Midnight
Journeyman Pro
I am crap at this and can not see if it goes one way or the other , any tips that could help me please ?
Green Reading
- Thread starter Midnight
- Start date
Region3
Ryder Cup Winner
I pick a rough line and imagine the ball rolling along it and which way it would turn. If my imaginary ball misses left I move my line a bit to the right and do it again, and so on until the imaginary ball goes in the hole.
The other thing I've read about is to imagine water on the green and which way it would run if there were enough of it.
The other thing I've read about is to imagine water on the green and which way it would run if there were enough of it.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Pick a rough line as Gary says but then I'd concentrate more on pace.
How often are you 2ft short or long compared to 2ft left or right?
Unless it's like the 16th at Augusta, picking a rough line and getting the pace right shouldn't leave you too far away. And I bet if you 2 putt every green your scores will drop.
How often are you 2ft short or long compared to 2ft left or right?
Unless it's like the 16th at Augusta, picking a rough line and getting the pace right shouldn't leave you too far away. And I bet if you 2 putt every green your scores will drop.
look at it from both sides AND one side as you walk back to your ball
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
It's my Achilles heel and mainly as I'm not good with pace more than anything, I can 3 putt at least 3 times a round.
Pace for me is more vital than line.
Pace for me is more vital than line.
T
thecraw
Guest
Practice with your eyes shut. You'll be amazed at the results. Your distance, feel and stroke will improve no end. I'm sure it was Havret who won the Scottish Open putting with his eyes shut during the final round. He just picked his line, closed his eyes before stroking the putt.
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
how does putting with your eyes shut help you with line? distance i half understand but if you cant read the line closing your eyes surely isnt going to help
viscount17
Money List Winner
just a guess (I'm not great with pace) but perhaps the idea is that once you've picked your line closing your eyes stops the second guessing? how often do I pick a line from behind the ball then standing over it I'm sure it's wrong so I tweak it - more often than not first thought was the better.
Aztecs27
Money List Winner
This is a cracking tip.
Those that play with me with notice that I barely spend any time reading long putts, unless the green is really perplexing. I crouch and do the same thing Gary does to get a line but spend more time letting my brain register the distance of the putt by looking at it from the side so I can put it close (Another Gary tip, I believe!).If it goes in, bonus, if it doesn't I normally have an easy one left for a 2 putt.
Since I started concentrating on the pace more, I'm leaving less putts really short. I also don't take a practice swing. Let my brain hit it as hard as it thinks it needs to. (Thanks Gary!)
My putting isn't world beating by any means, but it's a lot more consistent than it ever has been.
richart
Major Champion
I always look at the general lie of the land as I walk up to a green. It is rare that a green breaks the opposite way. Also a lot of greens, nearly all ours, slope from back to front. I have heard about imagining you are throwing a bucket of water on the green, and which way would the water run, so it might work.
At my course, the only way my green reading improved was playing so much that I now know all the breaks.
At my course, the only way my green reading improved was playing so much that I now know all the breaks.
Liverbirdie
Ryder Cup Winner
Forgive yourself, first (and I mean do it).
Pace - About 3 years ago I took the conscious decision to make sure I get 90% of putts to the hole. How many times have you been 4 foot short and acepted it (on a long putt), but as soon as we go 18" past we are panicking. The thing is you will get more single putts so more birdies, and ok you'll get some 3 putts, but you get 3 putts when you are short anyway. At least this way you get more sinle putts.
You've got to forgive the 3 putts though, were you charge the first 6 foot past, then 3 putt, but is there any difference to one that is 6 foot short that also 3 putts? The difference is the first charged putt could have gone in, the short one never could have.
Line - One tip I have read before on a sharp breaking putt, is aim slightly more left on a left to right breaking putt, as the ball will see more of the hole (say 4") whereas if you miss low it may have only seen 1" of the hole.
Better putters than me may have some better ideas, although TBH I am having loads of 3 putts at the moment, so what do I know!!!!
Pace - About 3 years ago I took the conscious decision to make sure I get 90% of putts to the hole. How many times have you been 4 foot short and acepted it (on a long putt), but as soon as we go 18" past we are panicking. The thing is you will get more single putts so more birdies, and ok you'll get some 3 putts, but you get 3 putts when you are short anyway. At least this way you get more sinle putts.
You've got to forgive the 3 putts though, were you charge the first 6 foot past, then 3 putt, but is there any difference to one that is 6 foot short that also 3 putts? The difference is the first charged putt could have gone in, the short one never could have.
Line - One tip I have read before on a sharp breaking putt, is aim slightly more left on a left to right breaking putt, as the ball will see more of the hole (say 4") whereas if you miss low it may have only seen 1" of the hole.
Better putters than me may have some better ideas, although TBH I am having loads of 3 putts at the moment, so what do I know!!!!
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Fore
Head Pro
In order to guage the slope either left to right or right to left i use my putter as a plumb line.
Stand behind the ball (2 or 3 paces) in a stright line with the hole. Hold the putter vertically above the ball and if the hole appears left of the shaft it's a right to left shot. Pick a mark on your line of putt to pass the ball over. It's not exact but helps on the odd occasions when the slope is not obvious.
