Is reading greens learnt over time?

[Petercool]

I was missing so many putts for months slightly and I honestly thought I was just bad putting.

Anyway got a putter lesson and a few drills and I can hit in 10 putts in a row from the same spot about 2.5 mtrs out.

I then move to another hole in the practice green and same distance out and I miss the first 2-4 putts and then start sinking them.

But I have worked out I actually just cant read greens.

I picture water flowing down them and what they are doing and I still miss. Both above and below the cup but below more often.

Is there a good tip for reading greens?

 

[evemccc]

I was missing so many putts for months slightly and I honestly thought I was just bad putting.

Anyway got a putter lesson and a few drills and I can hit in 10 putts in a row from the same spot about 2.5 mtrs out.

I then move to another hole in the practice green and same distance out and I miss the first 2-4 putts and then start sinking them.

But I have worked out I actually just cant read greens.

I picture water flowing down them and what they are doing and I still miss. Both above and below the cup but below more often.

Is there a good tip for reading greens?

If your putting technique is sound, then I think that’s the hard bit about putting.

In terms of reading greens, is your distance control good? Cos that’s the most important part IMO. And improving that should stop 3 putts.

In terms of reading greens, just research about it and think about it a little, and you can find plenty of truisms that ‘should’ help..

Eg.
1) Putts break much more when the stimp is much higher, and obvs less when they need a shave.

2) Most people miss putts on the low side..and in terms of your next putt (assuming you do miss) is generally easier if you have missed on the high side of a breaking putt

3) Putts break more when going downhill, compared to uphill

Aside from that, use your feet…whether you do aimpoint or not…use you feet when you’re stood over the ball IF you can’t see a break and see if you can feel anything

Get used to a speed for rolling putts in from a few feet away and be consistent with it, and correlate that ‘putting out’ speed with break…cos obvs the break of any putt is dependent on the speed of the roll you put on the ball

EDIT: you can find plenty of research articles online about the relative speed and break needed for downhill putts, just like you can find research articles about the difference between a 10 mph wind of hurt Vs a 10 mph wind of help for iron shots.
So aside from technique, just research a little and then think a little when you’re on the green

 

[Golfnut1957]

I can't speak for anyone else but in my case no!

I have played at my home course for 43 years and know the greens well, so I get away with it. But, as an example our 17th, which has massive slopes left to right and back to front, just looks flat to me. My head is wired up wrong.

The problems start when I play away from home. We played Hartlepool earlier in the year, which has fairly flattish greens with quite subtle breaks, and I don't see anything. If I am lucky there will be someone putting before me, or if it is fourball, a partner, either of which will give me a read. If not, then I can look really stupid at times.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm similar. Can putt very well on my course on my day - don't do much read the greens though as remember them now. Go to an away course and I'll over-read everything and miss high a lot, since our home greens break a lot and I'll be looking for break that isn't there. I can never trust a straight one!

 

[Slab]

@Petercool I think you’re in Oz, is it possible that the greens you play on have grain/nap to influence your putts ?

If so you definitely need to take this into account on every putt and even adapt if putting AM or PM (as the grass grows through the day)

You’ll find tips etc with a google on the topic for how to identify it, and what happens when putting with/against or across the grain

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I was missing so many putts for months slightly and I honestly thought I was just bad putting.

Anyway got a putter lesson and a few drills and I can hit in 10 putts in a row from the same spot about 2.5 mtrs out.

I then move to another hole in the practice green and same distance out and I miss the first 2-4 putts and then start sinking them.

But I have worked out I actually just cant read greens.

I picture water flowing down them and what they are doing and I still miss. Both above and below the cup but below more often.

Is there a good tip for reading greens?

Yes and no I guess is prob the answer

If you play regularly at your home course then you get used to the greens as opposed to reading greens better

A lot of it comes down to feel and eye

There is no exact science

I look for the high points on the green and then also at any point will look for the peak in the turn

 

[Golfnut1957]

@Petercool I think you’re in Oz, is it possible that the greens you play on have grain/nap to influence your putts ?

