Adjusting the putt distance on inclined surfaces with respect to a flat putt

Engineering of Sport 15 - Proceedings from the 15th International Conference on the Engineering of Sport (ISEA 2024)

There are many different heuristic approaches for distance control in putting. However, it seems that there is still a need for a unified and scientifically based concept. It is important to consider, that after impact the ball passes through different phases before the onset of pure roll, which depend on various parameters like green speed, inclination and angles. Furthermore, many individual characteristics, such as the loft of the putter head or the angle of attack influence the putt profile. As it is nearly impossible to take into account these individual stroke and material characteristics (which may also vary a lot even during a round), we propose a correction with respect to a putt on a plane surface in order to deal with the inclination. Furthermore, this allows us to estimate the effect of the sliding phase on the proposed correction formulas. With Quintic Ball Role and Overhead Putt Tracker, the validity of the correction formulas can be tested experimentally and there is an excellent agreement.