When using a plumb bob to check the lie of the golf ball the Bob should be placed on the ground behind the ball. If the Bob is not hanging directly over the center of the ball the golfer’s body is not properly aligned. The golfer should then take their stance and ensure that the Bob is hanging directly over the center of the ball. When using a plumb bob to check the alignment of the body the Bob should be placed on the ground behind the ball. If the Bob is not hanging directly in front of the clubface the golfer’s clubface is not properly aligned. The golfer should then take their stance and ensure that the Bob is hanging directly in front of the clubface. When using a plumb bob to check the alignment of the clubface the Bob should be placed on the ground in front of the ball. If the Bob is not hanging directly over the center of the ball the golfer’s feet are not properly aligned. When using a plumb bob to check the alignment of the feet the Bob should be placed on the ground behind the ball. Another way to hold a plumb bob is to place the Bob in the dominant hand and hold it between the forefinger and middle finger. The Bob should be held at arm’s length and allowed to hang freely. The most common way is to hold the Bob between the thumb and forefinger of the dominant hand. There are many different ways to hold a plumb bob. Plumb bobs can also be used to help golfers select the correct club for a particular shot. Some golfers use them to check the alignment of their feet clubface and body while others use them to check the lie of their golf ball. Remember the plumb bob may be a useful guide if you’re not sure on a subtle slope but it’s not a given, and it also won’t help you determine if the putt is up or downhill.There are many different ways that golfers can use plumb bobs to help improve their game. If it appears to the left of the cup, the slope should take the ball from left to right. If the shaft appears to the right of the cup, the slope you are on should take the ball from right to left. If the shaft also covers the hole, the putt should be straight – the ground you are standing on should be level. Hold the putter up, as described above between thumb and forefinger, towards the end of the grip if you can, covering the ball with the shaft. Stand about 10 feet or so behind the ball (maybe further back for longer putts) so you are looking directly through the ball to the hole in a straight line. You need to gain a good understanding of how the plumb bob method works before you put it into practice on the course, so you should spend some time on the putting green learning the process. This is very important as it’s how you must hold your putter each time in order to have a true vertical line when plumb bobbing – It won’t work otherwise.

Look where the putter head is positioned and remember that. Twist the putter round between thumb and forefinger to find the point where shaft and the chosen vertical are level.

Find a known vertical, like the edge of a building, and hold the putter up so you can compare the vertical with the shaft lean. It likely won’t do that automatically as the shaft will generally not go into the very centre of the head meaning there will be some tilting. In order to plumb bob effectively, you have to check the shaft of your putter hangs absolutely vertically when you hold it lightly between thumb and forefinger on the grip.

Golf plumb bob