How do you handle fast greens?

[Wooky]

I was putting really well a few weeks ago when the greens were softer / slower.
Now they are rock hard, very short & very fast.
I can't putt to save my life at the moment, I can't hold a line & my distance judgement is awful.
Am I just being too heavy handed?

 

[fundy]

Most likely a case of what you are used to, and how quickly we have gone from slow winter greens to pretty quick summer like ones. I was brought up on very good fast greens and relish the chance to play on fast greens these days, its when they are very slow or two paced I struggle more

 

[srixon 1]

Have a positive stroke, and just accept that some of the return putts might be from 3 or 4 feet away. If you are too tentative on fast greens then your approach putt will wander off to the side and might still leave you a 3/4 foot putt anyway. Not easy to do but just pick your line and commit to it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My clubs practice green resembles the course pretty well so I try and putt on it once a week and get a feel for the speed as well as working on my stroke. On the course, pick a line, make a smooth stroke, and trust it

 

[garyinderry]

the weather has made for some strange greens.

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

the weather has made for some strange greens.

DEFINATELY has, did you see the state of the greens at the Wells Fargo? I've seen children's parks with better surfaces

 

[scratch]

Don't forget to allow for more break when the greens are fast :thup:

 

[duncan mackie]

I was putting really well a few weeks ago when the greens were softer / slower.
Now they are rock hard, very short & very fast.
I can't putt to save my life at the moment, I can't hold a line & my distance judgement is awful.
Am I just being too heavy handed?

you are probably not appreciating the differences that are created with faster greens

you need to read even slight up and down slopes, because they will have a significant difference in the roll of the ball that won't exist on slow greens. It doesn't take much of an increase in speed to create a huge difference. for illustration (and not intended to be exact figures) if your greens are 8 on the stimp meter it means that the ball will roll 8ft on a flat part of the green - it might roll 6 on a slight upslope, and back the otherway it might roll 15! Now increase the speed of the green to 9 and it may roll 6.5 up that slope but 25 back down again!!!

factoring this into how far the ball will break when putting across, or across and up or down, is similarily altered.

many people when faced with faster greens will be short up hill, long down hill and generally low across the hill - but you probably got that bit

 

[SocketRocket]

Love them! Makes you read breaks and get a feel for weight.
A good Club's practice green will represent the speed of the curse greens, so it's always good to spend a little time practicing before the game to get a good feel for the way the ball will respond.

 

[bobmac]

Am I just being too heavy handed?

It sounds as if either your backswing is too long or you are too wristy or both.
I hold the putter an inch or so further down the grip and make the backswing a little shorter than normal.
And if you have a really fast downhiller, hit the ball using the toe of the putter.

 

[Wooky]

It sounds as if either your backswing is too long or you are too wristy or both.
I hold the putter an inch or so further down the grip and make the backswing a little shorter than normal.

Spot on Bob.
I spent 40 mins practicing yesterday before my doubles match, I did indeed find that if I gripped down & loosened my grip I became more accurate.
As for the following match, I holed some great putts, inc a long one on the 15 to keep us 2 up & another long very tricky downhill putt to half the hole & win the match on the 17th.