FSX 2018 putting - help!

[delaloi]

So, I played 36 holes this weekend (Coeur d'Alene and Royal Birkdale, GCQ), without holing a single putt! Literally not one. It's enormously frustrating to be playing decent, hit a nice shot into 15-20 feet and the best I can hope for is to lag it up into gimme distance. (I'm not Ben Crenshaw but as a 12 handicap, I'm not this bad on a real course!)

I can't figure it out. Sometimes it seems the alignment isn't right, but I reset wtih the stick as well as I can. I miss left, I miss right. I putt it halfway to the hole, I putt it off the green.

How do people deal with this? Just auto-putt? Seems no fun. Anyone figure out how to make this work?

[Baller]

Yeah, takes time to get used to how it works and I agree, it's soooo different than putting into a real hole. Most of the time, I do gimmes withing a few feet or something. I still make some even when that is on, but keeps the frustration down so you can enjoy the round. I feel like that helps both my enjoyment and my putting that way. You have to understand that your Quad is 100% right on and you may not realize you are turned slightly, since there is no hole in front of you.

[delaloi]

I have 6-foot gimmes set. Without those I think I would have broken something...

I'm struggling with all aspects: line, break, and distance. I just don't get a clear enough visual from the screen to give me any feel. A 10-foot putt looks like it's 10 feet from the 'bottom' of the impact screen, but the impact screen is 10 feet from where the ball is sitting.

So I don't think it's helping my putting in the slightest. I have a putting green anyway and if I want to practice putting I will use that, not an FSX game. All I'm trying to do is get good enough on the games where I can decently enjoy a round on the course, without feeling like putting is just impossible and random. It really takes the fun out of it.

Would it make a big difference if I had putting green material all the way up to the impact screen? Right now after my hitting mat I have something like fringe, very slow. (So, if I hit a putt that rolls 10 feet to the screen, GCQ will register that as probably a 25 foot putt.) Maybe I need to change that.

[Baller]

You just have to get used to how it works. It takes time and I feel ya on the breaking stuff because I felt the same way. First off, don't change your putting aim line and instead just aim with your putter. Also, make sure you pay attention to the elevation change on putts. Third, enable Mulligans! If one pisses you off, redo it until you're satisfied (can't if it gives it to you though).

I don't have putting green material up to my screen. My screen is about 8' of smooth carpet and makes just over a 10' putt when it hits it. You can change the speed of the greens, I believe as well to make it work best for you.

[Deuce]

I try to putt on simulators as little as possible, as I've found it hurts my putting in the real world. Be really liberal with gimmes - it encourages you to learn how to chip it or lag it to 3-6 ft.

[mmlincon]

I routinely putt in FSX with 3 ft gimmies and some course no gimmies. It's very doable. It does take some getting used to and it seems more difficult for some than others. The players I have over have gotten used to it and routinely make putts. I do have putting turf to the screen and this helps. Here are a couple tips:

1. Use the screen distance as a reference for feel
2. Every Inch of elevation equates to ABOUT a foot of distance - this can very but is a good rule of thumb. So a six foot put that is up 3" will putt like a nine foot putt. Downhill can be slick on some greens so be careful.
3. Get used to putting to a number and not visually. Visual won't work well due to the angle of view at times in the game. 3 ft can look like 6" sometimes
4. On shorter putts use a phony hole and try placing it where you think the putt should go. This is a good way to adjust and get a feel for it. This has helped some of my players quite a bit.
5. Remember the ball is on the screen so you are not actually putting from the physical ball location. You have to mentally transport yourself to the screen. This can help greatly with the proper angle to take on breaking putts
6. Use the Stimp adjustment to set the green speed. Ideally you would match this to your turf but that really only works if you have putting turf. I used to putt off the truestrike mat so it is doable.
7. As for reading break it just takes practice. Get your speed down and that will come.

I really need to put together a video on this cause I have zero complaints with putting unless it's one of those crazy green courses where you'll miss a 1 footer by 8 ft.

[DjPiLL]

Is there any way to use the FSX Putting app on the ipad? I have a separate putting green mat in a different room than my simulator PC. I haven't figured out a way so the Quad registers putting mode unless it's plugged into FSX software and the software tells the Quad i am on a putting green. Would be great to just take the quad upstairs to do some putting away from the simulator room.

[delaloi]

Thanks mmlincon! That's very helpful. I think I will need to make a turf adjustment next time I refurbish my setup. Fake holes is a good idea too.