence, could be replaced by any flat-faced object with a handle never made much sense to me.

For me, it’s always been about the “feel” of the putter in my hands. If I had confidence in it, then I would have success with it. For some, having confidence means spending a ton of money on the latest mallet or blade style putter; for others, like Happy Gilmore, a modified hockey stick did the trick.

So it struck a cord when I read Tip #6 in “The Grumpy Old Golfer’s Putting Tips” book:

“When choosing a putter, confidence in the putter is more important than the cost.”

And then Tip #10 too:

“Choosing the correct putter for you is a very individualistic and personal decision. Never let someone choose your putter for you.”

The Grumpy Old Golfer’s Putting Tips has 300 quips like those mentioned above. Author E.P. Murphy explains at the beginning that many of the tips will convey similar sentiments, but will be stated differently. This is done to address the varying personalities of those reading the book – a tip that connects with one person, may only connect with someone else after a being restated in a different way. Plus the repetitiveness helps drive home his points.

Mr. Murphy is extremely transparent from the start, stating his book alone isn’t going to make you a great putter…but it will make you a better one. He has drawn from his 40+ years on the links and his collection of notes along the way: “This grumpy old golfer and his old worn notebooks will provide all you need to take you to another plateau in your putting skills.” And he might be on to something. After all, putting is a very important part of the game – as he states in his book; “Over 40 percent of the average golfer’s score comes from putting.”

Some of the tips you might have heard before (“Tip #127: On short puts aim to the back of the hole“) while others are unfamiliar, but effective: “Tip #119: On short putts, visualize yourself frozen in a block of ice up to your waist. Use only your upper body to execute the putt.”

But the book isn’t just a collection of tips. Each chapter is a theme (the approach; the setup; etc.) and at the beginning of each theme, Mr. Murphy digs a bit deeper with his narrative. The last chapter (Putting in a Nutshell) is a standalone pocket guide in and of itself, providing tips for short putts; long putts; and even preparing mentally.

But the tips make this book a must read. Perhaps my favorite is this one:

“The only club in the bag specifically made to hit the ball into the cup is the putter. Master it first, master it best.”

When you think about it, the above statement is perhaps one of the most profound pieces of golf advice you may ever receive. And the source is not your typical confusing and hard-to-read golf self-help book. Instead, The Grumpy Old Golfer’s Putting Tips is a simple and easy way to help keep you focused while on the greens.

The Grumpy Old Golfer’s Putting Tips is officially being released today via Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online retailers.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: book review, E.P. Murphy, golf book, putting, the grumpy old golfer's putting tips

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