I can't read a flipping green to save my life.

[garyinderry]

Then you make sure your 'distance control' improves - that's what I really meant by 'lag putts'! Getting the 1st putt within a dustbin lid - preferably past - is the key. It takes a considerable miss-read, or big/early slope, to miss even very long putts by that much, but it's very easy to leave lag putts woefully short!

You may well also be being too hard on yourself in any case! Try simply concentrating on getting the distance right!

This is good advice. Nearly all 3 putts come from shocking distance control on the first putt.


One thing though I would say is past the hole isn't always the best thing. Sure you can see the break as it slides by. I would always or at least like to be aware of where the next putt will be coming from if I miss. I like to be putting up a hill when putting out. If that means being less aggressive and trying to drop the ball in the front of the cup so be it. Other times I have to tell myself to hit it hard enough to get past the hole so I am putting back up the hill if I miss.

I rather be able to have a 3 footer coming back up the hill than leave myself a slippy 2 footer down the hill to hole out.

 

[Orikoru]

Then you make sure your 'distance control' improves - that's what I really meant by 'lag putts'! Getting the 1st putt within a dustbin lid - preferably past - is the key. It takes a considerable miss-read, or big/early slope, to miss even very long putts by that much, but it's very easy to leave lag putts woefully short!

You may well also be being too hard on yourself in any case! Try simply concentrating on getting the distance right!

I've worked hard on not leaving putts short, since I had a competition round several months ago with a couple of 16-17 handicappers who quite literally laughed at my putting at times, haha. (I didn't mind, I'm quite easy-going on the course.) My distance control is pretty decent, but yes, I have had reads so bad that the ball veers off 8 feet right of the hole on a slope I couldn't even see. Or I don't realise I'm putting downhill, play it with the right pace for a flat putt and knock it 12 feet past. It's embarrassing.

Edit: still good advice though mate, cheers. Obviously lots of things to take into account on the greens.

 

[Region3]

I have no idea how you would judge what 2% or 3% of a slope is.

You could go on the practice green - find a slope, feel it with your feet, then lay a phone down on it with a spirit level app to see what it is.

 

[nowtfancy]

just to chuck my two penneth in, the visualisation that helped me read greens better was to imagine water squirted along the floor from ball to hole, and then work from which way i would see that 'flowing'
Makes sense to me anyway!

Might seem a silly point, but also putting on Tiger Woods on the xbox, where you move the line to see the route to the hole didnt hurt IMO!

 

[JohnnyDee]

Troublemaker.

Have you considered aimpoint......?

You naughty naughty people. 👀👀








Though I was half tempted myself 😀

 

[chip barm]

putting on Tiger Woods on the xbox...

yes! this was how i was able to read greens! this game. the 2009 one to be exact. seven years before i actually took up golf. crazy really. in it's basic form, it taught me that the weight of the putt is crucial. under hitting will see the ball break early. over hitting will straighten out the break and it's all about managing the two. i rarely miss putts these days because of a bad read. i miss them because i'm shít.

 

[Foxholer]

..
One thing though I would say is past the hole isn't always the best thing...

True enough. Better to be realistic, on long putts, and decide where it's best to have the 2nd putt from. But short/2nd putts should always get to the hole at least! Dave Pelz's 17" past 'rule' works very well! If only I could force myself to do it - I'm a 'drop in at the death' putter!

 

[DCB]

Get yourself a copy of Dave Pelz "Putting Bible" one of the best putting books out there. If it works for you, it will change your putting forever.

 

[user2010]

Knew this is how the thread would turn in to!!

Pathetic.

Really?!? Could you be a pal and PM me over the winning Euro Millions numbers for this Friday nights' draw please, oh Mystic one, there's a good chap.:thup::cheers::clap::whoo:

 

[Foxholer]

Really?!? Could you be a pal and PM me over the winning Euro Millions numbers for this Friday nights' draw please, oh Mystic one, there's a good chap.:thup::cheers::clap::whoo:

Sorry, I need to practice! Give me a couple of days and I'm certain I'll have the answer!

Meantime, kindly stop knocking techniques that HAVE been proven - at least for some folk! If you don't want to use it/them, then fine, but just because YOU reject it doesn't mean it's not sound and practical for others!

It may/may not be appropriate for the OP (I actually think there's some pre-Aimpoint work required in his case) but the continual negative harping of the technique - and your personal 'battle' with Homer - is extremely tedious!

 

[Foxholer]

Btw. Harry Colt - the designer of Haste Hill - was one of those who seemed to enjoy deceiving golfers with green slopes that were the disguised by those of the surrounding land!

And it would be nice if your club's website actually got his name right - it's Henry according to them!!

 

[Orikoru]

Btw. Harry Colt - the designer of Haste Hill - was one of those who seemed to enjoy deceiving golfers with green slopes that were the disguised by those of the surrounding land!

And it would be nice if your club's website actually got his name right - it's Henry according to them!!

In a way both are correct... Harry was interchangeable with Henry in the olden days - like a nickname except it's no shorter than the original name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Colt shows his full name is Henry on there.

