Reading Greens

[Nick_Toye]

Hi,

I've discovered today that no matter how much I think I am reading the greens correctly I am always coming up short, or the line is off.

I'll be honest, unless its a bit whacking slope, I don't have a clue.

Is there some kind of x-ray specs I can buy which allow me to see the gradients of greens to the minutest detail?

 

[Oddsocks]

I find just looking at greens then rolling balls along the lines you think are there learns a lot. I've learnt more on greens with a pocket full of balls and no putter.

 

[Nick_Toye]

I find just looking at greens then rolling balls along the lines you think are there learns a lot. I've learnt more on greens with a pocket full of balls and no putter.

Can't really do that during a round though.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Aimpoint. Yes you still have to set it on the right line but it really will give you an idea how to read greens properly and I think you'll be surprised how much break some putts actually need

 

[Nick_Toye]

Aimpoint. Yes you still have to set it on the right line but it really will give you an idea how to read greens properly and I think you'll be surprised how much break some putts actually need

What's Aimpoint.

 

[pbrown7582]

What's Aimpoint.

http://www.aimpointgolf.com

 

[Deleted member 15344]

What's Aimpoint.

A method that can be used to read greens - a method that you pay to find out the details etc

Your best bet would a couples on a putting green and work out the pace you hit your putts because that makes the amount you give very crucial.

 

[Oddsocks]

Can't really do that during a round though.

So go out one evening, just rolling balls on troubled greens from different angles, you will be amazed!

 

[Nick_Toye]

I'm not really sure how that would help me on the course though. I played a round today on my own, I guess I could have put another ball on the green and had a few putts to get the feel, but it feels like cheating.

 

[Oddsocks]

I'm not really sure how that would help me on the course though. I played a round today on my own, I guess I could have put another ball on the green and had a few putts to get the feel, but it feels like cheating.

Ok, I've found certain greens on my course I struggle on, our 7th on the red loop as an example. It's a green where everything rolls back to front so your always better off coming short and putting up hill. Expire the green being huge, there seems 4 common pin positions. Standing on the left side of the green which seems my common miss I've rolled balls to the 4 pin locations respectively just watching how the ball changes, breaks and also changes in speed.

A good idea is to get a course planned and mark the common pin placements, your notice certain placements give more trouble than others, for example back right on the 7th, look at where you commonly land on that green and roll balls to that position, different pace, aim higher then the hole, at the hole and so on,

You generally find there won't be many greens that catch you, but there will be the same green that catches you regular, that's the one that needs the time, and homework on.

 

[Nick_Toye]

Ok, I've found certain greens on my course I struggle on, our 7th on the red loop as an example. It's a green where everything rolls back to front so your always better off coming short and putting up hill. Expire the green being huge, there seems 4 common pin positions. Standing on the left side of the green which seems my common miss I've rolled balls to the 4 pin locations respectively just watching how the ball changes, breaks and also changes in speed.

A good idea is to get a course planned and mark the common pin placements, your notice certain placements give more trouble than others, for example back right on the 7th, look at where you commonly land on that green and roll balls to that position, different pace, aim higher then the hole, at the hole and so on,

You generally find there won't be many greens that catch you, but there will be the same green that catches you regular, that's the one that needs the time, and homework on.

I don't usually play the same course, I'm not a member anywhere. I'd roll a ball on the green if it falls within the etiquette of the game.

Ideally the range I go to should have some kind of training area for this kind of stuff.

 

[the_coach]

Hi,

I've discovered today that no matter how much I think I am reading the greens correctly I am always coming up short, or the line is off.

I'll be honest, unless its a bit whacking slope, I don't have a clue.

Is there some kind of x-ray specs I can buy which allow me to see the gradients of greens to the minutest detail?

First it's useful making absolutely sure your able to aim a square face at your target sounds obvious lot of folks don't do this though, whether the aim is part of the hole or it's a break point.
Startling stat that most ams miss putts first because putter face not aimed correctly, second most common reason is pace not line, third poor technique.

