Green reading... How do you do yours?

Alrite Chief

Anyone got any good tips for reading a green and accurately negotiating the severity of a break when you see it. Iv been putting quit well lately but always room for improvement. Simply because i am spending a bit of time reading the green. Here is what i have tried doing anyway...

Before you look behind your ball as we all do. Go over to the cup and have a look at it. Try imagine if it was full of water where the water would be overflowing from it. When you do this go to the opposite side of your ball and look at the path in. Find this very useful for putts with big breaks. Then walk to your ball just outside the line of your putt and try feel with your feet the severity of the slope (assuming there is one). When you get behind your ball as you normally would make your mind up how far right/left you are aiming and step back. Reapproach from the direction you will be hitting towards and go through your normal set up.

I got a tip not to do practice swings on your putts and i found it works wonders. If I was lobbing a set of keys to someone standing at the pin i wouldn't do practice throws. Just be confident in your feel for a putt as you would an underhanded throw and hit it.


Anyone else have any tips?

BoardsMember

I do practise swings looking at the hole, particularly when hitting longer putts, the result is pretty accurate lagged putts.

You cant beat a quick 360 degree walk around, with the last leg of it on the lower side to try to get a feel for the severity of the break over the length of the putt.

Nicklaus never hit a putt without looking at the ball, and then visualising it all the way to the hole, and then all the way back to his clubhead, only then did he hit his putt. Not a bad approach to try.

TheDoc

I dont employ anything outragous.

I typically just hunker down behind the ball and try visualise the line. For a more trickier put might have a walk to the sides. I'd never do a full 360,
I'm very much one of those who tries visualise the roll, I dont really connect with the " its 2 inches to the left" or " its three cups on the right" I need to pick various little points on the way. In the first few feet I want a visual on where the ball needs to get to, and then possibly another visual point on where I anticipate maybe a big break, or a change in pace etc.

One thing I notice is the amount of people who arnt eye****ing their putt while waiting around. I'll have a little glance at a playing partner, but typically I'm making a decision on my putt, absolutely starting down the line, and then some glances to see playing partners putts to see if I can take anything from it.

It also helps avoid slow play. Pretty annoying if three people have putted and the fourth guy is doing all this walking and reading etc. No excuse to not have most of the work done while you are waiting

Whyner

Would be nice to know how this lady helped Ernie

http://www.golfcentraldaily.com/2012/07/everything-you-need-to-know-about-dr.html

Alrite Chief

It's really typical of us as amateur golfers to have such little responce to a thread like this. If this was about a slice off the tee there would be pages by now.

Short game and putting in particular is where games are won and lost. None of us will ever drive or hit an iron from 180 yards stone dead onto a green quite like a pro. But with more practice and appreciation for how important putts are we can reduce our putts in half. It should not be near as hard as we make it.

How many 3 putts do yous have versus 1 putts in a round? Ridiculous the amount of points we leave out there from putting.

charlieIRL

Lately i've started looking at a putt from both sides whereas before it was just one look, line it up and hit. Makes it much easier to pick a line.

Normally I put down my marker and have a look from behind the ball, let partner(s) play, look from opposite site and then take my shot. no delay.

RandolphEsq

I try and visualise the roll of the ball (from behind) at each point in its journey to the hole and at what speed, then take a couple practice swings to get a feel.

Alrite Chief

I should add I get most of this done in the period while others are putting or chipping in. If I'm up first I might skip a bit or do it quickly if it's a particularly difficult putt. Don't think anyone minds someone spending 60 seconds. All it takes really.

8under

On my home course, I seldom have a problem reading putts as I know the line & pace almost before I get on to the green.

When playing away, I always survey the local general terrain. Where are the mountains and where is the sea /lake /water as the natural fall is generally from one to the other. I am a "feel" putter, generally visualise the shot in advance. I don't over do the survey of the hole as I believe you can overdo that and bring doubt into your putt. A quick look from behind the ball and from behind the hole is usually enough for me.

And yes, I really get annoyed with players who don't prepare for their putt while awaiting their turn. Once I arrive on the green I am already sizing up my line/speed etc., I hate to play with someone, whose putting turn comes around only to see them start their pre putt routine as if they want an audience.

GreeBo

The corollary of that is I hate it when someone else is hovering about and moving all over the place when I am trying to putt. I have no problem with someone taking 60s to hit a putt, especially if they are first.

I have much more of a problem with someone not even having a club out for an approach shot when its pretty difficult to distract someone else who is probably 20m away.

madds

I try to start reading the green as soon as I've hit my approach shot in. As well as slope and gauging how tight the green is cut I also take the nap of the grass and decide whether the wind will have an impact - has a bigger part to play than people think.

One look from behind the hole, another from behind the ball, then line the logo on the ball with a discolouration or speck on the intended line about 3 inches in front of the ball. Once all that is done its a matter of getting the pace right....easier said than done!

Goldenjohn

Noticed a few things lately that have helped me putt better...

