Unable to read greens

[Svenska]

Since returning to club golf after only playing sporadically for the last decade i'm finding it incredibly difficult to read greens. It's as if my eyes are the wrong way around, hahahaa. I can't remember every having this problem previously as I was always a half decent putter. By not being able to get a good read i've found my putting stroke and confidence is getting even worse as well and once that happens it's a horrible experience when approaching the greens, which is a shame as tee to green i'm doing fairly well.

Hasd anyone else suffered severe problems at reading greens? Any advice? I've a putting lesson later with the local pro but i'm actually embarrassed as I can look at a ten foot breaking putt and read it the complete wrong way, it's bizarre.

 

[pokerjoke]

Since returning to club golf after only playing sporadically for the last decade i'm finding it incredibly difficult to read greens. It's as if my eyes are the wrong way around, hahahaa. I can't remember every having this problem previously as I was always a half decent putter. By not being able to get a good read i've found my putting stroke and confidence is getting even worse as well and once that happens it's a horrible experience when approaching the greens, which is a shame as tee to green i'm doing fairly well.

Hasd anyone else suffered severe problems at reading greens? Any advice? I've a putting lesson later with the local pro but i'm actually embarrassed as I can look at a ten foot breaking putt and read it the complete wrong way, it's bizarre.

Do you wear contact lenses?

 

[Svenska]

Do you wear contact lenses?

Yes! But even when I play in glasses I have trouble, I can't tell if i've just lost all confidence around the greens or if it's my routine and concentration that's appalling.

 

[ScienceBoy]

On the practice green find a non sloped part if the green (subtle borrow) and hit a handful if putts aiming right at the hole. Work back from there to understand borrow. Then apply that to another putt to a different hole

 

[3565]

DO something that I would imagine that a vast majority of golfers would not of had. A green reading lesson with your club Pro. He will be able to put you right in 5 min that'll take you ages from any advice on here. IMO.

 

[Svenska]

On the practice green find a non sloped part if the green (subtle borrow) and hit a handful if putts aiming right at the hole. Work back from there to understand borrow. Then apply that to another putt to a different hole

Not a bad shout that, i'll give it a go. I need to start somewhere so that I can build the visualisation of breaking greens. Right now I just stare blankly and then waft the putt at the hole, prat.

DO something that I would imagine that a vast majority of golfers would not of had. A green reading lesson with your club Pro. He will be able to put you right in 5 min that'll take you ages from any advice on here. IMO.

I'll mention this to him later, if he can fit green reading and looking at my putting stroke in together that'd be magic.

 

[IanG]

On the practice green find a non sloped part if the green (subtle borrow) and hit a handful if putts aiming right at the hole. Work back from there to understand borrow. Then apply that to another putt to a different hole

In a similar vein, you can simply take 6 balls and roll them by hand at the hole. Doing this you'll soon see the borrows and learn to read the greens better - and you don't feel like a failure for 'missing' the putt. It is also pretty quick since you are not really aiming each time.

 

[freddielong]

This may sound like a really obvious question but do you watch your partners putts and chip shots etc see how they role out

 

[Svenska]

This may sound like a really obvious question but do you watch your partners putts and chip shots etc see how they role out

Yes I do which is probably the only time where I then have confidence in which way the ball is going to roll.

 

[ManinBlack]

I sometimes find that I can see the borrow better looking from a distance at right angles to the line of the putt. Another thing I sometimes do is to stand at the hole looking back at my ball (you can sometimes feel the slope with your feet from this position too) Also, go up to the hole and ask yourself, for a 3' putt at right angles to your line, "would this be an uphill or downhill putt?" The last method doesn't work for double breaking putts, however.

Surprised nobody has mentioned Aimpoint yet.

 

[patricks148]

a lot of the time its getting used to greens at your home course, do as someone suggested by rolling some balls on the ones that fox you.

i'm pretty good on all ours apart from the 18th, its huge. after 6 years i'm still none the wiser

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Most people under borrow on sloping putts. Try this...

Walk uphill from your ball until you are at a point on the green that you think would be a pretty straight putt. Then pick a point on that line about 18" from the hole. That point is the point you aim your putt at. It's not an exact science but you will soon learn that putts break more than you think and you'll make better reads.

 

[Thustwest]

I have a similar issue. Ive recently started playing again and almost every putt looks straight. If i can see the slope i can read it ok but anything subtle just looks flat.

 

[Beezerk]

I like to get down in a squat behind the ball to see the line from low down, I think you see a lot more as opposed to standing up. Also, someone mentioned this on another thread recently, imagine you're rolling the ball into the hole by hand, how would it react to the slopes? I use it all the time now along with the GMac thing "how will the ball roll into the hole".

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Aimpoint yet.

Sorry been at work and the range so allow me. Aimpoint and learn to read the slope with your feet and less with the eyes.