Worth if you're able to, to get a good PGA pro check over how you put your hands on your putter grip. (different premise for a grip on a putter than a normal golf shot grip, as putter grip has to deliver accuracy not club head speed) Get them to check your stroke technique. To check too that even if you're aimed correctly, can your technique deliver a centered strike on the right path at the right height through the ball. A lot of ams who have difficulty with face aim, strike & pace contact the ball with slightly open face with a slight right to left path.
Useful for tempo is count in your head, 1 & 2, at the same pace whatever the length of putt. I've found it's better to stroke through and hold the finish position of the putter head, then to 'hit' & recoil. Stroking through to a held finish better helps an accelerating stroke through the ball, if you recoil the head back quite often it starts to come back before you've properly gone through the strike.

You ideally start your green reading some 20 or so yards on your approach to the green, the setting of the green within it's surroundings so you can see how the general land lies. Far easier to see the overall slope around the edges of the green so see what slopes there may be on the green before you're actually standing on it.

As it's not a 'major' check line & feel for pace from view feet behind the ball as you walk up to repair pitch mark, & mark you ball if you need to clean it or it's in someone's line. You don't have to read them from all four sides, you'll mostly confuse yourself doing this.

Also to get a feel for any slope walk to the low side of the line to midway easier to get a handle on distance & pace as behind it view foreshortens distance. Personally as I do this, & because I consider my right hand/arm the 'feel' part of my putting stroke whilst I'm at the low side looking at overall distance I'm also moving my right hand/arm feeling the imagined stroke for distance, doesn't take that long to do, certainly nowhere near as long as writing it out! Maybes sounds a bit strange but your feet on the green can actually help tell you a lot about slope as you walk.
(Any folks new to golf as etiquette, don't walk on playing partners line to or behind the hole on their line should they miss their first putt. Never touch the line of your putt with club or finger, foot etc.
If sand from a bunker is on your line you are allowed to brush it away but not in the direction of the putt, also then it can't be misconstrued by anyone as 'improving'. On some very odd occasions I have come across a local rule in place forbidding clearing sand on the green but you could still pick small stones away, this not one you'll run into often, though does happen: note always check for all local rules before you tee it up.)

Most short putts are missed (assuming aim was correct) often by moving feet, legs, hips, upper body (not used for the stroke itself), head commonly moves because you've moved one or both of the fore mentioned. Common cry you 'looked up' from playing partners when you miss, is not so much the looking, usually hips, upper body moves as you try mid stroke to adjust line of stroke because you not confident of the line you picked, then you look up anyway.

Good practice, but not before you go out to play, is clock face 6 balls all 6 feet around the hole, aim to see how many times you can go around the clock without missing, thought on the stroke is to hear the ball drop before you move. You miss one you have to line them all back up & start again.

Putting before you play, just use one ball (you're not going to be using two or three out on the course, using more than one puts you in the wrong frame of mind that you have 'another chance')

On lag putting make time for some 20'/30' foot putts, again one ball. Personally doing this before a round I'd rather putt to a small mark on the practice putting green or a tee for two reason the targets smaller & you don't see yourself 'missing' the hole.
Still with one ball find a straight 3' putt, I just like to putt 3 times listening to it go in, listening so I'm remain rock still during the stroke & leave with putting green with a positive attitude because they been holed, that you give yourself an esy put to do this doesn't matter.

 

[Nick_Toye]

First it's useful making absolutely sure your able to aim a square face at your target sounds obvious lot of folks don't do this though, whether the aim is part of the hole or it's a break point.
Startling stat that most ams miss putts first because putter face not aimed correctly, second most common reason is pace not line, third poor technique.

Worth if you're able to, to get a good PGA pro check over how you put your hands on your putter grip. (different premise for a grip on a putter than a normal golf shot grip, as putter grip has to deliver accuracy not club head speed) Get them to check your stroke technique. To check too that even if you're aimed correctly, can your technique deliver a centered strike on the right path at the right height through the ball. A lot of ams who have difficulty with face aim, strike & pace contact the ball with slightly open face with a slight right to left path.
Useful for tempo is count in your head, 1 & 2, at the same pace whatever the length of putt. I've found it's better to stroke through and hold the finish position of the putter head, then to 'hit' & recoil. Stroking through to a held finish better helps an accelerating stroke through the ball, if you recoil the head back quite often it starts to come back before you've properly gone through the strike.

You ideally start your green reading some 20 or so yards on your approach to the green, the setting of the green within it's surroundings so you can see how the general land lies. Far easier to see the overall slope around the edges of the green so see what slopes there may be on the green before you're actually standing on it.

