Best The Plumb Bob Method: Does it actually work?

In the event you’re like most gamers, you may have in all probability questioned “What are golfers doing after they maintain the putter up?” 

It’s a great query as a result of in a sport the place everybody desires a leg up on competitors, it would assist the typical golfer. When somebody motels their putter up, they’re really utilizing a system to assist them learn greens.  

The subsequent time you’re taking part in golf and see somebody do that, it’s referred to as plumb bobbing.

As you’ll quickly be taught, plumb bobbing has been round for a very long time and helped many golfers. Some golfers swear by it, whereas different golfers don’t consider within the plumb bob method.

Just lately, plumb bobbing has misplaced a few of its reputation due to superior warmth map inexperienced studying books and different techniques like AimPoint. 

Hold studying to be taught extra about this distinctive strategy to learn greens and how one can begin making an attempt it out at this time. It simply may make studying greens at your native course that a lot simpler.

Plumb Bob Golf 101

Historical past of Plumb Bobbing

Earlier than diving into this methodology, which is usually controversial within the golf world, let’s return in time to see the place it began. 

Egypt. 

You is perhaps considering, wait, … what?

In response to Wikipedia, “A plumb bob, or plummet, is a weight, normally with a pointed tip on the underside, suspended from a string and used as a vertical reference line, or plumb-line. It’s a precursor to the spirit degree and used to determine a vertical datum. It’s usually product of stone, wooden, or lead however will also be product of different metals. Whether it is used for adornment, it might be product of bone or ivory.

The instrument has been used since at the very least the time of historical Egypt to make sure that constructions are “plumb”, or vertical. It’s also utilized in surveying, to determine the nadir with respect to gravity of a degree in house. It’s used with quite a lot of devices (together with ranges, theodolites, and metal tapes) to set the instrument precisely over a hard and fast survey marker or to transcribe positions onto the bottom for putting a marker.”

So sure, plumb bobbing is definitely older than golf itself. After doing a ton of analysis, I nonetheless can’t discover something that claims who introduced this historical building software to golf, so we’re unsure whom to credit score. However regardless, it has helped many golfers learn the way a putt will break and may make a distinction to your brief sport.

By some means, this concept made its strategy to the golf course and you’ll substitute the system along with your putter. This in flip helps decide whether or not the road of your putt goes to the correct or left. 

How one can Use the Plumb Bob Methodology (Plumb Bob Appropriately)

Now that you’ve got a bit historical past of this placing type, you’re in all probability considering, “How do you employ the plumb bob methodology?” 

Let’s break it all the way down to see if it could actually allow you to save strokes on the placing inexperienced. 

Step 1: Verify Your Putter

This methodology is not going to work if you happen to don’t take the time to learn the way the putter hangs.

Step one is to verify the shaft to make sure that it hangs vertically. You wish to maintain it up with gentle grip strain between your index finger and thumb.

To get began, align your putter with a straight line, reminiscent of a pillar on the clubhouse or a wall in your house. If it matches up with the straight traces, then your putter is sweet to go and can work.

Since all shapes of putters are totally different, you wish to solely deal with the putter head, not the blade or mallet itself.

Then, twist it so the shaft and object that you simply selected are degree. The objective right here is to see the place the top of your putter is pointing and keep in mind it for future reference. For this methodology to work, it’s essential maintain the putter in the identical place each time you learn the inexperienced.

Keep in mind, the putter usually received’t grasp completely straight because the shaft is within the heel. That makes the toe usually heavier, except you play a middle shaft putter. If that’s the case, it’s a lot simpler to make use of this methodology. 

Once more, please don’t skip this step as a result of in case your putter shaft isn’t straight, this methodology is not going to work and certain result in a ton of frustration on the inexperienced. In the event you did the putter shaft take a look at and it’s straight, then you may transfer on and begin making use of it to your sport. 

If that is complicated, be sure to look at this brief YouTube video the place he illustrates the way to align the putter. 

Step 2: Setup Appropriately on the Placing Inexperienced

In the event you laid the correct groundwork to hold straight up and down, the subsequent step is to check it on the placing inexperienced. Standing behind your ball, line the highest of the shaft up above the ball with the underside of the shaft splitting the ball. Your two toes ought to be shoulder width aside and behind the golf ball.

The zipper of your pants ought to be going through the opening and the putter is being held properly above your waist. You’re mainly trying by the shaft to the opening. What you see at this level ought to allow you to decide which approach the putt breaks. 

Step 3: Shut Your Dominant Eye To Be taught How the Putt Will Break

The subsequent step is likely one of the most necessary components – be sure to shut your dominant eye and align the shaft with the ball. Shut your non-dominant eye and hold solely your dominant eye open.

As you maintain the putter up, if the opening seems to the correct, meaning it’s breaking from proper to left. If the cup is on the left, meaning it’s breaking from left to proper. If the opening seems to be cut up by the shaft, then it ought to be a fairly straight putt. 

Closing Step: Follow Plumb Bobbing

Like something, don’t simply learn this text and take it straight to the course. You want to try it out extensively on the placing inexperienced so that you could belief it while you’re taking part in.

The very last thing you need is to assume it breaks the other way!