As for guaging distance, get on the practice green to see how far you hit with only a short backswing to say inside your back foot. Then see how far it goes by backswinging to the outside of your back foot. Then perhaps try it say a couple of inches outside the back foot.
When playing out on the course properly, take a practice swing so the putter head points at the base of the flag which will usually give the feeling it is going to be long or short. Then using muscle memory, go for it!
A few tips that i have followed and have helped my putting enormously of late.
You'll get a better idea of break if you only look from the low side (below the hole). Stalking the hole will give the average player brain overload. It's also worth remembering that most ameteurs will miss on the low side, so once you think you have the line, it might be worth giving it a little more break.
Midnight
Journeyman Pro
cheers for the tips everyone , some good things to try
philly169
Journeyman Pro
My advice, miss out the long putts. Work on your short game and get closer to the pin
jdchelsea
Head Pro
heres a book that has recently helped me.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unconscious...6602/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327678917&sr=8-1
I dont follow the books strategy word for word (but then again thats what he prescribes i.e. your own method).
My putting routine consists of the following steps:
1. Stand behind the ball and pick a line I think the ball will travel (i dont worry about being 100% precise at this point)
2. If its a putt of any reasonable length I move halfway between the ball and the hole on the low side. In my head I estimate the length of the putt and look to see how much it's uphill downhill etc. I estimate the length just for subconscious reasons, I dont believe in the pelz putting method of swing length determines distance.
3. From the low side i also look closely at the last 4-5 feet of the hole to look for expected impacts on my line.
4. I then walk behind the ball and pick my line again. This time I visualise the path of the ball more closely. I imagine it as a line on the ground.
5. Once I've picked my line I find a precise spot (blade of grass, discoloration of grass etc) in front of the ball that my ball will have to go over to set off on that line. I like this spot to be fairly close to the ball 1-3 inches away.
6. I set up over the ball, keeping my stance a little open (not by any fixed amount just what feels comfortable) and try to judge the weight I need to hit the shot. I completely ignore line here because I'm just concentrating on hitting the ball over my spot.
sometimes I take practice strokes and sometimes I dont. If i do im only concerned with pace (not mechanics). Practice strokes for me are good for practicing pace/length but they also can make me lose my spot or put doubt in my mind about length/pace. so I'm not sure how useful/destructive they are for me.
7. once i'm comfortable I hit the ball not worrying about whether or not I'm coming back square to square or on a curved path - i just hit over the spot with the weight i think is needed to get to the hole. When I start my stroke I'm not looking at the ball I just watch my spot throughout the stroke.
finally one thing along with this method that I changed to my putting method was my grip - I changed to a reverse overlapping grip.
I've struggled with my putting for a few years being by far the worst putter in my group which was hard to take because I was also the best ball striker. So I know how you feel and how painful poor putting can be. I can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel and have seen real improvement in my putting. Hopefully it continues!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unconscious...6602/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327678917&sr=8-1
I dont follow the books strategy word for word (but then again thats what he prescribes i.e. your own method).
My putting routine consists of the following steps:
1. Stand behind the ball and pick a line I think the ball will travel (i dont worry about being 100% precise at this point)
2. If its a putt of any reasonable length I move halfway between the ball and the hole on the low side. In my head I estimate the length of the putt and look to see how much it's uphill downhill etc. I estimate the length just for subconscious reasons, I dont believe in the pelz putting method of swing length determines distance.
3. From the low side i also look closely at the last 4-5 feet of the hole to look for expected impacts on my line.
4. I then walk behind the ball and pick my line again. This time I visualise the path of the ball more closely. I imagine it as a line on the ground.
5. Once I've picked my line I find a precise spot (blade of grass, discoloration of grass etc) in front of the ball that my ball will have to go over to set off on that line. I like this spot to be fairly close to the ball 1-3 inches away.
6. I set up over the ball, keeping my stance a little open (not by any fixed amount just what feels comfortable) and try to judge the weight I need to hit the shot. I completely ignore line here because I'm just concentrating on hitting the ball over my spot.
sometimes I take practice strokes and sometimes I dont. If i do im only concerned with pace (not mechanics). Practice strokes for me are good for practicing pace/length but they also can make me lose my spot or put doubt in my mind about length/pace. so I'm not sure how useful/destructive they are for me.
7. once i'm comfortable I hit the ball not worrying about whether or not I'm coming back square to square or on a curved path - i just hit over the spot with the weight i think is needed to get to the hole. When I start my stroke I'm not looking at the ball I just watch my spot throughout the stroke.
finally one thing along with this method that I changed to my putting method was my grip - I changed to a reverse overlapping grip.
I've struggled with my putting for a few years being by far the worst putter in my group which was hard to take because I was also the best ball striker. So I know how you feel and how painful poor putting can be. I can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel and have seen real improvement in my putting. Hopefully it continues!
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Cheifi0
Challenge Tour Pro
I always saw people doing this but just couldn't understand how it was helping them. Now I know.