As it's not a 'major' check line & feel for pace from view feet behind the ball as you walk up to repair pitch mark, & mark you ball if you need to clean it or it's in someone's line. You don't have to read them from all four sides, you'll mostly confuse yourself doing this.

Also to get a feel for any slope walk to the low side of the line to midway easier to get a handle on distance & pace as behind it view foreshortens distance. Personally as I do this, & because I consider my right hand/arm the 'feel' part of my putting stroke whilst I'm at the low side looking at overall distance I'm also moving my right hand/arm feeling the imagined stroke for distance, doesn't take that long to do, certainly nowhere near as long as writing it out! Maybes sounds a bit strange but your feet on the green can actually help tell you a lot about slope as you walk.
(Any folks new to golf as etiquette, don't walk on playing partners line to or behind the hole on their line should they miss their first putt. Never touch the line of your putt with club or finger, foot etc.
If sand from a bunker is on your line you are allowed to brush it away but not in the direction of the putt, also then it can't be misconstrued by anyone as 'improving'. On some very odd occasions I have come across a local rule in place forbidding clearing sand on the green but you could still pick small stones away, this not one you'll run into often, though does happen: note always check for all local rules before you tee it up.)

Most short putts are missed (assuming aim was correct) often by moving feet, legs, hips, upper body (not used for the stroke itself), head commonly moves because you've moved one or both of the fore mentioned. Common cry you 'looked up' from playing partners when you miss, is not so much the looking, usually hips, upper body moves as you try mid stroke to adjust line of stroke because you not confident of the line you picked, then you look up anyway.

Good practice, but not before you go out to play, is clock face 6 balls all 6 feet around the hole, aim to see how many times you can go around the clock without missing, thought on the stroke is to hear the ball drop before you move. You miss one you have to line them all back up & start again.

Putting before you play, just use one ball (you're not going to be using two or three out on the course, using more than one puts you in the wrong frame of mind that you have 'another chance')

On lag putting make time for some 20'/30' foot putts, again one ball. Personally doing this before a round I'd rather putt to a small mark on the practice putting green or a tee for two reason the targets smaller & you don't see yourself 'missing' the hole.
Still with one ball find a straight 3' putt, I just like to putt 3 times listening to it go in, listening so I'm remain rock still during the stroke & leave with putting green with a positive attitude because they been holed, that you give yourself an esy put to do this doesn't matter.

Another awesome reply.

My main problem is not seeing the breaks, when I go down on my haunches and try and see, I can't make it out.

As for my putting technique? Well I seem to have some kind of issue with my right hand, it kind of shakes, i've had it for years and its never really given me a problem in life. It's not out of control, its just I very rarely get a rock solid right hand. So when I started putting last year I struggled with hitting the ball square on as when I draw my club back it would sway slightly.

This year though I've definitely improved and watched a couple of Tiger's drills. I've also got that Fatso 5.0 grip on my putter now as my Canadian friend recommended it would help with my feel.

I also don't grip the putter like I do any other club. I kind of hold it like I would hold a baseball bat and try and bring my arms into motion pendulem style, rather than using my wrists.

I like the idea of using 1 ball around the practice green. Also one thing I would note is that we seem to have a lack of practice facilities where I live. There is a range, and it has some kind of bunker to faux green area, but it's not very good.

Also worth noting my putting average is 2.2 per hole.

 

[the_coach]

My main problem is not seeing the breaks, when I go down on my haunches and try and see, I can't make it out.

Get what you mean, but that's also why it's really useful starting to read how the green sits in/on the land as you're still approaching it, often a ways easier to see the overall slopes you're going to have to contend with. Even if the slopes aren't great being able to see the edges of the green front, left, right & how it sits will give you a head start.

Also why it's good to look from 6' behind your ball but also walk around to the low side of the hole to a point where you can see the length properly from ball to hole. Greta for helping you judge distance & speed of the putt.

Concentrate on speed more so than line & your not going to 3 putt as often, & more will drop if you've got the line right too.

On straight putts focus on a spot on your line couple inches in front of your ball a point at the on the back edge of the cup & your ball & line the face square to these 3 points.
One your last look at the spot at back of hole as soon as you bring your eyes back to the ball start your stroke, use that last look back as the trigger then you won't get frozen over it & jerk the putter away. On looking it's best if you swivel your head to look rather than lift you head up I've found.