On the placing inexperienced, use this methodology for all types of putts. Brief, lengthy, proper to left, left to proper, and so on. so that you could get conversant in it and hopefully construct your confidence. The extra confidence you may have, the simpler it will likely be to place it properly on the golf course. 

I’ll say, keep away from this for multiple break on a single putt. A number of breaks and longer putts don’t appear to work in addition to different techniques.

FAQs About The Plumb Bob Approach

Do you may have extra questions on plumb bobbing a putt? In that case, hopefully, we’ll reply it within the regularly requested questions and solutions beneath. 

Does the plumb bob work with downhill or uphill putts? 

No, it solely works that will help you decide delicate breaks within the inexperienced which might be sideways. It is not going to allow you to decide the slope of the putt or the grain, both.

Solely search for a plumb line if you happen to aren’t positive how a putt will break. This is the reason you must use this type on high of a standard inexperienced studying methodology.

It’s all the time a good suggestion to tempo off putts so that you could see the slope and break from totally different angles. Numerous occasions a putt may look flat, however as you stroll to the opening, you’re feeling and see the uphill slope.

Among the finest examples of a participant doing that is Dustin Johnson. He walks throughout the putt, together with it from a facet view, to assist decide if it’s going to break left or proper.

Lastly, whereas it’s nice to get as a lot info as you may in regards to the putt, don’t let it sluggish up the tempo of play both.

Does the plumb bob work for lengthy putts? 

From what I’ve discovered and seen by gamers who do swear by this methodology, I might advise in opposition to plumb bobbing for lengthy putts. Particularly if it’s a double breaking putt, as there isn’t a strategy to adapt this technique to difficult double breaker putts. 

Hold the vertical line, plumb bobbing methodology for the shorter putts to get the perfect outcomes on the golf course.

Why do golfers maintain up fingers when placing? 

It is a good query, as it would look like the identical factor as this methodology. However in actuality, when a participant holds his fingers as much as learn the inexperienced (not his putter), that is really referred to as AimPoint. It is a distinctive inexperienced studying system that makes use of your toes and fingers to see the break.

The AimPoint methodology begins through the use of your toes to guage the slope of the inexperienced. A participant will stand behind their putt after which consider the slope based mostly on the sensation of their toes.

For instance, in case your left foot feels extra strain, the slope is correct to left. When you establish the quantity of slope, you then use your fingers to find out the best beginning line. In the event you assume it’s a “2” regarding the slope, then you definitely would maintain two fingers to the correct of gap.

That is then your beginning line to offer your self a goal. Once more, this can be a very temporary overview of this distinctive methodology however needed to match it to the plumb bob. If you wish to relate this with the plumb bob methodology, be sure to look at this YouTube video, as it’s a nice comparability. 

Why does a plumb bob work? 

A plumb bob works as a result of it creates a vertical line between the ball and the opening.

The Egyptians used a weight to realize this, whereas golfers use a putter head to create the identical impact. Clearly, it’s two totally different instruments and functions, however it could actually assist discover a straight line (and for golfers, get some readability on the slope of the inexperienced). 

Does plumb bobbing really assist learn greens?

It is a powerful query to reply as a result of sure, it could actually work. However on the similar time, if you happen to don’t maintain it in the identical place with the identical strain, your putter may be fallacious. Then, you may begin misreading greens and lose quite a lot of confidence in your brief sport.

I believe this can be a good software if you’d like some backup relating to the course of a brief to mid-length putt. You probably have no clue the place it’s going, you may do this methodology, AimPoint, and even each. The trick, in fact, is to not get confused or sluggish up play.

One factor I’ve all the time discovered on the inexperienced is that your first intuition is sort of all the time proper. To not point out, while you go along with your intestine, you are inclined to hit putts with extra conviction and never attempt to information it to the opening. This virtually all the time results in a properly struck putt that normally has the next probability of moving into.

It’s to not say that your first intuition is all the time proper, however as a rule it’s for having confidence over the putt. 

Which professionals learn greens with plumb bobbing? 

That is the place I’ve some skepticism in regards to the methodology. As a result of normally, I prefer to follow and act like skilled golfers as a lot as doable. My thought is, if it really works for them, it could actually work for regular, on a regular basis amateurs (not together with tools in fact). 

However fewer golf professionals all over the world appear to be plumb bobbing than ever earlier than. As a substitute, quite a lot of them use detailed inexperienced studying books, AimPoint, and different techniques as properly. 

When this was a extra widespread type, right here have been a few of the greatest names who’ve used it, together with Jim Furyk and Rickie Fowler. Normally, professionals have a tendency to make use of the opposite strategies listed and as a substitute, that is extra geared for beginner golfers.  

Closing Ideas on Plumb Bobbing Putts

The plumb bob is an old-school method that may allow you to on the greens… if you happen to do it appropriately. However the hot button is to be sure to get your putter within the correct location as you learn the putt.

Additionally, don’t neglect that it doesn’t work that will help you decide the slope of the inexperienced and never nice on lengthy putts both. This is the reason I believe it’s extra of a software than a full, inexperienced studying system that will help you conquer the greens. 

Lastly, please don’t let this placing type sluggish up the tempo of play. There may be nothing worse than sluggish golf, particularly from somebody who takes endlessly to learn a putt. 

If you already know the road, don’t trouble with it. However if you happen to aren’t positive or want some further psychological backup, give this type a attempt.