There are some tough greens out there to be fair. I've only been a member for this year and playing there 6 months before that, so maybe after several years of experience rather than just 1 I might learn some of the breaks!

 

[Foxholer]

In a way both are correct... Harry was interchangeable with Henry in the olden days - like a nickname except it's no shorter than the original name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Colt shows his full name is Henry on there.

There are some tough greens out there to be fair. I've only been a member for this year and playing there 6 months before that, so maybe after several years of experience rather than just 1 I might learn some of the breaks!

Indeed, he was christened Henry. But much much better know as Harry. I'd suggest that the Wikipedia style was used - with "Harry" inserted in the appropriate place!

Looks like a nice course - as all Colt courses seem to be! Par 3 to start is a little unusual, but not surprised - with Colt ourses - that it's the signature hole! The times I've been around other Colt courses with folk who haven't, they've pretty much ALWAYS felt/said WOW on the first Par 3! Sunningdale New (actiually the old 4th is a biger 'wow'!, Thorndon Park, Swinley Forest and Blackmoor and even Miurfield are all great examples!

 

[user2010]

Sorry, I need to practice! Give me a couple of days and I'm certain I'll have the answer!

Meantime, kindly stop knocking techniques that HAVE been proven - at least for some folk! If you don't want to use it/them, then fine, but just because YOU reject it doesn't mean it's not sound and practical for others!

It may/may not be appropriate for the OP (I actually think there's some pre-Aimpoint work required in his case) but the continual negative harping of the technique - and your personal 'battle' with Homer - is extremely tedious!

Calm down dear, you'll do yourself a mischief.:blah:

 

[Orikoru]

Indeed, he was christened Henry. But much much better know as Harry. I'd suggest that the Wikipedia style was used - with "Harry" inserted in the appropriate place!

Looks like a nice course - as all Colt courses seem to be! Par 3 to start is a little unusual, but not surprised - with Colt ourses - that it's the signature hole! The times I've been around other Colt courses with folk who haven't, they've pretty much ALWAYS felt/said WOW on the first Par 3! Sunningdale New (actiually the old 4th is a biger 'wow'!, Thorndon Park, Swinley Forest and Blackmoor and even Miurfield are all great examples!

I've never taken an interest or looked into course architecture like that. But yes, the first hole is certainly memorable. I nearly always bugger it up to be honest - first hole par 3 is fairly unusual, and often I make a mess of it because I'm not warmed up, and having to hit an accurate iron to a two-tier green surrounded by 5 bunkers for your very first shot of the round is a challenge to say the least!

Last time out I got a bloody 7 on that one. Cracking way to start a round that was. I birdied it once.. haven't parred it too many times either sadly!

 

[Orikoru]

So I tried this green-reading with my feet thing yesterday. Sometimes it helped - I can recall two or possibly three successful reads on which I ended up holing and the putt, so that was good. There were some putts I still couldn't read with this method though. Lots of putts where I read the left/right break ok but not quite the amount so I missed the putt but left it close enough to knock in. Also a couple of times where one of the other chaps lines was close to mine so I didn't feel like I could stand close enough to get a proper read and risk stepping on his line. No big improvement in putting though - ended up with 35 putts altogether for the round. Same as my usual average really. To be fair, I only three-putted twice, so maybe that's progress. Certainly isn't any worse than trying to judge it with my eyes so I'm going to keep it going this way for now.

Also in my defence they had put some nasty gunk on the greens that day, so they were all slimy and sandy so that probably didn't help. God knows what it was but it made a right mess of my putter and ball.

 

[OnTour]

Make yourself a greens book, plot the greens with hole19, vpar or something that you can zoom in and simple mark every hole position you play and how a line detailing how much break there is and LR or RL etc. infact I've got a book for every course I play #SadHey

works for me

 

[HomerJSimpson]

So I tried this green-reading with my feet thing yesterday. Sometimes it helped - I can recall two or possibly three successful reads on which I ended up holing and the putt, so that was good. There were some putts I still couldn't read with this method though. Lots of putts where I read the left/right break ok but not quite the amount so I missed the putt but left it close enough to knock in. Also a couple of times where one of the other chaps lines was close to mine so I didn't feel like I could stand close enough to get a proper read and risk stepping on his line. No big improvement in putting though - ended up with 35 putts altogether for the round. Same as my usual average really. To be fair, I only three-putted twice, so maybe that's progress. Certainly isn't any worse than trying to judge it with my eyes so I'm going to keep it going this way for now.

Also in my defence they had put some nasty gunk on the greens that day, so they were all slimy and sandy so that probably didn't help. God knows what it was but it made a right mess of my putter and ball.

Let's get a game sorted and we can talk Aimpoint and I'll give you an idiots on course guide

 

[garyinderry]

[video=youtube;3rrQRG2gkPg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rrQRG2gkPg&t=0s[/video]

Good little video here on reading a green but more importantly pace.

 

[patricks148]

Wait till you have a go on greens with Grain on them