On 6' putts & under, do the 3 point line up as above, but see the ball going towards the spot on the back of the cup, swivel head eyes back to ball, & stroke, hold the finish of the putter head at the end of the stroke don't recoil would be my advice.
Try it & see.

Just on technique, try if it's possible to make your shoulders the engine & governor of your stroke to take the hands out as much as possible, easier said than done I realize.
If you can get a posture where your fore-arms more mirror the putter shaft angle at address it's easier to achieve the shoulder rocking stroke, also too if the putter handle lies down the length of the left hand, rather than accross the bottom of the palm in the fingers as it does with any other club.

 

[Nick_Toye]

Get what you mean, but that's also why it's really useful starting to read how the green sits in/on the land as you're still approaching it, often a ways easier to see the overall slopes you're going to have to contend with. Even if the slopes aren't great being able to see the edges of the green front, left, right & how it sits will give you a head start.

Also why it's good to look from 6' behind your ball but also walk around to the low side of the hole to a point where you can see the length properly from ball to hole. Greta for helping you judge distance & speed of the putt.

Concentrate on speed more so than line & your not going to 3 putt as often, & more will drop if you've got the line right too.

On straight putts focus on a spot on your line couple inches in front of your ball a point at the on the back edge of the cup & your ball & line the face square to these 3 points.
One your last look at the spot at back of hole as soon as you bring your eyes back to the ball start your stroke, use that last look back as the trigger then you won't get frozen over it & jerk the putter away. On looking it's best if you swivel your head to look rather than lift you head up I've found.

On 6' putts & under, do the 3 point line up as above, but see the ball going towards the spot on the back of the cup, swivel head eyes back to ball, & stroke, hold the finish of the putter head at the end of the stroke don't recoil would be my advice.
Try it & see.

Just on technique, try if it's possible to make your shoulders the engine & governor of your stroke to take the hands out as much as possible, easier said than done I realize.
If you can get a posture where your fore-arms more mirror the putter shaft angle at address it's easier to achieve the shoulder rocking stroke, also too if the putter handle lies down the length of the left hand, rather than accross the bottom of the palm in the fingers as it does with any other club.

Great advice. I like the trigger idea. I guess then that much of it will come with experience. I liked the way Tiger sets up by walking around the shot, getting an overall feel for the break, then takes 1 practice stroke, another and looks, then club behind the ball one look and he's away.

 

[London mike 61]

First it's useful making absolutely sure your able to aim a square face at your target sounds obvious lot of folks don't do this though, whether the aim is part of the hole or it's a break point.
Startling stat that most ams miss putts first because putter face not aimed correctly, second most common reason is pace not line, third poor technique.

Worth if you're able to, to get a good PGA pro check over how you put your hands on your putter grip. (different premise for a grip on a putter than a normal golf shot grip, as putter grip has to deliver accuracy not club head speed) Get them to check your stroke technique. To check too that even if you're aimed correctly, can your technique deliver a centered strike on the right path at the right height through the ball. A lot of ams who have difficulty with face aim, strike & pace contact the ball with slightly open face with a slight right to left path.
Useful for tempo is count in your head, 1 & 2, at the same pace whatever the length of putt. I've found it's better to stroke through and hold the finish position of the putter head, then to 'hit' & recoil. Stroking through to a held finish better helps an accelerating stroke through the ball, if you recoil the head back quite often it starts to come back before you've properly gone through the strike.

You ideally start your green reading some 20 or so yards on your approach to the green, the setting of the green within it's surroundings so you can see how the general land lies. Far easier to see the overall slope around the edges of the green so see what slopes there may be on the green before you're actually standing on it.

As it's not a 'major' check line & feel for pace from view feet behind the ball as you walk up to repair pitch mark, & mark you ball if you need to clean it or it's in someone's line. You don't have to read them from all four sides, you'll mostly confuse yourself doing this.

