Character Building??

Not quite sure why I am where I am with this one...

Played Bowood (the Wilts one) today and shot 82 with....get this...40 (forty) putts. I'm beginning to nudge the best form I've ever had tee to green but the short stick is driving me mental. To be honest I genuinely feel I don't think there's anything fundamentally wrong. I also think I work too hard at my game to not find out eventually what the key is to unlock the secret that I'm missing....In the meantime though, I have to describe it as character building!! Anyone else been through a phase where a part of the game isn't working but you've kept the faith that you were doing all the right things?

my putting has been pretty poor for the early part of the season. also had 40 putts at my away club a few weeks ago. i finished with 33pts. including 7 three putts (twice i holed out from 10feet to avoid another two three putts). i'm counting that day as a bit of a one off as the greens were really slick, and the there were a few pins in quite silly positions. i was over aggressive and kept leaving 4-6ft putts coming back. generally the condition of the greens have been quite poor at my home club, though they are now improving quickly. holed a couple of nice 25 footers today and putting has generally been a bit better of late so i'm blaming the weather and course and looking forward to more improvement in my stroke as the season progresses.
any thoughts on extra games while you're up north later in the summer jas?

Must admit Ban, I do think the greens are contributing to poor putting stats, the shocking weather makes it almost impossible for even the best greenkeepers to present 18 consistent canvasses.

With regard to later in the year i.e. immediately post Tassie, I do have my eye on Kingsbarns for the Saturday but am totally open re the Sunday.

Also looking like my next trip up home will co-incide with the Senior Open weekend at Turnberry. I'm about to start looking at trying to book Royal Troon for that weekend.