If so you definitely need to take this into account on every putt and even adapt if putting AM or PM (as the grass grows through the day)

You’ll find tips etc with a google on the topic for how to identify it, and what happens when putting with/against or across the grain

Stop! I'm having nightmares. Grain, nap and slopes that I can't see.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I remember my pro asking me for advice on his putting stroke.
I could not see any faults and asked him if his eyesight was ok.
Result was he got his eyes tested and bought some specs for the first time.

 

[jim8flog]

I would say it was something I was good at up until a few years ago.
My eyesight has definitely got worse with my left worse than than right.
Biggest problem I have found is that I do not have as good a sense of ' perception of depth' as I used to which can affect chips as well (worst is seeing where the flag is is on the green).

One of my biggest problems is a general failure to read the greens, having played here for nearly 40 years I often putt from memory but the greens have changed shape with age.

 

[sjw]

If your putting technique is sound, then I think that’s the hard bit about putting.

In terms of reading greens, is your distance control good? Cos that’s the most important part IMO. And improving that should stop 3 putts.

In terms of reading greens, just research about it and think about it a little, and you can find plenty of truisms that ‘should’ help..

Eg.
1) Putts break much more when the stimp is much higher, and obvs less when they need a shave.

2) Most people miss putts on the low side..and in terms of your next putt (assuming you do miss) is generally easier if you have missed on the high side of a breaking putt

3) Putts break more when going downhill, compared to uphill

Aside from that, use your feet…whether you do aimpoint or not…use you feet when you’re stood over the ball IF you can’t see a break and see if you can feel anything

Get used to a speed for rolling putts in from a few feet away and be consistent with it, and correlate that ‘putting out’ speed with break…cos obvs the break of any putt is dependent on the speed of the roll you put on the ball

EDIT: you can find plenty of research articles online about the relative speed and break needed for downhill putts, just like you can find research articles about the difference between a 10 mph wind of hurt Vs a 10 mph wind of help for iron shots.
So aside from technique, just research a little and then think a little when you’re on the green

Not sure I understand point number 2. Wouldn't that mean you have a downhill putt coming up, if you miss on the high side?

 

[Orikoru]

Not sure I understand point number 2. Wouldn't that mean you have a downhill putt coming up, if you miss on the high side?

Yes, but it will be a lot closer to the hole. If you miss low on a breaking putt it tends to run away from the hole a bit. If you miss it high, it should finish a bit closer. Even if it is downhill. I'd rather have a one foot downhiller than a 3-4 foot uphiller. I usually allow a bit more break than I think for this reason, I'd rather miss high than miss low and see it trickle a few feet away.

 

[adasko]

Not sure I understand point number 2. Wouldn't that mean you have a downhill putt coming up, if you miss on the high side?

high side is oposite site to the break on the put.
if put breaks left to righ and you miss it left you missed it on the high side

 

[Slab]

Not sure I understand point number 2. Wouldn't that mean you have a downhill putt coming up, if you miss on the high side?

A miss on the high side will often still end up below the hole, usually when hit a tad long, it goes round the back and leave a slight uphill but usually still with break for next putt, a miss on low side can often leave a straight(er) uphill 2nd putt

bit if you miss on high side and still face downhill putt outside of kick-in distance then it’s a helluva ‘wide’ putt

 

[Springveldt]

I can't speak for anyone else but in my case no!

I have played at my home course for 43 years and know the greens well, so I get away with it. But, as an example our 17th, which has massive slopes left to right and back to front, just looks flat to me. My head is wired up wrong.

The problems start when I play away from home. We played Hartlepool earlier in the year, which has fairly flattish greens with quite subtle breaks, and I don't see anything. If I am lucky there will be someone putting before me, or if it is fourball, a partner, either of which will give me a read. If not, then I can look really stupid at times.