Also to get a feel for any slope walk to the low side of the line to midway easier to get a handle on distance & pace as behind it view foreshortens distance. Personally as I do this, & because I consider my right hand/arm the 'feel' part of my putting stroke whilst I'm at the low side looking at overall distance I'm also moving my right hand/arm feeling the imagined stroke for distance, doesn't take that long to do, certainly nowhere near as long as writing it out! Maybes sounds a bit strange but your feet on the green can actually help tell you a lot about slope as you walk.
(Any folks new to golf as etiquette, don't walk on playing partners line to or behind the hole on their line should they miss their first putt. Never touch the line of your putt with club or finger, foot etc.
If sand from a bunker is on your line you are allowed to brush it away but not in the direction of the putt, also then it can't be misconstrued by anyone as 'improving'. On some very odd occasions I have come across a local rule in place forbidding clearing sand on the green but you could still pick small stones away, this not one you'll run into often, though does happen: note always check for all local rules before you tee it up.)

Most short putts are missed (assuming aim was correct) often by moving feet, legs, hips, upper body (not used for the stroke itself), head commonly moves because you've moved one or both of the fore mentioned. Common cry you 'looked up' from playing partners when you miss, is not so much the looking, usually hips, upper body moves as you try mid stroke to adjust line of stroke because you not confident of the line you picked, then you look up anyway.

Good practice, but not before you go out to play, is clock face 6 balls all 6 feet around the hole, aim to see how many times you can go around the clock without missing, thought on the stroke is to hear the ball drop before you move. You miss one you have to line them all back up & start again.

Putting before you play, just use one ball (you're not going to be using two or three out on the course, using more than one puts you in the wrong frame of mind that you have 'another chance')

On lag putting make time for some 20'/30' foot putts, again one ball. Personally doing this before a round I'd rather putt to a small mark on the practice putting green or a tee for two reason the targets smaller & you don't see yourself 'missing' the hole.
Still with one ball find a straight 3' putt, I just like to putt 3 times listening to it go in, listening so I'm remain rock still during the stroke & leave with putting green with a positive attitude because they been holed, that you give yourself an esy put to do this doesn't matter.

Great reply coach , I also have struggled with putting.

I often think my line is out because I wear glasses that are vari focals and that seems to distort what I see as a good line.

Any tips on how to deal with the parallax would be really appreciated.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Reading greens is even more important than you think. I've got a putting mat & hole which I use at home. Where I place it on the floor all the putts, around 5', are right lip. I can hole 10 out of 10, 20 out of 20 if I concentrate. I'd be struggling to do this on the course even on relatively straight putts. Even the nap of the grass can send a putt off line.

 

[virtuocity]

Aim.









Point.

 

[the_coach]

I often think my line is out because I wear glasses that are vari focals and that seems to distort what I see as a good line.

Any tips on how to deal with the parallax would be really appreciated.

Imagine that must make it a ways more difficult for sure. As the only glasses I wear, sunglasses ...... so far anyways!! can't offer advice from any ophthalmic knowledge of prescription wear.

Think too, maybe the nearer you are to viewing an object the more you'll get some distortion, so perhaps even more important for you to start reading the 'land' & green on your approach to it.
Have only noticed glasses wearers who are decent putters tend to shield their 'read view' using both hands as a norm though, whatever the sunlight conditions, maybe to do with reflections & shutting off any peripheral view distraction maybes.

Can only imagine it would be good to keep eyes as level as possible whilst trying to read the lines, so as not to add to the distortion maybe.

Think this problem of distance & depth perception, so more problematic seeing line, makes it even more important to have those '3' aim points, of ball, a spot little ways in front of the ball then whatever part of the hole or break point to the hole you need to consider for the line of a putt.

One thing I should have said before, something that's second nature really, always watch the travel of any putt that goes past the hole so you then see the line of the putt for coming back.
Too I always attempt to stroke putts at a speed that would leave them 12" to 18" past if they don't go in. The boffins that have done the experiments say that gives you the optimum speed for any putt to 'hold' it's line.

Probably a good idea to be sure which is your dominant eye & factor that in, perhaps if up closer to reads maybe closing the other eye might even help?
Also if you keep a note of where you miss the line/putt, so over time you'd be able to see if there's a clear pattern of which side you are missing, which could shed some light if it's a vision problem, if there proves to be a definite pattern you might be able to factor in some compensation.
If say regardless in the difference in putts over time your always an inch or so left or right of the true line, maybe you can set up with that in mind. As ams I know we tend to always miss on the low side as we under read putts so all the experts say anyways .....
Always assuming of course it's all down to 'reading lines' & not putting technique.

 

[Nick_Toye]

Some great advice Coach.