Help - Reading the greens !!

[spawn_ukuk]

Hello all i used to be able to read the greens but lately i cant read anything

I just cant see to see the subtle breaks any more

any tips anyone can suggest?
how do you all read the greens?

Cheers

 

[Foxholer]

Could be something other than simply not seeing the breaks.

Variations in dampness affect the way a ball rolls.

We saw several balls wiggle their way towards a hole for no apparent reason the other day.

And clumps of different grasses can affect rolls too.

Generally, less late break happening on the courses I know most.

 

[G1BB0]

I wouldnt worry about it just now. with the recent weather greens are playing a lot different to how they will after a decent dry spell.

It may just be a case of there is nothig wrong with your reads its just the ball behaving different with the current condition of the greens.

 

[jammag]

if you struggle to read the greens, I know Oakley have some glasses with a certain tint lense, I think its called permisson or something along those lines and it makes the colour green really focused. Makes it a lot easier to pick up the ups n downs in the lie of the land. Hard to believe but until you see it then you will understand.

It is why a lot of the pro golfers now keep their glasses on when reading greens.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I just cant see to see the subtle breaks any more

Well, if you could see them they wouldn't be subtle

 

[spawn_ukuk]

I wouldnt worry about it just now. with the recent weather greens are playing a lot different to how they will after a decent dry spell.

It may just be a case of there is nothig wrong with your reads its just the ball behaving different with the current condition of the greens.

When playing golf with my dad, he seemed to read the greens fine
Afew times it was going left but i totally read it the other way

 

[garyinderry]

try getting to the green sharpish so you can have a look from behind the hole aswell. sometimes it can look like it breaks the opposite way when you look from the other side.

this time of year is not really worth worrying about the putting. just practicen rolling in 6 footers you wont go far wrong!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My advice, biased as it is would be to get on an Aimpoint clinic. £90 (although you can then attend as many foundation or beginner level refreshers free as you want after that) for a 2 hour practical way to learn to read the putt properly. Highly recommended.

 

[Region3]

Crouch down behind the ball and imagine it rolling towards the hole (on a straight line to start with) and the path it will take.
If it finishes left of the hole do the same again but starting right of the hole, and vice versa for the other way.
Fine tune until the ball ends up in the hole.
If you can't decide if it breaks left or right, it's straight

I've also heard of people imagining which way water would run if it were on the green, but I use the above.

 

[duncan mackie]

it can help to look at it this way -

if your ball was 3' to the left, or 3' to the right, would either one be a straighter putt?

if the answer is yes, the one on the left would be straighter, then your putt will break from left to right.

you can extend this simple approach to include the nature of the break and pace by trying to establish where on a circle the radius of your putt you would place a ball to have a straight uphill, and straight downhill (normally the exact opposite but not always), putt. you now know the basic direction of the break, and whether it's uphill or downhill.

it's also very easy to test your theory when out practicing ie develop your skill in making this read.

I'm ignoring grain here deliberately!