First impressions ... Stick with them
Line up for the for high side of the hole ie. Always err on a little more break
Pick a target just in front of the ball maybe 1 inch
Line up with a line on the ball , once it's lined just concentrate on pace
Let it go

Good luck...now can anyone sort out my long game!

charlieIRL

GreeBo wrote: »

The corollary of that is I hate it when someone else is hovering about and moving all over the place when I am trying to putt. I have no problem with someone taking 60s to hit a putt, especially if they are first.

I have much more of a problem with someone not even having a club out for an approach shot when its pretty difficult to distract someone else who is probably 20m away.

nothing worse than someone moving in the backround when you are trying to take a putt - even in a casual round.

Mr. Larson

GreeBo wrote: »

The corollary of that is I hate it when someone else is hovering about and moving all over the place when I am trying to putt. I have no problem with someone taking 60s to hit a putt, especially if they are first.

I have much more of a problem with someone not even having a club out for an approach shot when its pretty difficult to distract someone else who is probably 20m away.

Same here. My mates always slag me for being a cranky hoor throwing daggers but if the following happens when I am over the ball I have to work hard to shut it out... and I don't like having to do that.

• Velcro of the glove
• Zip of the bag
• Crack of the water draining from a plastic bottle
• Standing other side of the hole (behind me is cool)
• Any kind of movement
• Crouching down to look at their own line while I am putting

I'm pretty sure I don't do anything that could potentially put off my partners and it's not hard to do it.

Pacly

Mr. Larson wrote: »

Same here. My mates always slag me for being a cranky hoor throwing daggers but if the following happens when I am over the ball I have to work hard to shut it out... and I don't like having to do that.

• Velcro of the glove
• Zip of the bag
• Crack of the water draining from a plastic bottle
• Standing other side of the hole (behind me is cool)
• Any kind of movement
• Crouching down to look at their own line while I am putting

I'm pretty sure I don't do anything that could potentially put off my partners and it's not hard to do it.

The Velcro of the glove really gets to me. Especially when someone tries to take their glove off really slowly, as if doing so will make it quieter!! Just rip it off before im standing over my putt!

Also im wary of moving/practice putting/crouching to line up a putt when someone else is putting. I don't think im slow though.

JD Dublin

Pacly wrote: »

The Velcro of the glove really gets to me. Especially when someone tries to take their glove off really slowly, as if doing so will make it quieter!! Just rip it off before im standing over my putt!

Also im wary of moving/practice putting/crouching to line up a putt when someone else is putting. I don't think im slow though.

Ah lads you're fierce cranky, lighten up a little, and don't blame others for fluffing your putts.

bustercherry

Mr. Larson wrote: »

Same here. My mates always slag me for being a cranky hoor throwing daggers but if the following happens when I am over the ball I have to work hard to shut it out... and I don't like having to do that.

[*]Velcro of the glove
[*]Zip of the bag
[*]Crack of the water draining from a plastic bottle
[*]Standing other side of the hole (behind me is cool)
[*]Any kind of movement
[*]Crouching down to look at their own line while I am putting


I'm pretty sure I don't do anything that could potentially put off my partners and it's not hard to do it.

I'd walk of the course if anyone give out about these just because they were standing over their putt. I would never play golf in they're company ever again.

Tones69

I cant lately, whatever the fock is going on!!

Mr. Larson

bustercherry wrote: »

Mr. Larson wrote: »

Same here. My mates always slag me for being a cranky hoor throwing daggers but if the following happens when I am over the ball I have to work hard to shut it out... and I don't like having to do that.

[*]Velcro of the glove
[*]Zip of the bag
[*]Crack of the water draining from a plastic bottle
[*]Standing other side of the hole (behind me is cool)
[*]Any kind of movement
[*]Crouching down to look at their own line while I am putting


I'm pretty sure I don't do anything that could potentially put off my partners and it's not hard to do it.

I'd walk of the course if anyone give out about these just because they were standing over their putt. I would never play golf in they're company ever again.

I'm talking about when I address the ball. Don't give a Shiite what you do when I'm lining up etc. I'm only taking about 15 seconds over the ball max, if you can't hauld yer whischt for 10 seconds then you're a fidgety hoor as well.

Mr. Larson

Mr. Larson wrote: »

bustercherry wrote: »

Mr. Larson wrote: »

Same here. My mates always slag me for being a cranky hoor throwing daggers but if the following happens when I am over the ball I have to work hard to shut it out... and I don't like having to do that.

[*]Velcro of the glove
[*]Zip of the bag
[*]Crack of the water draining from a plastic bottle
[*]Standing other side of the hole (behind me is cool)
[*]Any kind of movement
[*]Crouching down to look at their own line while I am putting


I'm pretty sure I don't do anything that could potentially put off my partners and it's not hard to do it.

I'd walk of the course if anyone give out about these just because they were standing over their putt. I would never play golf in they're company ever again.

I'm talking about when I address the ball. Don't give a Shiite what you do when I'm lining up etc. I'm only taking about 15 seconds over the ball max, if you can't hauld yer whischt for 10 seconds then you're a fidgety hoor as well.

Oh for the record, I'd never give out or mention it to a fellow player. Would just bug me a little bit. I don't move a muscle as my partners/opponents are about to pull the trigger over a putt. Not hard to do.