Reading Putts.

[seochris]

How do most of you read putts?

I was out yesterday and had real difficulty reading some putts? Some just broke the complete opposite of what I thought it would?

Do you read them from both behind and in front or just behind? How do you make the decision on which way it will brake. I went in front of some putts yesterday and it looked like it was going to break the other way from when I read it from behind.

i need some help....maybe I need to go to spec-savers.....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Aimpoint. All you'll ever need to know :mmm::rofl::thup:

 

[seochris]

Aimpoint. All you'll ever need to know :mmm::rofl::thup:

Is that some kind of phone app?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

http://www.jamiedonaldson.co.uk/aimpointclinics.html

 

[HDID Kenny]

How do most of you read putts?

I was out yesterday and had real difficulty reading some putts? Some just broke the complete opposite of what I thought it would?

Do you read them from both behind and in front or just behind? How do you make the decision on which way it will brake. I went in front of some putts yesterday and it looked like it was going to break the other way from when I read it from behind.

i need some help....maybe I need to go to spec-savers.....

It's one of those things that I don't believe can be taught, you either see a break naturally or you don't, if you don't see breaks combined with poor feel it's a tough game. Practice helps, try various length putts from various angles tell yourself how you see each putt reacting and try to understand how the ball actually reacted, once you start getting it right you should become more confident. :thup:

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Guesswork mainly - but just judge the pace from the first green and then just feel the line mainly

 

[MashieNiblick]

It's an interesting topic. For me it is about visualisation based on experience. Some greens are more difficult to read than others, with subtle or multiple breaks . Despite playing my home course week in week out for 30 years there are still some putts I can't read. Sometimes I just "see" the line. Other times I have no idea.

 

[Ethan]

Dave Stockton says to read from the low side first, looking across the line from ball to hole, from behind the ball and focus on the final third, which has the greatest influence as the ball moves more when losing speed. Never read from the high side. More break rather than less, as a general rule.

Best way to learn is simply to practice. Go to a practice green, decide what you think is the aim point, the point equidistant from the hole you aim at - 6 inches left, a foot right etc, put a tee peg there, then putt it, see how the putt does, correct your aim and move the tee, try again etc until you begin to tune in to the break.

 

[ScienceBoy]

First look at the land around the green, and obvious turn?

Then from the side and back is enough. Critical putts read from both ends.

I just then hit it straight to the point where it turns and let gravity do the rest.

 

[Jimaroid]

I use my eyes then I putt the ball.

Seems to be working alrightish. :thup:

 

[Ross61]

Look at the line from a reasonable distance first to get a idea of the slope, if any, of the green. When you are only a couple of yards behind the ball you can see slopes in relation to the green but can forget the green is on a slope anyway.
As someone else said I don't think finer judgement/touch is teachable.
once I've decided on my line I get mental picture of the ball travelling along the line and turning into the hole (unless it is dead straight of course). Then I let my subconscious move my arms and putt. If I have thoughts about how hard to hit it whizzing around my head when over the ball I invariably make a pigs ear of it!

 

[virtuocity]

It's one of those things that I don't believe can be taught, you either see a break naturally or you don't

This is incorrect. The brain can read breaks in terrain- this is an inherent skill that we naturally improve upon over time.

 

[ruff-driver]

How many of us aim at the apex of the break?
I know i did until i watched this

quite an eye opener

[video=youtube;7e8UgT6LrW4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e8UgT6LrW4[/video]

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I just look from behind - go back maybe 10ft and crouch down low. I look at it as straight putt then when (usually) I see it isn't choose a spot on the green maybe halfway to the hole for the break I see, and move or tilt body to look straight that point and visualise the putt breaking off that line. I repeat until I'm sorted on the point on the green and my line. I don't often get it very wrong so I guess it must just be experience.

 

[ScienceBoy]

How many of us aim at the apex of the break?

I know I do for long putts, I don't have control of the ball after the point it first turns.

 

[virtuocity]

The brain doesn't work well looking from behind the ball.

Try this:



1. Stand as per the illustration above, with the hole on the left and the ball on the right, far enough away to make a triangle. Not an exact science, and beware of stepping on your FC's line.

2. Face the middle of the line between the hole in the ball. FOCUS.

3. Standing, look at the hole. Then, look at the ball. Then, look at the hole. Then, STARE at the ball.

4. Staring at the ball, walk up to it and address it with your putter.

5. Trust it. Hole the putt.

By doing this from the side, your eyes will scan the break both back and forward from the ball to the hole. Your unconscious brain is smarter than your conscious thought processes. In the same way that you don't have to think hard about changing your stride when marching down a hill, your brain, by looking at "hole, ball, hole, ball" will do all of the maths for you.

Try it out on your practice green next time you get 5 minutes. If you trust it, it will help. If you don't, then you've only wasted 5 minutes.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

I find it's largely experience of hitting 000's of putts. I'll look at the lie of the surrounding land a little but invariably just stand behind the putt to read it these days. I will 'stalk around it' a bit if I'm unsure and want more information.

It's a personal process to a degree but experience and trust is essential.

 

[Region3]

The brain doesn't work well looking from behind the ball.

Try this:

View attachment 18830

1. Stand as per the illustration above, with the hole on the left and the ball on the right, far enough away to make a triangle. Not an exact science, and beware of stepping on your FC's line.

2. Face the middle of the line between the hole in the ball. FOCUS.

3. Standing, look at the hole. Then, look at the ball. Then, look at the hole. Then, STARE at the ball.

4. Staring at the ball, walk up to it and address it with your putter.

5. Trust it. Hole the putt.

By doing this from the side, your eyes will scan the break both back and forward from the ball to the hole. Your unconscious brain is smarter than your conscious thought processes. In the same way that you don't have to think hard about changing your stride when marching down a hill, your brain, by looking at "hole, ball, hole, ball" will do all of the maths for you.

Try it out on your practice green next time you get 5 minutes. If you trust it, it will help. If you don't, then you've only wasted 5 minutes.

I like the idea of this but surely setting up to the ball is a conscious thing. You have to choose where to line yourself up to, so how do you decide where to aim?

Or are you saying just set up to the ball without thinking and you will point yourself and the putter in the right direction?

 

[virtuocity]

Or are you saying just set up to the ball without thinking and you will point yourself and the putter in the right direction?

Exactly. Sounds like something the Flat Earth Society will come up with, but I've been holing some ridiculous putts over the past 6 months.

Trust is the key. You'll line up your putter thinking "No way- I'm going to go 6 foot wide here".

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Exactly. Sounds like something the Flat Earth Society will come up with, but I've been holing some ridiculous putts over the past 6 months.

Trust is the key. You'll line up your putter thinking "No way- I'm going to go 6 foot wide here".

Not sure I exactly get how you make this work from the side - but in some ways I am similar. Once I've done my quick bit of looking for a break I take stance and address the ball - and I then really focus hard on my ball and slowly look hole 'seeing' the putt and then back focussing on the ball and then stroke. One thing I certainly don't do is faff about positioning my ball or have any alignment marks to help.