While some golf purists scoff at the practice of “plumb-bobbing,” the method can prove quite effective for reading putts. Just ask Ben Crenshaw.
One of the game’s greatest putters – and a noted traditionalist himself – Crenshaw is perhaps the best known of all plumb-bobbers. In essence, plumb-bobbing is a way to figure out which side of a putt’s line is higher. In other words, in which direction the ball will break.
It’s not necessary to plumb-bob every putt. After all, the slope on most greens is pretty obvious. When it’s not, here’s how to properly plumb-bob:
- With the ball between you and the hole, stand upright or crouch with only your dominant eye open.
- Looking through that eye, hold your putter in front of you, vertically, so that it bisects the ball and hole.
- The ground on one side of the putter shaft should be visibly higher. The ball will break away from this side.
Those who dismiss plumb-bobbing point out that many greens feature multiple slopes which tilt in different directions, creating intersections that can fool the eyes. Try it yourself and make note of the results on confusing putts. Did plumb-bobbing give you the right line, or not?
