Plumb Bobbing: Does It Work?

Plumb bobbing is a classic green-reading technique in golf where you use your putter to judge the break of a putt. But does it actually work? Here’s the quick answer: Plumb bobbing can be helpful for some golfers as part of their routine, but it’s not a reliable standalone method. Its effectiveness varies based on factors like eye dominance, hand stability, and green complexity.

Key Takeaways:

How It Works: Hold your putter vertically, close one eye, and align it with the hole to gauge the break.
Limitations: Accuracy depends on factors like slope intricacy, distance, and personal steadiness.
Alternatives: Other methods, like walking the green, using your feet to feel slopes, or the AimPoint method, often provide better results.
Best Use: Plumb bobbing is best used alongside other techniques, not as the only approach.

If you’re new to golf, focus on understanding green slopes by walking around and observing. For experienced players, plumb bobbing might complement your routine but requires practice to see if it suits your style.

Does Plumb Bobbing Work For Putting? How To Plumb Bob …

1. How Plumb Bobbing Works

Plumb bobbing is a method golfers use to read the break of a putt by relying on gravity and the vertical alignment of their putter. Here’s how it works:

Stand directly behind the ball, facing the hole.
Hold your putter grip at eye level.
Close your dominant eye.
Let the putter hang vertically and observe where the shaft aligns with the hole.

The idea is simple: if the putter shaft appears to lean to the left or right of the hole, it suggests the direction of the break. However, this method is far from foolproof.

While plumb bobbing is based on the principle of verticality, its accuracy can be influenced by several factors:

Eye dominance: Differences in which eye is dominant can affect how the alignment is perceived.
Hand stability: Even slight movements can throw off the reading.
Green complexity: Subtle or intricate undulations on the green may not be detected.
Distance: The longer the putt, the less reliable the technique becomes.

Interestingly, there’s no scientific evidence to back plumb bobbing as a reliable method for reading greens. Its continued use among some golfers seems to stem more from tradition and personal preference than measurable success. For many, it serves as a confidence booster rather than an exact science. Golfers might find it helpful as part of their routine, but it shouldn’t be their only approach to reading greens.

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2. Common Green Reading Methods

These methods provide alternatives to plumb bobbing and can often give more accurate insights into how a green breaks.

Walking the Green
One of the best ways to read a green is to walk around it. Look at the slopes from multiple angles, especially from behind the ball and the hole. This helps you spot subtle contours and understand the direction of the grain for a more thorough evaluation.

Using Your Feet to Detect Slope
Your feet can sense slopes that your eyes might miss. Stand perpendicular to your putting line and feel the incline underfoot. Golf greats like Jack Nicklaus have emphasized this technique, particularly for detecting subtle breaks that are hard to see.

AimPoint Method
This approach uses a combination of physical and visual tools to calculate the break. Here’s how it works:

Identify the fall line, which is the steepest slope on the green.
Measure the slope percentage using your feet.
Use your fingers to estimate the break based on the slope reading.

Visualization Technique
Picture water flowing across the green to identify natural low points and transitions. This method can:

Highlight natural low areas.
Show multiple break points on longer putts.
Expose small slope changes that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Grid Pattern Reading
Break the green into 3-foot squares to analyze complex breaks and better understand slope changes.

The best putters often mix and match these methods. While plumb bobbing can be useful, relying on just one technique increases the risk of misreads. A combination of physical observations, visual cues, and intuitive feel tends to deliver the most accurate results.

Keep in mind that green speed plays a big role in how much a putt will break. Faster greens require you to account for more break. Practice these techniques during your practice rounds to refine your ability to read greens effectively.

What Works and What Doesn’t

Green reading involves various techniques, but none guarantee perfect results. Take plumb bobbing, for example – it offers a quick way to gauge a putt’s break, yet its accuracy can be hit or miss. This opens up the question of how these methods actually hold up during a round.

Many seasoned golfers pair plumb bobbing with a close inspection of the green. This combination helps address the finer details that a single method might overlook.

Getting better at green reading requires regular practice and adjusting to the specific conditions of each green. So, does this make plumb bobbing worth including in your routine? That’s something to think about.

Should You Use Plumb Bobbing?

Deciding whether plumb bobbing works for you depends on your playing style and comfort level. It can be a helpful tool to complement your green-reading approach, but it’s not for everyone.

If you’re just starting out, plumb bobbing might feel more confusing than useful. Instead, focus on mastering the basics of green reading – walk around your putt, observe the slope, and feel it under your feet. Once you’ve built a strong foundation, you can consider adding plumb bobbing to your routine.

For mid-handicap players, plumb bobbing might come in handy in specific situations, such as:

Uphill or downhill putts
Reading subtle breaks that are tough to spot
Playing on greens you’re not familiar with

To see if plumb bobbing helps, try it on a practice green with a clear break. Compare your initial read to the plumb bob read across several putts, and track your results to see which gives you better accuracy.

You can also blend plumb bobbing with other green-reading techniques. However, if it consistently causes confusion or slows down your play, sticking with traditional methods might be a better choice.

Practice deliberately to figure out what works best for your game. Experiment and refine your approach to improve your accuracy on the greens.