To putt accurately, golfers must be able to read the slope of the green. Misreading a green can cause an otherwise perfect putt to roll wide of the hole and add unnecessary strokes. One popular method for reading greens is known as plumb bobbing, although the technique's value remains open to debate.
History
While no one knows the first golfer to plumb bob putts, the term plumb bobbing comes from carpentry. To determine if a structure was vertical, carpenters would attach a weight to a string and allow it to hang freely, creating a perfect vertical line for comparison.
Features
Plumb bobbing requires the golfer to use his putter as a vertical line to determine the green's slope. After taking a position a few feet behind the ball, the golfer holds the butt end of the putter between his thumb and forefinger, allowing it to hang loosely, and extends his arm out in front to line up the ball with the bottom of the putter shaft. Using only his dominant eye, the golfer looks at the hole to determine whether it's positioned to the left or right of the club shaft.
Significance
If the hole appears to the left of the club shaft while plumb bobbing, it means the green slopes left. If the hole appears to the right of the club shaft, it means the green slopes to the right. If the hole appears perfectly in line with the club shaft, the green lacks slope. Once the golfer knows the direction of slope, he can aim his putt accordingly.
Misconceptions
Plumb bobbing only indicates a green's slope, not necessarily how the green will break. Numerous other factors contribute to a green's break, including the grass type and height, the grass grain, the green maintenance practices and the moisture conditions of the green.
Considerations
When plumb bobbing, not all putters will hang perfectly vertical. The putter must be either face balanced or heel balanced to provide an accurate reading. Plumb bobbing's detractors also argue that the method only measures the slope of the ground where the golfer is standing, not the ground over which the ball must travel on its way to the hole. For a more precise reading, golfers should plumb bob putts at several points between the ball and the hole. Others contend aligning the club shaft with the ball and hole to make the initial read only confirms the golfer's subconscious impression of the green, influencing the plumb-bob reading.
Member Comments