Green Reading

haplesshacker

haplesshacker

Money List Winner
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Messages
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Location
Verwood, Dorset.
mid-life-crisis-man.blogspot.co.uk
Are you a quick look down the line and then hit it type. Or a wanderer around the green looking for every nuance that the green may have type. Regardless as to whether you get it in or not. What's your method, and why?

I wonder if there's any discernable difference between high and low h'capped payers regarding a preference?

PS Neither of these two threads are 'loaded'. I'm just curious.
 
No matter what length of putt, i read it all the same.

mark the ball. take a couple of steps back and get down on my hunkers, look at it for a few seconds, replace ball, stand up, address the ball, couple of practice swings then shoot.

Only if there's a sneaky double break do i need a bit longer but i'd say i'm about average as far as time taken goes. I think you can over-analyse the green. There's also no point in hurrying it though, as you're more likely to miss and then take twice as long through having to take another shot again anyway.
 
I'm a look and hit kinda guy. I don't take too long looking for every little nuance on the green unless its got a large break then I'll spend a little more time on it. I'm never too far off on the line. Might be a tad light or heavy on the stroke but the line is normally there or thereabouts.

Although I'm always looking to hole a putt I'm realistic enough to know that outside 10 feet I'm looking to leave the ball near enough to the hole to tap in.
Taking 1-2 minutes to read the green and then leave it where you would have left it had you looked once and hit it seems a waste of time to me.
 
I usually walk up behind the ball, after trying to take as much of the green in as possible on route, then line the ball up on the line I want, stand up, 2 practice strokes, and then 1 more at the hole
 
I have quick look at the shot from behind then ball to see my line then take one or two practise swings to find my tempo then make the shot.

Hate folk who spend far to much time checking from every angle pos
 
Quick look from behind, one practise swing, then edge putter behind the ball with shaking hands trying not to hit it by mistake. Repeat two more times and walk onto next tee with a solid bogey.
 
I have a look from the side to see how much up/down hill its going, then crouch down a yard or two behind the ball to gauge the line, two practice swing and the make the stroke.
One thing about putting is that stats are a bit irrelevant to most handicapped players.
If you rarely miss short ones, make a few 10 footers and rarely three putt then you’re a good putter.

Cookie
 
I've holed several monster putts lately that I spent a bit of extra time looking at... and frankly was still surprised when they fell in. One in particular was uphill turning to the right then levelling out before dying to the left. It looked like it was right of the hole all the way until it took that final break.. nearly wet myself.. well a little bit did leak out ;)
 
I try to get my reading in while other players are looking at their putts. I'll only look from both sides if i'm not sure of the break though. I'm not a great one for spending too much time on it as lets be honest if you dont know your own greens then theres no hope for you.

I like to think that if the greens are running true then i'm a good solid putter if unspectacular.
 
I pay most attention to the last 3-4 feet of the put. After all, thats when it's moving slowly and will turn the most.
Also, have a look at the cup itself...is one side higher than the other?
 
I try and take a quick look at the general shape of the putt as I'm walking up to the green. Usually I'll take a look from behind the ball and maybe from the other side once in a blue moon when I really can't see a line
 
I tend to not take too long on putts. Taking as much information in when walking up to green. If a playing partner has a similar line to mine, I make sure of watching how the ball breaks and rolls. Look behind my ball for the line, one or two practice strokes and then fire away.

I don't understand this, "You should know the greens on your home course". Every time I play, the hole is cut in a different place, and I just don't have the skill to know all the burrows and breaks on all the greens. Jeez, it's enough for me to get close, or sometimes hole one than to know all that. :D :D :D

Golfmmad.
 
How long have you been at your course Golfmadd ? If you've been there over a year then you would have played all the pin positions numerous times. Reading the green isnt hard , it usually goes one way or the other and is easy to spot ( big slopes or the green obviously slopes a certain way). At our level we arent going to be thinking about holing anything over 20 feet so just allow a bit for the borrow and get the pace right. 2 putts and go the next tee

People think too much about putting from distance. Concentrate on holing the short ones and just get the pace right on longer ones and allow a bit for borrows :D
 
At our level we arent going to be thinking about holing anything over 20 feet so just allow a bit for the borrow and get the pace right. 2 putts and go the next tee
Click to expand...

True until you hole 3 obscene ones in the first 6 holes and you're 3 under par.. and can't hold your putter 'cos it's so damn hot!
 
How long have you been at your course Golfmadd ? If you've been there over a year then you would have played all the pin positions numerous times. Reading the green isnt hard , it usually goes one way or the other and is easy to spot ( big slopes or the green obviously slopes a certain way). At our level we arent going to be thinking about holing anything over 20 feet so just allow a bit for the borrow and get the pace right. 2 putts and go the next tee

People think too much about putting from distance. Concentrate on holing the short ones and just get the pace right on longer ones and allow a bit for borrows :D
Click to expand...

I've been at my course for over 5 years Jammydodger. Maybe I read them subconsciously but try not to dwell on them too much. Might try a bit harder with pace and burrows and see what happens. :D :D

Golfmmad.
 
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