I'm the same, I can't read breaks with my eyes at all. I end up getting influenced by other stuff instead like if the flag isn't sitting perfectly straight in the hole, if the greenkeeper cut the hole crap and one side is higher than the other, it there is a hill behind the green etc. I used to misread a ton of putts thinking it was going to break one way and then it goes the complete opposite way.

I started using Aimpoint towards the end of last year and at least now I get which direction the break is going correct but my putting still needs work.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I am happy that Aimpoint allows me to read the greens without having to rely on previous history and can treat each putt as a uniqu eevent

 

[Orikoru]

I am happy that Aimpoint allows me to read the greens without having to rely on previous history and can treat each putt as a uniqu eevent

He speaks from the grave!

 

[timd77]

I use the plumb bob method because I can’t read greens. Personally can’t explain the plumb bob method, but it works for me. If I hit the putt correctly it’s there or thereabouts, the read is usually good.

Remember asking friends and playing partners in the past how to read a green, they’ve tried to explain and show me, I couldn’t see what they were seeing. Of course I can see which way it breaks if it’s obvious, just not how much and where to aim.

Played in a golfer/non golfer thing at my club a couple of years ago, my wife being the non golfer and so she had to take all the putts, she’d never played golf apart from crazy golf. I asked her if she wanted me to show her where to aim, she said no, she could see it herself, and lo and behold, she was there or thereabouts most of the time, her read was spot on. The only thing she couldn’t quite grasp was how fast the greens were when downhill! Zooooommm!!!

 

[Orikoru]

I use the plumb bob method because I can’t read greens. Personally can’t explain the plumb bob method, but it works for me. If I hit the putt correctly it’s there or thereabouts, the read is usually good.

Remember asking friends and playing partners in the past how to read a green, they’ve tried to explain and show me, I couldn’t see what they were seeing. Of course I can see which way it breaks if it’s obvious, just not how much and where to aim.

Played in a golfer/non golfer thing at my club a couple of years ago, my wife being the non golfer and so she had to take all the putts, she’d never played golf apart from crazy golf. I asked her if she wanted me to show her where to aim, she said no, she could see it herself, and lo and behold, she was there or thereabouts most of the time, her read was spot on. The only thing she couldn’t quite grasp was how fast the greens were when downhill! Zooooommm!!!

Was it you who talked about this before? When I watched a video on it, I found that it wasn't doing at all what I thought it was, and it made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.

I must admit, I don't read greens to a very precise level, because there is no point. I'm not good enough to aim precisely 3 and a half balls left or whatever. I putt better when I don't think about it too long, so I just get a feel for whether it's left edge, a bit more left, or a lot more left - and then just focus on getting the speed right. I've been putting pretty well with this process. It's also the reason I don't use a line on the ball, you can get too tied up with the line and get the pace completely wrong, which knackers your line anyway. This all sort of comes from Rotella's book, Putting Out Of Your Mind - I just sort of visualise a line it might go on, then hit it. As he says, it's more important to be decisive than to be correct.

 

[Depreston]

Ive had some time to practice on an evening and shock horror it works!

Changed setup a bit as well my eyeline was miles away from the ball

I like to use the Jason Day and Rory method of visualising what the putt would do if I aim it directly at the centre and working it out from there

 

[timd77]

Was it you who talked about this before? When I watched a video on it, I found that it wasn't doing at all what I thought it was, and it made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.

I must admit, I don't read greens to a very precise level, because there is no point. I'm not good enough to aim precisely 3 and a half balls left or whatever. I putt better when I don't think about it too long, so I just get a feel for whether it's left edge, a bit more left, or a lot more left - and then just focus on getting the speed right. I've been putting pretty well with this process. It's also the reason I don't use a line on the ball, you can get too tied up with the line and get the pace completely wrong, which knackers your line anyway. This all sort of comes from Rotella's book, Putting Out Of Your Mind - I just sort of visualise a line it might go on, then hit it. As he says, it's more important to be decisive than to be correct.

Ha ha, it was me yeh, I gave up trying to explain eventually! I do remember watching it back and thinking you all had a point, but for whatever reason it made sense to me and works a treat.